A man from Piscataway, New Jersey, was arrested on August 27, 2025, for allegedly sending obscene material to a minor under the age of 16. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba.
Mahir Chaudhry, 21, faces one count of transferring obscene material to a minor. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court on August 28, 2025, and is currently detained pending approval of certain bail conditions.
Court documents state that between March and May 2023, Chaudhry sent at least six obscene images via text message to a victim he knew was younger than 16 years old.
If convicted, Chaudhry could face up to ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
“The defendant’s arrest is a testament to the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to protect the people of New Jersey from individuals who prey on minor victims—no matter where the victims are located,” said Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba.
SAC Stefanie Roddy of FBI Newark added: “Chaudhry’s arrest is impactful on many fronts. He can no longer cause harm to minor victims, as the complaint alleges, and his arrest serves as a warning to others who think their actions are unseen. The FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to find and apprehend these predators.”
The investigation involved special agents from the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit under Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. The FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and international partners also assisted.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to locate offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Maloy from the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark represents the government in this case.
The allegations against Chaudhry are accusations only; he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Defense counsel for Chaudhry is Timothy Donahue.
