A Sandy Springs pediatric dentist was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.
A press release said U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. sentenced Paul Bogeun Kim, 31, to three years and two months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
“Parents entrusted their children to Kim for pediatric care, while unbeknownst to them, he was amassing thousands of images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, according to the new release. “Our office is committed to prioritizing the prosecution of sexual predators who exploit and abuse children and to achieving a measure of justice for families impacted by these horrific sex crimes.”
An FBI investigation began based on a broader investigation into a commercial sexual exploitation ring that advertised and sold child pornography through online platforms, according to Buchanan, the charges and information presented in court. FBI special agents identified Kim as a suspected purchaser of the material.
The news release said that the agents executed a search warrant for Kim and his residence in Sandy Springs in December 2023. They found 1,948 images and 798 videos of child sexual assault material on the approximately 30 electronic devices they seized.
“This case is particularly disturbing because it is an example that child predators come from all walks of life,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, according to the news release.
The FBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne A. Brown Jr. was the prosecutor.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, launched in February 2006 by the U.S. Attorney General as a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.