Former University of South Carolina Assistant Scientist Faces Federal Trial Following Undercover Internet Sting

Ex-USC researcher Mohammad Harchegani heads to federal trial in May after being caught in an undercover sting targeting crimes against children.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 19, 2026, 7:20 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The State

Federal Trial Date Set for Former University Researcher

A federal criminal trial has been scheduled for Mohammad Ebrahim Torki Harchegani, 39, a former assistant scientist at the University of South Carolina (USC). Harchegani, a citizen of Iran and legal permanent resident of the United States, faces charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. U.S. District Judge Mary Lewis established the trial start date for May 13 at the Matthew J. Perry Jr. Federal Courthouse in Columbia. The proceedings follow a lengthy period of incarceration for Harchegani, who has remained in custody since a magistrate judge deemed him a flight risk and a potential danger to the community in early 2025.

The December 2024 Sting Operation

The case originated from a targeted investigation by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s internet crimes against children unit. Law enforcement evidence suggests that Harchegani, utilizing the alias "Alex Shaw," engaged in a series of text conversations on the dating application Badoo with an undercover officer. Believing he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl, Harchegani allegedly arranged a meeting at a Richland County residence while the "teen’s" parents were purportedly at work. FBI testimony reveals that the defendant arrived at the designated address with a backpack and a bag of food, at which point he was apprehended by waiting officers.

Academic and Professional Background

Prior to his arrest, Harchegani held a full-time position within USC’s College of Engineering and Computing. Records obtained via Freedom of Information requests indicate he was employed as an assistant scientist from June 2024 until his suspension without pay in December 2024, earning an annual salary of $60,300. His professional history includes a doctorate from Texas A&M University (2013–2019) and a master’s degree from Tehran University in Iran. Immediately preceding his tenure at USC, Harchegani served as a visiting assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, illustrating a steady career in high-level engineering research before the criminal allegations surfaced.