Former Cobb Softball Coach Arraigned on Child Porn Charges

A former softball coach in Cobb County has been arraigned on federal child pornography charges following an indictment by a federal grand jury earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Nicholas Mazza was arrested on Nov. 7 by Department of Homeland Security agents following an investigation which linked Mazza to a peer-to-peer computer network which allowed users to trade images of child pornography, according to prosecutors. A day earlier, prosecutors say, agents had executed a search warrant on Mazza’s Powder Springs home and allegedly found thousands of images and videos of child pornography.

Mazza allegedly told investigators that he had downloaded the images for about ten years, and preferred images of 10-year-old girls.

Mazza’s personal website says that he was born in Pennsylvania and served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He retired from head coaching in 2012 after he won his 1,002nd softball game. During his career, Mazza served as the head coach of both Whitefield Academy in Smyrna and McEachern High School in Powder Springs.

Mazza is presumed innocent of all charges until federal prosecutors can prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury, the U.S. Attorney’s Office added.