The owner of a Santa Cruz restaurant pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of possessing child pornography. After a nearly year-long cyber-crime investigation, 45-year old Giovanni DiMaio was arrested on July 1st on charges of possessing child pornography and distributing harmful matter. DiMaio, the head chef and co-owner of Limoncello, a Water Street restaurant, allegedly sent images of children engaging in sex acts and inappropriate photos of himself to children to solicit similar photos from the kids. Federal authorities have begun deportation proceedings to send DiMaio back to his native home country. He is slated to return to court on September 2nd.
