SPOKANE, WA — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison following a child exploitation investigation involving an Eastern Washington victim, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington .

Federal prosecutors said Talha Ahmed, 28, of Towson, Maryland, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mary K. Dimke after pleading guilty to one count of enticement of a minor. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Ahmed to serve five years of supervised release, pay $15,600 in restitution to the victim, and register as a sex offender .

According to court documents, the offense occurred in May 2021 after Ahmed made online contact with an 11-year-old child from the Tri-Cities area. Authorities said Ahmed, who was living out of state at the time, continued communicating with the child through electronic messaging, phone calls, and video chat over a two-day period .

Investigators said Ahmed directed the child to engage in inappropriate online conduct and transmitted payment through an online application. The activity was discovered by the child’s mother and later confirmed by law enforcement investigators .

The investigation involved officers with the Kennewick Police Department and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was also investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, according to federal officials .

During sentencing, Judge Dimke noted the lasting harm such crimes can have on victims. Federal officials emphasized the importance of parental awareness and prompt reporting of suspected online exploitation to law enforcement .

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel Holland.