Palestinian National Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for Travel with Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with Minor

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Palestinian national was sentenced in federal court to 90 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction of one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Huthayfa Almassri, 33, who had pleaded guilty to the charge on April 15, 2024.

According to information presented to the Court, Almassri traveled from Palestine on May 31, 2022, and was admitted to the United States as a Lawful Permanent Resident. On June 14, 2022, Almassri initiated an online relationship with an individual he believed to be a minor but was actually a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity. In his conversations with the minor, Almassri lied about his age and real name. On October 16, 2022, Almassri arranged to meet with the minor for sex. Almassri was arrested when he arrived to meet with the minor. In conjunction with his guilty plea, Almassri agreed to the judge's entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States.

Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and FBI Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Almassri.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.