An Iran-born U.S. citizen residing in New York has admitted to orchestrating a migrant smuggling operation, which facilitated the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the United States. Among these migrants was an individual associated with a group identified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. In addition, this individual was found to possess a collection of explicit child sexual abuse materials, federal officials disclosed on Tuesday.
Sharon Gohari, who resided in Nassau County and frequently traveled between the U.S. and Iran, confessed in a Brooklyn federal court to charges of human smuggling and the reception of child sexual abuse materials. This admission brings to a close what authorities have described as an extensive and dangerous scheme that not only threatened national security but also involved heinous exploitation.
According to prosecutors, Gohari had transformed the act of illegal immigration into a profitable enterprise starting from late 2020 until his apprehension in May 2025. He reportedly charged hefty sums to facilitate the entry of Iranian nationals and others into the U.S. This operation involved routing them through Turkey and Mexico, where he even assisted in obtaining visas via the Mexican embassy in Iran, before guiding them across the U.S. southern border with the help of an international network.
Authorities noted that among the individuals Gohari helped smuggle was one with connections to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), recognized by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. This person was eventually detained by border agents and confessed to undertaking tasks for the IRGC overseas.
John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “As this case illustrates, we cannot protect our national security without a secure border.” He highlighted that Gohari had made smuggling a commercial venture, which included aiding individuals linked to the IRGC in entering the United States.
“As this case illustrates, we cannot protect our national security without a secure border,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said. He added that Gohari “made a business of smuggling aliens into the United States,” including someone linked to the IRGC.
Members of security forces watch over the crowd during a funeral procession for IRGC Navy Chief Alireza Tangsiri and other senior naval commanders killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes in late March in Tehran, Iran, on April 1, 2026. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the defendant “exploited and endangered vulnerable individuals for profit, over and over again,” while also “put[ting] our national security at risk” by helping people bypass the country’s vetting systems.
The case took a darker turn when federal agents searched Gohari’s devices.
Authorities say they uncovered multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children, including victims believed to be as young as 5 years old, as well as hundreds of photos and recordings appearing to show women being secretly filmed and followed in public places across New York City.
“The defendant admits to helping people illegally enter the United States, including someone associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which endangers our country’s national security,” said FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Donald Holstead.
Officials say some of the recordings appeared to be taken at close range or in a way designed to capture images under women’s clothing, and that Gohari shared some of the material with overseas accounts, including Iran, tied to the exchange of child sexual abuse content.
EU designates Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organization. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Sharon Gohari threatened our national security by selling illegal entry into the United States,” said James Barnacle, Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, adding that the case underscores efforts to crack down on criminals exploiting U.S. borders.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force alongside multiple federal, state and local agencies.
Gohari now faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison on the child exploitation charge and up to 20 years, in addition to a possible 10-year sentence for the smuggling offense.
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