Metro Atlanta pediatric dentist pleads guilty to possessing child pornography
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - A metro Atlanta pediatric dentist has pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of images of child pornography.
FBI agents arrested 31-year-old Dr. Paul Bogeun Kim after searching his home on Dec. 19, 2023. Last week, he pleaded guilty.
According to court documents, Kim was arrested as part of the FBI's Child Exploitation Operations Unit's investigation into a commercial sex ring targeting female minors online.
The group used blackmail to coerce the teens into sexual acts and self-harm, investigators say. The group mainly gets images of its victims on Snapchat and sells them on several online platforms using Bitcoin.
While following a Bitcoin address used in purchasing three files of child pornography for around $249, officials say they tracked the account to Kim's home in Sandy Springs.
During their search, agents say they found dozens of electronic devices with about 1948 images and 798 videos of child pornography. Authorities say several videos showed prepubescent females engaging in sexual acts with adult males or objects.
Around the same time, officials say Kim admitted to buying material with cryptocurrency using the Coinbase account on his phone. While Kim told agents he believed the victim in one of the videos was 17 or 18, authorities say she had been 15 years old when she was first interviewed by the FBI.
Authorities say Kim worked in pediatric dental practices located in Austell, Dunwoody, and Cumming.
"Kim possessed materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors at the same time that parents were entrusting their children to his pediatric care," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "Possessing child pornography exploits and abuses children, essentially creating lasting effects for the victims each time the images are distributed online."
Kim had been out on bond under the conditions that he remained in his home and had no internet access or contact with children.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2024.
If you believe you have information that could help with the FBI's investigation into similar crimes, call the FBI's tip line at 1-800-225-5324 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.