Placer County Doctor Charged with Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Khursheed Haider, 48, of Roseville, charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Haider, a Sacramento Area pulmonologist, used an application called Wire to post, distribute, and request child pornography that included videos and images of prepubescent boys and girls being sexually abused. After a search warrant was executed, agents discovered additional prepubescent child sexual abuse material on one or more of Haider’s electronic devices.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Klein is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of distribution of child pornography, Haider faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, restitution, and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possession of child pornography, Haider faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, restitution, and a $250,000 fine Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.