Rye Neck High School Teacher Arrested on Child Porn Charges

SOMERS, NY — A Rye Neck High School teacher has been arrested for possessing and receiving child pornography.

Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Wednesday that Nicholas Pagliuca, 65, of Somers, will appear in court Wednesday on child pornography charges.

“As alleged, Nicholas Pagliuca, a teacher at a local high school, tapped into a website full of illegal child pornography to download images and videos,” Bharara said.

“Investigation and prosecution of these crimes are critical in protecting our children,” he said.

Pagliuca is charged with one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

According to the complaint, authorities said Pagliuca registered for a 30-day subscription to a website which is a way for individuals to trade child pornography images and videos.

He is alleged to have downloaded hundreds of files containing images and videos of child porn, many of which showed prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity with adults or other children.

Agents with the New York State Police and Homeland Security Investigations used Pagliuca’s email address to confirm his identity and his occupation as a teacher.

He was arrested at his home in Somers.

Pagliuca is listed as a science teacher on the Rye Neck High School website staff directory.

His LinkedIn account said he has been a teacher at Rye Neck since September 1980, serving as the local union president from 1986 to 2009.

Pagliuca previously taught at Herbert H. Lehman High School in the Bronx, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Bharara said any individuals who believe they have information concerning Pagliuca that may be relevant to the investigation should contact HSI through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. For hearing impaired, the number is 802-872-6196.

Image via Shutterstock.