A Saudi Arabian national living in Arlington, Virginia
pleaded guilty today to downloading child pornography through the dark web.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the
Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of
the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J.
Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI)’s Washington, D.C. made the announcement.
Ammar Atef Alahdali, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of
receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the
Eastern District of Virginia. Sentencing
is scheduled for Jan. 18.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty
plea, Alahdali paid cryptocurrency to become a member of a website dedicated to
the advertisement and distribution of child pornography. This website operated over the dark web—i.e.,
it could only be accessed through special software that masks the user’s real
internet protocol address. In 2017, he
used this website to download more than 20 videos depicting the sexual abuse of
children, including at least one video depicting sadistic sexual conduct.
HSI investigated the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kyle P. Reynolds and
William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity
Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Fong of the Eastern District
of Virginia.
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