Hunterdon Co. Man Had Autistic Teen Send Him Naked Pics: AG

A 34-year-old Hunterdon County man has admitted using the internet to solicit sexually explicit photos from underage girls, including an autistic girl, authorities said. Thomas A. Pirretti, 34, of Flemington, pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of manufacturing, possessing and distributing child pornography, New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced.

According to authorities, Pirretti met the autistic victim, a 16-year-old California resident, on the Nintendo Network in October 2014. After getting her phone number, he called the girl "repeatedly," asking her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself.

He also asked her to send photos of herself engaging in sexual activity with her younger female cousin, Porrino said in a statement. Pirretti told the victim that he would be her boyfriend if she complied with his demands, and she did: the victim sent Pirretti at least 10 nude images of herself, authorities say.

The victim’s mother alerted local police once she learned of the incident.

Also, in November 2014, Pirretti asked an 11-year-old Colorado girl to send him naked photos of herself. After meeting her on the Nintendo Network, he got her phone number, then called her repeatedly and asked her to send him nude photos of herself. That victim did not send any photos, authorities said.

When the victim’s father learned about the phone calls, he too alerted local police.

At the time, Pirretti already was facing charges of possession and distribution of child pornography stemming from an arrest that July. Authorities say between October 2013 and June 2014, Pirretti possessed approximately 1,005 items of child pornography and distributed approximately 750 items of child pornography via email.

“Pirretti is yet another case in point illustrating that those who share child pornography online often move on to hands-on conduct against children,” said Porrino. “Even after being arrested for child pornography, Pirretti was out on the internet, stalking young girls and deceiving a very vulnerable victim into sending him sexually explicit photos of herself. This guilty plea will remove him from our communities to a place where he can no longer harm children.”

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