Man Given Federal Prison Sentence for Child Porn

A man from nearby Johns Creek was sentenced to federal prison Thursday and ordered to undergo treatment on charges he manufactured hundreds of sexually explicit images of more than two dozen underage girls from his neighborhood, where he superimposed photos of their faces onto pornographic images.

Dirk LaPaglia, 53, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Orinda D. Evans to six years in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to undergo addiction therapy and treatment as available, as well as register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. .

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This defendant’s disturbing criminal acts destroyed an entire community’s sense of trust. As was made clear in court today, his victims remain scared and confused; they – and we – cannot understand why a father and friend from their neighborhood would do this to them and their families."

The U.S. Attorney said the victims and their families worry about the possible impact of his illegal conduct on their future, should these obscene images resurface elsewhere.

The case began when Johns Creek authorities investigated a series of stalking incidents in which neighborhood residents, including at least one minor, were sent anonymous packages containing lingerie and letters describing sexual encounters involving various adults and children in the neighborhood, according to Yates based on the charges and court documents.

LaPaglia at first denied sending the packages, but later admitted that he had delivered them to girls and women in his neighborhood.

An investigation found a collection of more than 600 images on his personal computer, identifying at least two dozen local victims. It also revealed he had been in several of the girls' bedrooms.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with invaluable assistance from the , said Patrick Crosby of the U.S. Attorney's Office.