Jurors Convict Contra Costa Man Of Arranging To Meet Minor For Sex: DA

MARTINEZ, CA —A Martinez man was convicted by a Contra Costa County jury Thursday of three felony charges, including unlawful electronic contact with a minor and arranging to meet a minor for sex, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said.

At the time of his arrest on April 6, 2018, Ahmed Kamal Ismaiel, 37, was employed as a network engineer for the Martinez Unified School District. He was arrested by the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force when he arrived at a parking lot in Pleasant Hill to meet the minor. He was charged with three felony counts of child sexual exploitation and released on bail pending trial.

During the trial, the prosecution established that Ismaiel attempted to coerce and entice a person he reasonably believed to be a 14-year-old girl into meeting him for sex, the DA's Office said.

“The Defendant’s behavior was clear, unambiguous, and unacceptable,” said Deputy District Attorney Chris Sansoe. “Not only that but so were his attempts to excuse this behavior.”

According to prosecutors, the evidence against the former Martinez resident also proved that over the course of two days, Ismaiel engaged in sexually suggestive communications with the minor, sent her sexually suggestive photos, and ultimately arranged to meet the minor for sex. Then, prior to that meeting, he stopped at a local grocery store to purchase condoms.

Ismaiel faces a maximum prison term of four years and a $5,000 fine when he is sentenced April 7.

Until then, he is in custody at a Contra Costa County jail.

The investigation was conducted by the multi-agency Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes inspectors from the Contra Costa DA's Office and detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Danville, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Pittsburg, San Ramon, Brentwood, and Moraga police departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations.