Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on January 15, 2026, District Court Judge United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke, sentenced Talha Ahmed, age 28, of Towson, Maryland, to 10 years of imprisonment for the crime of Enticement of a Minor. Judge Dimke also ordered that following his sentence, Ahmed shall serve a 5 year term of supervised release, pay $15,600 in restitution to the minor victim, and register as a sex offender.According to court documents and information revealed at the sentencing hearing, on May 19, 2021, Ahmed met an 11 year old minor from the Tri-Cities on an online application. Ahmed, who resided in Maryland, continued to communicate with the 11 year old minor via text message, FaceTime, and telephone calls into the early morning hours of May 20, 2021.
During the course of the communications, Ahmed directed the minor to send sexually explicit videos and images of herself. Ahmed also directed the 11 year old minor to engage in live, sexually explicit performances via FaceTime. Ahmed paid the child via an online application to engage in this conduct. This content was ultimately discovered by the victim’s mother and confirmed by evidence obtained by law enforcement officers with the Kennewick Police Department and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.During the sentencing hearing, Judge Dimke addressed the gravity of Ahmed’s conduct, stating that this “is an offense that has lifelong implications for the victim…and create[s] emotional insecurity that lasts a lifetime.”“This case highlights the very real dangers children face in online spaces and the devastating impact these crimes have on victims and their families.
The ICAC Task Force is committed to identifying and stopping individuals who exploit children, regardless of where they are located. Through strong collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners, we were able to ensure accountability and justice for the victim in this case,” said Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Commander, Damon Jansen.“This sentence should serve as a stark warning about the dangers children face online and a call for the public to work with HSI and our federal partners to protect children from this grave harm,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “We commend the child’s mother, whose courage in contacting authorities was crucial to securing Ahmed’s prison time for this horrific crime of soliciting child sexual abuse material. If you suspect a child is being exploited by an adult, teen, or another child—report it to law enforcement immediately.
Your action can protect a child and prevent further abuse.”“This is a case that very easily could have gone cold due to extenuating circumstances surround Ahmed’s criminal behavior. It did not go cold because of the local law enforcement and my team’s commitment to the pursuit of justice. This case also demonstrates the dangers of online interactions, and it shows how easily our children can be manipulated by an adult while online. Sadly, Ahmed’s behavior will have lasting, significant trauma to the victim and her family.
I am grateful for the tireless efforts of the law enforcement agencies in the Eastern District of Washington, both state and federal, to bring justice to the victim and our community,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Serrano.The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Kennewick Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel Holland.