Instructor and Student Sentenced to 70 and 80 Years in US Child Exploitation Case

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Two individuals have been given prison sentences of 70 and 80 years in the United States for their involvement in a child sex exploitation case, according to an official statement from the FBI and the Department of Justice.

The convictions are related to charges such as child sexual exploitation, producing and distributing child pornography, and conspiracy, following a federal court decision.

FBI reports indicate that Wisam Sharieff, 44, from Euless, Texas, who held the title of imam and worked as an online Quran recitation instructor, was sentenced to 960 months in prison, plus lifetime supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $135,000 assessment fee under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. Sharieff admitted guilt in June 2025 to conspiring to sexually exploit children and to multiple charges related to child pornography.

Similarly, Blake Miller Barakat, also known as Hamna, 50, from Shelby County, Alabama, received an 840-month prison sentence with a lifetime supervised release. He was ordered to pay a $30,000 assessment. Barakat pleaded guilty in June 2025 to child sexual exploitation and possession and distribution of child pornography.

The FBI reports that Sharieff exploited his religious title to manipulate his online student, Barakat, fostering the false and disturbing belief that sexual gratification could bring one closer to God.

Court documents reveal that in October 2024, both men repeatedly viewed and shared adult pornography online before coercing a seven-year-old child to watch the videos. The child was then forced to perform sexually explicit acts to produce child pornography.

U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona described these crimes as some of the most heinous in society and emphasized that federal authorities remain committed to aggressively pursuing anyone targeting children. The FBI Birmingham Division reiterated its dedication to safeguarding children and prosecuting offenders.

This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative by the Department of Justice that unites federal, state, and local efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation and assist victims.