North Jersey Man, 65, Admits Sharing Horrific Child Sex Videos, Including One Of Girl Under 5

𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A video of a girl believed to be 3 to 5 years old astride a shirtless, bearded tattooed man was among the evidence that apparently convinced a North Jersey retiree to plead guilty in federal court to trafficking child pornography, records show.

Gaetano Lapegna, 65, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Newark on March 5 to distributing child porn, federal authorities said. — Gaetano Lapegna, 65, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Newark on March 5 to distributing child porn, federal authorities said.
Photo Credit: *BACKGROUNHD: HSI / INSET: Facebook*

Excerpt from a complaint filed by Special Agent Bradley J. Benwell of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations in Newark. — Excerpt from a complaint filed by Special Agent Bradley J. Benwell of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations in Newark.
Photo Credit: *US Attorney's Office*

Jerry DeMarco

03/06/2024 11:34 a.m.

The clip was among 65 videos and 250 images that Gaetano Lapegna, 65, had collected of "prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children," an agent with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Newark cited in a complaint.

Lapegna, of Sussex County, shared many of them with what turned out to be HSI agents, the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Newark says.

The agents arrested Lapegna last March after a warranted search of his Franklin home turned up more than 100 of the files on a thumb drive, federal authorities said at the time.

Lapegna took a deal from the government rather than face the potential consequences of a trial conviction. He pleaded guilty on Tuesday, March 5, to distributing child porn.

U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi scheduled sentencing for July 23 in Newark.

Sellinger credited special agents of HSI Newark with the investigation leading to the guilty plea, secured by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of his Criminal Division. He also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office and Franklin borough police for their assistance.

The complaint filed by HSI Newark includes descriptions of these files that they said Lapegna shared:

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