Lake Elsinore Photographer Accused Of Child Molestation Reaches Plea Deal

A Lake Elsinore photographer who was charged with possessing child pornography and lewd acts with a child has reached a plea deal with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

Perry Anthony Pellegrini, 51, pleaded guilty Friday to possessing child pornography. Several charges of a lewd act with a child were dismissed.

For his crime Pellegrini will serve 365 days, of which 180 days will be served in a local jail, and the balance will be served in the county’s work release program. He must also register as a sex offender.

The case came to light Nov. 29 when sheriff's deputies were called to a home in the 16400 block of Joy Street and found Pellegrini suffering from allegedly self-inflicted wounds.

Investigators determined that the suspectfollowing accusations of child molestation by his wife.

The night before the wrist-cutting incident, Pellegrini's wife had filed for a temporary restraining order to keep the suspect away from her and the couple's daughters, court records show.

According to sheriff's officials, Pellegrini is an “amateur photographer” with a studio in Huntington Beach. He is also the owner/operator of Lake Elsinore-based PSP Photography.