Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 03/12/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

SENTENCING IN DATELINE STING CASE

On March 8, 2007, Mohammed Aksoum, 30, of Walnut Creek, was given a three year grant of formal probation and ordered to serve 9 months in county jail by the Hon. Judge Rene Chouteau. Aksoum previously entered a no contest plea to attempting a lewd and lascivious act on a child under the age of fourteen.

During Aksoum’s probationary period, he may not own or possess a computer, participate in on-line chats, instant messaging, or any real time conversations via the internet with minors. Additionally he will have to complete a sex offender counseling program. Finally, Aksoum will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Aksoum engaged in graphic conversations of a sexual nature with a person he believed to be a thirteen year old child, who was actually a volunteer participating in the sting from the organization Perverted Justice. After discussing his desires to engage in sexual activity, Aksoum made arrangements to go to the home of the alleged child. When Aksoum drove to the home and entered the property, after meeting Dateline NBC staff, he was arrested by the Petaluma Police Department.

Deputy District Attorneys Juliette Olson and Tashawn Sanders were the prosecutors assigned to this case. Detective Steve Nelson of the Petaluma Police Department was the lead investigator, and Sgt. Matthew Stapleton of the Petaluma Police Department headed up the sting operation.