A former doctor in Tupelo has been sentenced to 15 years on state charges connected to his possession and distribution of child pornography.
Ali Ahmad, 38, pleaded guilty to both state and federal charges after he used applications and the internet to download and distribute images of children engaged in sexually explicit content. Law enforcement was tipped to his actions when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children identified Ahmad, a neurologist at North Mississippi Medical Center at the time, as a perpetrator.
Last month, Ahmad was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to a state charge of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 15 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. The sentences will run concurrently.
As part of his federal sentencing, Ahmad was also ordered to pay $112,000 in restitution to the victims. Since there were 28 victims, each will receive $4,000. Ahmad, who is in Mississippi on a work visa, will also be deported to Pakistan after serving his sentence.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation and secured search warrants for Ahmad’s profile on a digital app he used to distribute graphic images and for his residence. Investigators found “extensive child pornography” on the app, along with “selfie” style images of Ahmad in various sexual poses.
“The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is committed to protecting our community’s most vulnerable members,” Sheriff Jim Johnson said after Ahmad’s federal sentencing. “We are pleased to announce that Mr. Ahmad has been brought to justice. … Cases involving child victims are of utmost importance to our agency, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to ensure their safety and well-being.”