A former country music radio station DJ was sentenced Thursday in Anchorage to two years in prison for distributing child pornography.
James Laplante, also known as Jimmy O'Brien, worked as the morning DJ at KASH 107.5. Prosecutors said the 49-year-old shared the child porn using social media apps, sometimes while he was at work.
The state argued that Laplante's conduct was more egregious than the typical child porn defendant, while the defense emphasized his philanthropy and his admission of his crimes.
The investigation into Laplante started when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contacted APD with two "cybertips," according to the charges.
Anchorage police detective James Estes testified Thursday the tips are generated when social media companies come across images of child sexual exploitation or potential enticement of minors. The companies report the materials to the national center.
Laplante uploaded 13 child porn images to an Instagram account between Sept. 16 and 18, with the uploaded pictures originating from his home address and workplace, the charges said.
The same email address used to set up the Instagram account tried to send child porn but was flagged by Google, according to the charges.
Police looked at the chat history on another app, downloaded on an iPhone, and found an extensive chat history between Laplante and "numerous minors he solicited for nude images."
Laplante originally faced five charges: three counts of distributing child porn and one count of possession, and a single count of online enticement of a minor. He pleaded guilty to the the distribution charge as part of a plea deal.
Assistant attorney general Adam Alexander said child porn possession cases generally involve "socially dysfunctional loners" who have compulsions to download the illegal materials for their own sexual gratification.
But Laplante maintained active dialogues with other adult males on social media who presumably had the same predilection, according to Alexander. He sought out interactions with like-minded people, Alexander said.
The prosecutor said that when investigators served search warrants on Laplante's office, pictures of children he'd helped through donations to children's hospitals lined the walls, and letters from kids thanking him for concert tickets sat in his desk.
Alexander said that while investigators didn't find evidence of real-world abuse, Laplante's presentation of platonic affection for children coupled with his desire to share and talk about child porn was disturbing.
Defense attorney Julia Moudy argued the state was sensationalizing her client's offenses because of his public notoriety and job as a radio personality.
"There's not one shred of evidence to suggest he was using the charity for salacious reasons," Moudy said.
Moudy recited several letters from people who supported Laplante and his desired recovery. A former co-worker said he'd help Laplante find a job when he was released from prison.
Speaking before the court, Laplante lamented about the connections he lost due to his actions, especially those with his family. But he told Superior Court Judge Philip Volland he was committed to "coming out of this a better person."
"I understand if it wasn't for people like me there wouldn't be an industry. I will do what I can to prevent other people doing what I've done," Laplante said.