Afghan refugees at Fort McCoy face federal charges for alleged sex acts with minor and spousal abuse

Bahrullah Noori, 20, is charged with attempting to engage in a sexual act with a minor through the use of force. The victim was not yet 16 years old, according to an indictment.

Mohammad Haroon Imaad, 32, is charged with assaulting his spouse by strangling and suffocating her. The indictment alleges that the assault occurred on September 7, 2021.

Both men made initial appearances in Madison on September 16 and are being detained at the Dane County Jail.

Noori and Imaad are scheduled for arraignment Thursday, September 23.

If convicted, Noori faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the charges alleging use of force, and a maximum penalty of 15 years on the other two charges. Imaad faces a maximum penalty of 10 years.

These cases are not related, according to a Justice Department news release, which added:

The charges against them are the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort McCoy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus is handling the Noori prosecution and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Corey is handling the Imaad prosecution.