By Doug Ireland
direland@eagletribune.com
—
BRENTWOOD — For 39 years, Joseph Pellegrino drove to work nearly every day at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Today, the former contract negotiator and 25-year Salem resident is sitting in a prison cell after pleading guilty to downloading videos of children pornography on his home computer.
Pellegrino, 60, of 15 Loren Ave. was sentenced to four to 10 years behind bars yesterday in Rockingham Superior Court as part of a plea bargain.
Pellegrino, dressed in a black suit, stood quietly as Judge Kenneth McHugh sentenced him to prison on two of the seven charges. He received two- to four-year suspended sentences on each of the five remaining charges
The guilty plea came only four months after Pellegrino asked McHugh to throw out his confession, claiming he was never read his Miranda rights by police.
Pellegrino also claimed his confession was coerced by police.
The judge denied his request. His trial, scheduled for March 19, was canceled after he agreed to change his plea of not guilty.
Pellegrino was arrested in September 2010 after an investigation of people who download child pornography by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force led investigators to his home computer.
Task force investigator Timothy Craig of the Manchester Police Department took the witness stand yesterday to describe the videos found — including those of children having sex. He explained how child pornography is often exchanged online.
"It's kind of like trading cards for these people," he said.
Craig was followed by the task force's commander, Portsmouth police Capt. Corey MacDonald.
MacDonald said there are more than 150,000 websites featuring child pornography. That's helped spur a 537 percent increase in these crimes in New Hampshire since 2007, he said. MacDonald said his office investigated 230 cases last year alone.
"These people have provided the financial motive to exploit these children," he said. "People like Mr. Pellegrino drive the market."
MacDonald and prosecutor Amy Connolly requested a harsh sentence for Pellegrino to send a message that child pornography won't be tolerated.
Connolly disputed comments made by Pellegrino during his confession that he watched videos of boys engaging in sex because he was gay.
"Pedophiles are attracted to little children and that's exactly what the defendant is," she said.
Connolly requested five to 10 years on each charge to be served concurrently.
Defense attorney Nicholas Howie told McHugh he should take into account that Pellegrino took responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty.
"He was very honest and up front," Howie said. "He didn't make excuses or try to hide from anyone."
Pellegrino told McHugh he would need medication for diabetes and high blood pressure while in prison, but declined to speak when asked if he would like to make a statement.
A family member wept in the front row of the courtroom as Pellegrino was sentenced.
McHugh said he's seen a sharp increase in child pornography cases in the last several years.
Pellegrino, a 25-year Salem resident, did not have a criminal record before his arrest and faced decades in prison if convicted at trial.
"It's a sad situation when a person outside the criminal networking is before me on something like this," McHugh said.
After the hearing, Pellegrino's family gathered around Howie outside the courtroom while the lawyer defended his client.
"We were prepared for the worst and hoped for the best," Howie said. "I don't think Joe is one of those people who will be reoffending."
Rockingham County James Reams issued a statement, praising McHugh's action.
"Judge McHugh's sentence of a significant prison sentence for the possession of these child abuse videos hopefully sends a message that possession of child abuse videos will not be tolerated," he said.
As part of his sentence, Pellegrino must receive treatment for sexual offenders while in prison and serve five years of probation upon his release. While on probation, his computer use would be strictly monitored.
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