A Las Vegas man has admitted in federal court to sexually exploiting children in his care, closing the book on a disturbing online abuse investigation that uncovered hundreds of explicit images and videos.
Mohammad Shoaib Taraki pleaded guilty on Thursday to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 26, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. Prosecutors say the case against him is built on hundreds of images and videos, along with social media messages that investigators pulled from his online accounts.
Plea Details and Alleged Abuse
Court records described by the Las Vegas Review‑Journal state that prosecutors accuse Taraki of producing sexually explicit visual depictions of each child and sexually exploiting two children who were in his care in December 2024. Prosecutors further allege he received 21 videos and one image from other Snapchat users, used two Snapchat accounts to send at least 53 videos, and possessed more than 600 images and videos. According to the charging documents, that collection included material that investigators say depicts infants, toddlers and what they describe as sadistic or masochistic conduct.
Federal Counts and Penalties
Taraki pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children, offenses that carry a statutory maximum of up to 30 years in prison for each count, and one count of possession of child pornography, which can carry a statutory maximum of up to 20 years. The charges fall under federal child exploitation statutes, including 18 U.S.C. § 2251 and 18 U.S.C. § 2252A.
Investigation and Project Safe Childhood
The FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department led the investigation, and prosecutors say the case was handled under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative that coordinates child exploitation investigations, according to the Review‑Journal. The initiative was launched in May 2006 to marshal federal, state and local resources against online child sexual exploitation and abuse and to help identify and rescue victims, according to the Department of Justice.
What Happens Next
At Taraki's Aug. 26 sentencing, Judge Gordon will decide whether to stack the prison terms consecutively or run them at the same time. Federal judges can also impose supervised release, restitution and sex offender registration requirements, depending on the specifics of the plea and the court's findings. The U.S. Attorney's Office is expected to submit a formal sentencing recommendation, while Taraki's defense team will have a chance to present any mitigating evidence before the judge hands down the final sentence.
