Petrillo enters Alford plea in Accomack child pornography case

By Linda Cicoira

When Nicholas “Nick” Edward Petrillo, of Belle Haven, was 18 years old in 2023, he lived near Painter with his 15-year-old girlfriend, her mother, and her siblings. During that time, Petrillo was having an “intimate consensual relationship” with the girl. They were in high school.

Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court, the defendant entered an Alford plea to one count of knowingly possessing child pornography. Thirty-eight other charges also stemmed from the 22 videos and 18 images of the couple in the nude that were found on Petrillo’s cell phone. Those charges were not prosecuted in a plea agreement with Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney William Fox.

An Alford plea means the defendant maintained his innocence while admitting that the evidence against him was sufficient to find him guilty. Despite the description, the court treats the plea as a regular guilty plea. Petrillo cannot appeal the outcome.

Fox said child pornography was found on the defendant’s cell phone after an officer obtained a search warrant for the device. Information from the phone was being sought in connection with a violent criminal case in Northampton County.

The plea agreement called for Petrillo to be sentenced to five years in prison, with all but time served suspended. A presentence report and a psychosexual evaluation were ordered. Sentencing was set for November. Petrillo is free on an unspecified bond. The agreement also calls for the defendant to be on supervised probation for three years. He would be required to register as a sex offender for 15 years, after which he can petition the court to remove him from that restriction.

Petrillo was sentenced to 21 years in prison, with all but a year suspended, for a 2024 drive-by shooting. He was convicted of shooting from a vehicle, shooting at an occupied vehicle, reckless handling of a firearm, and maliciously shooting at an occupied dwelling in the Bayview area of lower Northampton.Set featured image

Charges of malicious wounding, shooting across a road, felony destruction of property, wearing a mask, use of a firearm, shooting in the commission of a felony, and malicious wounding by a mob were not prosecuted in a plea agreement with Commonwealth’s Attorney Jack Thornton.

The crimes occurred on Bluebird Road. Cars and apartment buildings were struck by gunfire coming from a blue Chevrolet Malibu owned by Petrillo. Neighbors were socializing after a barbecue and were filmed running for cover. One young woman, who had just graduated from high school the previous night, was struck by gunfire, causing her to undergo a procedure to remove shrapnel from her foot. Investigators found about 30 shell casings in the area. Several others were also convicted in the incident.