Student sentenced on sex charges

A former UNC student was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison on Sept. 12 for sexual exploitation of children.

Corey Gallisdorfer of Lewisville, N.C., was arrested in May 2011 after victims in Georgia reported inappropriate activity on the Internet to the FBI. Gallisdorfer was a freshman living in Granville Towers.

According to an affidavit filed by an FBI agent, Gallisdorfer had been posing as a 14-year-old girl on the Internet, coercing 12 to 14-year-old boys at several Atlanta-area schools to send pornographic photos and videos of themselves to him.

He threatened the boys that he would tell their friends if they refused to send what he asked, the affadavit stated.

He then posted the photos on a Russian website, imgsrc.ru, a file-sharing website, for others to view and comment.

David Freedman, Gallisdorfer’s lawyer, said in an interview that the FBI traced Gallisdorfer back to his computer in Granville.

Freedman added that there was no evidence that the University was aware of Gallisdorfer’s illegal activities.

“When we went to court for sentencing two weeks ago, the least amount of time he could have gotten was 15 years — the most amount of time he could have gotten was life,” Freedman said.

But Freedman added that in federal cases, those sentenced usually serve about 85 percent of their allotted time, and he expects Gallisdorfer to serve about 12 and a half years.

Freedman said Gallisdorfer has taken full responsibility for his actions.

“He’s been very straightforward, he’s been very remorseful — extremely remorseful,” Freedman said. “He has worked with authorities to try and limit the damage that was done by his actions and he’s taken full responsibility — never tried to lay the blame on anyone.”

After Gallisdorfer is released from prison, Freedman said he will have to register as a sex offender, which he will remain for life unless he’s removed from the list by a judge.

“As soon as you get released, you go to the sheriff’s office of the county you’re residing in, and you sign up on the sex offenders register,” Freedman said.

If Gallisdorfer moves to another city or state, he will have to reregister.

Freedman said Gallisdorfer became addicted to porn at age 11. Gallisdorfer has been diagnosed with a sexual addiction, and he will continue to receive treatment in custody.

Freedman said the charges shocked Gallisdorfer’s parents, as well as members of his community.

Sophomore Tyler Sparks, a resident of Winston-Salem who knew of Gallisdorfer in high school, said the charges are surprising.

“(He) went to a good school, good family — so it really just was a shock.”

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.