SELDEN, NY – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Aqeel Ahmad, 53, a Pakistani national, has been indicted on charges of Unlawful Surveillance and related offenses after allegedly using his cellphone to photograph a 13-year-old girl under her dress while she shopped with her father at a Target store in Selden.
Today’s indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us,” District Attorney Tierney said. “This defendant’s alleged conduct is both predatory and deeply disturbing. We will confront such acts that violate a child’s safety and dignity with every appropriate legal measure.”
According to investigators, the incident occurred on October 19, 2025, inside the card aisle of Target. The child’s father reportedly noticed a man crouched beside his daughter, holding a cellphone positioned near her bare leg and close to the hem of her dress. When confronted, the man, later identified as Ahmad, who allegedly fled the aisle.
Later the same day, the father saw Ahmad sitting inside a parked vehicle in the Target lot and confronted him again. The father photographed the vehicle and license plate before contacting Suffolk County Police. Officers located Ahmad soon afterward and placed him under arrest. Investigators later determined that an image allegedly taken under the girl’s dress had been deleted from Ahmad’s phone.
On December 4, 2025, Ahmad was arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis on charges of Unlawful Surveillance in the Second Degree, a Class E felony; Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor.
Justice Wilutis ordered Ahmad to supervised release without bail, as the charges are classified as non-bail eligible under current New York State law. Under these statutes, prosecutors cannot request bail, and judges cannot impose it. Ahmad is scheduled to return to court on January 30, 2026, and faces a potential sentence of one and one-third to four years in prison if convicted on the top count.
Key Facts & Details
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Aqeel Ahmad, 53, Pakistani national |
| Incident Date | October 19, 2025 |
| Incident Location | Target store, Selden, New York |
| Alleged Conduct | Used cellphone to take photos under a 13-year-old girl’s dress; image later deleted |
| How Suspect Was Identified | Victim’s father confronted Ahmad twice; photographed his vehicle and license plate |
| Arrest Details | Police located and arrested Ahmad later the same day |
| Charges | Unlawful Surveillance in the Second Degree (Class E felony); Tampering with Physical Evidence (Class E felony); Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class A misdemeanor) |
| Arraignment Date | December 4, 2025 |
| Court | Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis |
| Bail Status | Supervised release without bail; charges are non-bail eligible under NYS law |
| Next Court Date | January 30, 2026 |
| Potential Sentence | 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison on the top count |
| Key Evidence Allegation | Photo of victim’s intimate area was allegedly taken and then deleted |
