Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Pankaj Singh Bohra, a 35-year-old foreign national from India, has been sentenced for possession of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors. This sentencing, which took place on April 1, 2025, was for violations under Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).
Bohra, a former employee of Carnival Cruise Lines, was arrested in July 2024. The arrest followed an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations where he was found with child pornography at Erato Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans.
United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter delivered an eighteen-month imprisonment sentence to Bohra. Additionally, he was sentenced to five years of supervised release, must register as a sex offender, and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice launched in May 2006, aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative enlists federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be accessed at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office expressed gratitude for the support provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution was managed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.