A former employee of Carnival Cruise Lines has been sentenced for possession of child sexual abuse material. Pankaj Singh Bohra, a 35-year-old foreign national from India, received his sentence on April 1, 2025. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson, Bohra was charged with possession of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors, violating Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).
Bohra's arrest in July 2024 occurred when special agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, found him in possession of child pornography at the Erato Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans. United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced Bohra to 18 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, sex offender registration, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The case is part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative, which began in May 2006 to address the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program combines efforts of federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute offenders, as well as to identify and rescue victims. More information on the initiative can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office acknowledged the support of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, is handling the prosecution.
