OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An Oklahoma City man, Keramat Taghizadeh, 56, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for enticing a 10-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct which he videotaped, U.S. Attorney John C. Richter announced today. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joe Heaton.
Taghizadeh's arrest followed the March 2006 theft of his video camera by three juveniles from the Crossroads Mall in Oklahoma City. After watching the videotape found in the camera, the juveniles informed their parents that the video contained images of a child engaged in sexual activity. Del City Police Officers were notified by parents who turned over the camera to the police. Through a joint investigation by officers of Del City Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department and the FBI, Taghizadeh was arrested and charged in federal court in April 2006. Later he was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 3, 2006 on four counts of production of child pornography.
"The sexual predation of children is a profound evil," stated U.S. Attorney Richter. "I commend the citizens and my law enforcement partners who brought this man to justice. We simply cannot rest in our efforts to protect children from sexual abuse."
On Sept. 13, 2006, Taghizadeh pled guilty to the production of child pornography. In sentencing the defendant, the court found the extended period of time over which sexual abuse occurred necessitated an 18-year term of prison, followed by an additional three years of supervised release. The court also ordered the defendant to register as a sexual offender. Taghizadeh remains in custody pending designation of the federal prison where he will serve his sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Sengel.
CONTACT: Bob Troester, (405) 553-8999
CONTACT: Bob Troester of the U.S. Dept. of Justice, +1-405-553-8999
Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/ http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/
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