• Conviction - mikejardi - Lindale, Texas

    - Chatlog Conviction -
    File originally posted on 5/25/2007 5:43 PM PST [Link to File]
    Report made 5/25/2007 5:43 PM PST

    mikejardi (07/21/06 12:37:45 AM): i am much older
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:37:49 AM): how old
    mikejardi (07/21/06 12:37:52 AM): 99
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:37:57 AM): lol
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:37:58 AM): wutevr
    mikejardi (07/21/06 12:38:06 AM): u like oldeR ones?
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:38:31 AM): i dont realy care bout age
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:38:34 AM): i jst lik cute
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:38:35 AM): lol
    mikejardi (07/21/06 12:38:36 AM): nice
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:38:47 AM): so how old r u
    decoy name (07/21/06 12:38:50 AM): 4 real
    mikejardi (07/21/06 12:38:54 AM): 46
    Actually, try 61 years old. Yep.

    Dr. Vagefi solicited our underage decoy in 2006. Yes, Dr. Specifically, he was an ophthalmologist. Basically it's an optometrist that also performs eye surgeries on advanced medical conditions relating to eyes and eyelids. Pretty important and prestigious career, thrown away for the chance of meeting an underage female for sex. It really boggles the mind sometimes.

    This case was prosecuted federally by the Department of Justice. Dr. Vagefi received a sentence of five years in jail along with a one hundred thousand dollar fine. He also will be a lifetime registered sex offender. Being that he's 61 years old, he will not see the light of day until he's 66, that is, if he survives prison in general.

    Yes, this is the result of soliciting what you think is a child online. A life thrown away. Ridiculous.

    We thank the always-awesome Murphy, TX police department for working with us to get him arrested and the Department of Justice for taking an interest in prosecuting this case. They chose to do it after hearing of the arrest, which is always a nice compliment towards our work.

    Full Department of Justice Press Release
    SMITH COUNTY MAN GUILTY OF SOLICITING MINOR

    61-year-old Arranged Meeting with Child for Sex

    MARSHALL TX - United States Attorney Matthew D. Orwig announced today that a 61-year-old Tyler man has pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas.

    ALI VAGEFI admitted to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor before United States Magistrate Judge John D. Love today.

    According to information presented in court, between July 21, 2006, and July 24, 2006, Vagefi communicated with a person he believed to be a minor within a Yahoo on-line chat room. Vagefi represented himself to be a 46-year-old male and the minor represented herself as a 14-year-old female named \"Crissy\" living in Murphy, Texas. Vagefi's chats with Crissy were sexually explicit and he scheduled a meeting with Crissy on July 25, 2006, in Murphy, for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with Crissy.

    On July 22, 2006, Officer Kevin Carter of the Murphy Police Department was contacted by a volunteer with Perverted Justice. Perverted Justice is a private organization composed of volunteers that monitor Internet chat activities in an effort to detect and report persons utilizing the Internet for the purpose of preying upon children. This volunteer related that he was posing as a 14-year-old female child on the Internet in a chat room (using the screen name \"Crissy\") and that a \"Mikejardi\" had engaged in a sexually explicit conversation in which he was seeking to meet and have sex with Crissy. It was agreed that Officer Carter and this Perverted Justice volunteer would work together in an operation to identify and bring to justice \"Mikejardi.\"

    On July 24, 2006, the volunteer telephoned Officer Carter and reported that Mikejardi had been in the Yahoo chat room communicating with Crissy. Mikejardi solicited Crissy to meet at a convenience store in Murphy on July 25, 2006, for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. The volunteer stated that in the on-line chat, he had asked for a stuffed toy animal from Mikejardi to be delivered at their meeting.

    On July 25, 2006, Vagefi arrived at the convenience store in Murphy for the purpose of meeting with Crissy. He was in possession of a teddy bear stuffed animal and condoms. Vagefi was then arrested by Murphy Police.

    Vagefi faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

    This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Murphy Police Department and the Longview Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gregg A. Marchessault.


    Full news story on his arrest and sentencing
    Tyler Doctor Gets Five Years For Soliciting Teen
    By CASEY KNAUPP
    Staff Writer

    A Tyler ophthalmologist was sentenced to five years in federal prison Wednesday for soliciting a teenage girl online.

    Dr. Ali Vagefi, 61, pleaded guilty on Feb. 20 to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He was arrested July 27 in Murphy while attempting to meet with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl he met in a chat room.

    He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider.

    Between July 21 and July 24, Vagefi represented himself to be a 46-year-old man and believed he was communicating with \"Crissy,\" a 14-year-old girl living in Murphy, which is near Plano. Vagefi's chats with the girl were sexually explicit and he scheduled a meeting with her on July 25 for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity, according to a prepared statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Texas.

    F.R. \"Buck\" Files Jr. and J. Brett Harrison represented Vagefi while Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Marchessault prosecuted the case.

    On July 22, Murphy Police Officer Kevin Carter was contacted by a volunteer with Perverted Justice, a private organization composed of volunteers who monitor Internet chat activities to detect and report people using the Internet to prey on children.

    The volunteer reported he was posing as a teenage girl in an Internet chat room and that \"Mikejardi\" was seeking to meet \"Crissy.\" The volunteer and Carter worked together to identify Mikejardi, who solicited the girl to meet at a convenience store in Murphy on July 25. The volunteer, when posing as the young girl, asked the suspect to bring her a stuffed animal when they met.

    Vagefi arrived at the store with a stuffed teddy bear and condoms. He was arrested by Murphy police.

    Tyler police and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents searched through Vagefi's home the night after the arrest and seized additional computer equipment for further investigation.

    His arrest was part of a sting operation aimed at online child predators, according to the Murphy Police Department.

    Two others were arrested, including a 31-year-old man from Richardson and a 21-year-old man from Dallas, in Murphy during the sting operation.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, the Murphy Police Department and the Longview Police Department Internet Crimes against Children Unit.


    This is our 191st conviction since June of 2004 and our 70th conviction for 2007 so far.