LOUISVILLE, KY. A federal jury convicted Joseph Samir Zakhari on Sept. 24, 2021, of multiple child exploitation offenses following a five-day trial held before United States District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the charges against Zakhari, age 34, of Louisville, Kentucky, stemmed from the October 2019 joint federal, state, and local online undercover investigation Operation Gabbi Doolin. During the course of this investigation, and while authorized by the Kentucky Attorney General to conduct undercover investigations on the internet, a detective posed as a 15-year-old girl on a social media app with the username boredcrbgirl. On October 6, 2019, a person with the username jzakhari, later identified as Joseph Samir Zakhari, contacted boredcrbgirl. Zakhari told boredcrbgirl that he was 32 and asked her age. Boredcrbgirl responded that she was 15. A conversation then developed that was made sexual by Zakhari, and, from October 6 until October 8, Zakhari requested details about boredcrbgirls sexual history, repeatedly talked about sex acts he wanted to engage in with boredcrbgirl, and asked for sexual images of boredcrbgirl. Zakhari also sent sexually explicit images of himself to boredcrbgirl and requested to meet in person so that the two could engage in sex acts.
On October 8, 2019, Zakhari sent an Uber to pick up boredcrbgirl to bring her to his condominium, with the stated purpose of the trip being for the two to engage in sex acts. Undercover law enforcement officers followed a decoy law enforcement officer in the Uber to the destination specified by Zakhari. Upon arrival, the decoy sent a message at 5:16 p.m., Im outside, to which Zakhari responded coming down. The decoy got out of the Uber and stood in front of the provided address. Shortly thereafter, Joseph Samir Zakhari, opened the door and invited her in. Law enforcement officials subsequently arrested Zakhari.
The jury found Zakhari guilty of attempted online enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and attempted production of child pornography.
Acting United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett made the announcement.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Under federal law, Zakhari is facing a mandatory sentence of not less than fifteen years imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless is prosecuting the case. The joint investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service and Kentucky Attorney Generals Office with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department, United States Marshals Service, and Kentucky State Police.
Source: U.S. Secret Service