Iranian US citizen pleads guilty in smuggling and child abuse case
An Iranian US citizen has pleaded guilty in federal court in New York to alien smuggling and receiving child sexual abuse material, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday.
The defendant, Sharon Gohari, admitted to facilitating the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the United States in exchange for payment, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors said he helped migrants enter the US through Mexico as part of a wider smuggling network involving associates in Iran and other countries.
Authorities said at least one individual he assisted had links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization.
During the investigation, federal agents also found child sexual abuse material on his devices, as well as images showing the covert recording and stalking of women in New York City, according to the department.
Gohari faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for the child exploitation charge, along with additional penalties for alien smuggling.
