US Islamic teacher gets 10 years prison for sending porn to 15-yr-old girl

Virginia: A Virginia Islamic school teacher who cultivated sexual video conversation with a 15-year-old student will face prison for 10 years, reported Washington Post.

Earlier this year, Seitu Sulayman Kokayi, 30, was convicted at trial in Alexandria federal court of sending pornographic images to the girl and trying to persuade her to respond in kind.

Judge Brinkema said, “Your case is an unusual one. You had an absolutely improper infatuation with this child, and you acted inappropriately on it.”

However, the judge said that it was not a typical pornography case.

Kokayi lives in Alexandria, worked at the University of Maryland University College and taught the Koran at a mosque in Washington.

In court, he apologized to his wife, his family and his friends.

"I have many shortcomings and I've committed many sins," he said. "I blame no one but myself."

Prosecutors asked for a 25-year sentence, arguing Kokayi used his influence as a teacher to sway young girls toward extremism and sexual activity. He sent 16-year-old girls Islamic State videos and other propaganda.

Brinkema did not consider that material as part of her sentence.

"This is a case of an educated and savvy man preying on the vulnerabilities of a 15-year-old girl," Assistant US Attorney Dennis Fitzpatrick said, adding “He is espousing violence, he is interested in it, he was deep in the weeds of this ideology and he was promoting that with children.”

Attorneys for Kokayi argued his interactions with the girl and his interest in extremism were overblown. While he sent her sexually explicit images and asked her to meet him in a hotel for sex, she never exposed herself to him. Kokayi maintained that he shared the propaganda to provoke discussion, and that he also presented his students with opposing views on Islam. He denied having any desire to join the Islamic State.