A Middletown, New York man has pleaded guilty to several child exploitation charges after using social media platforms TikTok and Snapchat to target underage girls. The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
James Pagliaro, 27, admitted in federal court to contacting a 15-year-old girl from Connecticut through TikTok in October 2024. By December of that year, the minor had disclosed her age to Pagliaro, and their communication shifted to text messages. According to statements in court documents, Pagliaro traveled from New York to Connecticut at least three times in January 2025 for sexual encounters with the minor.
A forensic review of the victim’s iPhone uncovered hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos involving the minor, as well as more than 11,000 text messages and over 300 calls between Pagliaro and the victim. During these communications, authorities said Pagliaro directed the girl to perform sex acts that included sadistic and masochistic conduct. He also encouraged her to recruit another minor for sexual activity.
Further investigation revealed that Pagliaro had exchanged explicit content with other minors: a 15-year-old girl in the United Kingdom, a 15-year-old in New Jersey, and a 16-year-old in Florida. Authorities found he initiated contact with thousands of minors on TikTok and Snapchat. In March 2025 alone, he sent messages—many sexually explicit—to about 600 Snapchat users believed to be minors and sent explicit images of himself to at least 68 users.
Pagliaro has been held since his arrest on March 19, 2025. He pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography (carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to twenty years), enticement of a minor (with penalties ranging from ten years up to life imprisonment), and traveling for sexual activity with a minor (up to thirty years). Sentencing is scheduled for May 8 before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations offices in New England and New York along with local law enforcement agencies including those from Orange County (N.Y.), Danbury, Ridgefield, and Watertown.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon is prosecuting the case.
“This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation,” according to Sullivan’s office.
Individuals can report suspected cases of child exploitation through resources such as www.cybertipline.com or learn more about government efforts at www.justice.gov/psc.