PHILADELPHIA - Niyaz Sainudeen, 42, of Bethlehem, PA, was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison for distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. Federal agents found hundreds of images and dozens of videos depicting child pornography on Sainudeen’s computer during a March 8, 2012 search of his home. In July 2011, Sainudeen engaged in a chat session with an undercover agent from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. As a result of the chat, Sainudeen gave the undercover agent access to a password-protected folder containing child pornography. After being questioned by agents during the March 8, 2012 search of his home, Sainudeen attempted to flee to his native India and was arrested at JFK Airport. Sainudeen pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge James Knoll Gardner ordered $10,000 restitution, a $400 special assessment and five years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joan E. Burnes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
