An Indian national from Mumbai has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison in the United States after pleading guilty to transporting and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Ashish Kapoor, also known as Romy Kapoor, 28, was sentenced by a US District Court in Louisiana on July 8. According to the US Department of Justice, he received a prison term of 121 months, equivalent to 10 years and one month, after admitting to transporting child sexual abuse material and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Indian National Sentenced in US: Child Sexual Abuse Material Found on Phone
According to the US Department of Justice, Kapoor travelled from Mumbai to New Orleans on February 21, 2024. Investigators found that he was carrying a mobile phone containing videos and images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Court records also revealed that on April 11, 2024, Kapoor downloaded a video showing the sexual abuse of a child using an internet connection associated with his residence in New Orleans.
Ashish Kapoor Admitted Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material Through WhatsApp
Kapoor was arrested on December 20, 2024, by special agents from the US Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the New Orleans Police Department.
During a recorded interview after his arrest, Kapoor admitted that he had viewed and received child sexual abuse material (CSAM) through WhatsApp on his mobile phone.
Investigators Recovered More Than 600 Illegal Images
Investigators discovered that Kapoor possessed more than 600 images depicting the sexual abuse of minors. According to court documents, he admitted that the collection included images involving infants and toddlers, as well as material portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct.
Court Orders Supervised Release and Sex Offender Registration
Apart from the prison sentence, the court ordered Kapoor to serve five years of supervised release after completing his jail term. He was also directed to pay a mandatory special assessment of $200 and $3,000 in restitution to a victim. In addition, the court ordered Kapoor to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon his release from prison.
