Agents Arrest Suspect Who Traveled Here For Child Sex

By  //  April 15, 2013

Completes Four-Month Investigation

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – Brevard County Sheriff’s Office agents have arrested a 39-year-old British citizen they say was making his way to Cocoa Beach for the express purpose of having sex with a child.   

Shuhel Mahboob Ali
Shuhel Mahboob Ali

Officer Maria Fernez of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said the arrest Saturday evening of Shuhel Mahboob Ali, completed a four-month investigation.

She said the arrest was the result of a joint investigation led by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations Office, the Cocoa Beach Resident Agent Office and the United States Attorney’s Office.

Fernez said the investigation was initiated in January when Ali contacted a Sheriff’s Office agent, who was working in an undercover capacity.

According to Fernez, Ali told the agent that he wanted to travel to the U.S. and have a relationship with an underage girl. As part of the relationship, the suspect allegedly wanted to impregnate the victim, whereupon he would be able to groom the children to be abused by the suspect from the time of birth.

The suspect made arrangements to travel from London, England, to Brevard County specifically to have sexual contact with a child.

Ali arrived in the United States on the evening of Saturday, April 13 and was arrested in north Brevard County as he traveled to the location where he was to meet with the girl.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey praised the effort leading to an arrest Saturday of a suspect who traveled to Brevard to have sex with a child.  (Image courtesy of Brevard County Sheriff's Office)
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey praised the effort leading to an arrest Saturday of a suspect who traveled to Brevard to have sex with a child. (Image courtesy of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office)

Following the arrest, Ali was interviewed by agents from the Department of Homeland Security, after which he was transported to the Brevard County Jail. He was transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s service in Orlando where he will have his initial appearance on federal charges before a Federal Magistrate today.

Fernez said Ali was charged in a criminal complaint with using a facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce to attempt to persuade, induce, and entice an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b).

If convicted, Ali faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in jail up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

“I want this message to be absolutely crystal clear, we will use every lawful resource we have in our possession to find and remove you from society if you try to harm a child, no matter where you may be on this planet.” Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Sexual Offender/Predator Registration and Tracking Unit, the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Attorney’s Office Child Exploitation Task Force is a multi-agency partnership initiated to investigate dangerous offenders and predators who prey upon children.

“I am so proud of the tireless efforts by this partnership and our investigative team that removed this vile suspect from harming children,” Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said . “It is truly unimaginable that monsters exist and walk among us with the purpose of victimizing our most precious citizens. I want this message to be absolutely crystal clear, we will use every lawful resource we have in our possession to find and remove you from society if you try to harm a child, no matter where you may be on this planet.”