UPDATE: A 27-year-old New York man has just pleaded guilty to multiple charges of child exploitation, using social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat to prey on vulnerable girls, including a 15-year-old from Connecticut. James Pagliaro, of Middletown, faced U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport on March 19, 2025, and now faces a prison sentence ranging from five years to life when he is sentenced on May 8, 2025.
Court documents reveal shocking details about Pagliaro’s actions. Reports indicate that he began messaging the Connecticut teen on TikTok in October 2024. By December, the girl disclosed her age, yet Pagliaro continued his predatory behavior, traveling to Connecticut multiple times in January 2025 to engage in sexual conduct with her.
A forensic examination of the victim’s iPhone in February 2025 uncovered hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos, along with over 11,000 text messages exchanged between the two. Disturbingly, it was found that Pagliaro instructed the minor to perform specific sexual acts, including sadistic behavior, and urged her to recruit other minors for similar exploitation.
The investigation also indicated that Pagliaro was involved with other underage girls, including minors from the United Kingdom, New Jersey, and Florida. Just in March 2025, he reportedly sent sexually explicit messages to approximately 600 Snapchat users believed to be minors, including explicit images to at least 68 of them.
Authorities have confirmed that Pagliaro has been in custody since his arrest on March 19, 2025. The investigation was conducted by HSI New England, HSI New York, and local police departments in Orange County, Danbury, Ridgefield, and Watertown.
This urgent case underscores the critical need for vigilance against child exploitation in the digital age. Authorities urge anyone with knowledge of similar cases to report them immediately at www.cybertipline.com. The community is left to grapple with the alarming reality of online predation, as law enforcement continues to crack down on such heinous crimes.
