Probation, treatment for former Naperville firefighter with 12,000 child porn images
A former Naperville firefighter who authorities say had more than 12,000 images of child pornography on three computers was sentenced Thursday to four years of specialized probation.
"I'm willing to take a chance on you that you're going to continue with your treatment," Kane County Judge John Barsanti told Louis J. DiGrazia IV. "This takes vigilance from you every day. This is not going to be easy."
DiGrazia, 49, of the 900 block of Glenmore Lane, Elgin, was arrested in October 2016 and charged with 25 felony counts of child pornography possession.
DiGrazia, who resigned from his post as a Naperville firefighter after his arrest, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of child pornography possession, a felony with a punishment ranging from probation to up to seven years in prison and registration as a sex offender.
DiGrazia entered a "blind" or "cold" plea, in which a defendant doesn't agree with prosecutors on a sentence and leaves it in the hands of a judge.
On Wednesday, Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Sal LoPiccolo argued for a three-year prison term, noting that investigators found 12,259 images of child pornography on three of DiGrazia's computers.
Defense attorney Patrick Crimmins argued that DiGrazia's turned to pornography after his first wife died from a flesh-eating bacteria, leaving him to care for their three children, who were ages, 2, 5 and 7 at the time. DiGrazia remarried in 2007, but stress took a toll on him again, Crimmins said.
Crimmins said DiGrazia immediately sought treatment and counseling after his arrest and numerous evaluations from doctors, psychologists and other court experts showed DiGrazia was making good progress and was a low risk to reoffend.
"He has shown remorse for what he's done. He has acknowledged what he has done and he's acted on that," Crimmins said. "He is better. I don't just say that, the professionals do."
Barsanti acknowledged that the thousands of images on DiGrazia's computers demonstrated that he was amassing the child pornography for a long time and it wasn't just a "momentary lapse in judgment."
Barsanti also prohibited DiGrazia, who had no previous arrests, from using the internet for nonwork matters and noted that if DiGrazia gets kicked out of sex offender treatment, Barsanti would consider that a violation of probation and DiGrazia could be sent to prison.
DiGrazia also must pay $2,280 in fines and fees and register as a sex offender.