A Norman liquor store owner whose shop sits just off the University of Oklahoma campus has admitted to a federal child pornography charge and now faces the kind of sentence that can end a career and a business in one shot.
Kayvan Karya Rasolkhani, 46, pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to a single count of possession of child pornography, according to KFOR, which cited the Department of Justice. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. His shop, University Liquor near the OU campus, has been closed since FBI agents executed a search warrant there in October, when authorities say they seized a cellphone containing videos and images. Prosecutors also allege Rasolkhani chatted online with an undercover agent about meeting to sexually assault two fictitious children.
Investigation and evidence
Federal court records indicate the case grew out of an FBI online investigation that opened in 2024. Agents began communicating with Rasolkhani in mid 2024 through an undercover online account, and the conversations later shifted to messaging apps such as Kik and Telegram, according to The Oklahoman.
By November, investigators say, Rasolkhani admitted he had sexual contact with a minor at his business and that he recorded the encounter, the outlet reported. A cellphone seized during the October search at University Liquor was found to contain videos and images that investigators say depict child sexual abuse. Those materials were recovered through search warrants executed on his vehicle, residence, and workplace, according to the same reporting.
Undercover contacts
Court documents describe months of alleged online conversations between Rasolkhani and an undercover FBI agent who posed as someone offering access to minors. In those chats, investigators say, he discussed meeting to commit sexual assaults on the fictitious children, as outlined in the federal filings summarized by The Oklahoman.
Agents also recovered multiple videos and chat logs from the phone seized in October, material that prosecutors say corroborates the undercover communications and the alleged conduct described in court papers, according to the same report.
Legal consequences
Federal law sets steep penalties for crimes involving sexually explicit material depicting minors. Under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A, defendants convicted of certain child pornography offenses can face up to 20 years in prison and substantial fines, as outlined by Cornell Law School. Prosecutors say Rasolkhani now faces those maximum penalties at sentencing, according to the Department of Justice statement cited by KFOR.
Store and community impact
University Liquor is listed at 1215 E Lindsey St., and business directories now show the shop as closed following the federal action. The Chamber of Commerce listing confirms the address and owner information. Local coverage from KOCO captured neighbors' surprise when federal agents raided the business.
Sentencing will be scheduled by the federal court after the pre sentence process, including preparation of any presentence reports. The investigation is being led by the FBI's Oklahoma City Field Office, and the case is in the hands of federal prosecutors in Oklahoma City, according to local reporting. Future court filings will spell out the next hearing dates and any formal sentencing recommendations from the government.
