TUPELO, Miss. — March 24, 2026 — A former Tupelo neurologist, Ali Ahmad, pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 15 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Senior Circuit Court Judge Paul S. Funderburk ordered.
Because of the nature of the offense, Funderburk ordered that Ahmad will not be eligible for parole and must serve the sentence day for day, the district attorney’s office said in a news release.
Ahmad previously was sentenced Feb. 11, 2026, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi on a charge of distribution of child pornography, Chief Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced him to 144 months in prison, five years of supervision and $96,100 in restitution, the release said. The state sentence will run concurrent to the federal term.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, Ahmad’s work visa has been revoked and he will be deported after serving his sentence, the release said. The release also thanked the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Rachel Clock and noted assistance from the Mississippi attorney general’s office and the Department of Homeland Security.
Assistant District Attorney Josh Wise prosecuted the state case on behalf of Mississippi, the release said. The information was provided by Jason D. Herring, district attorney for the First Circuit Court District. Crimes involving child pornography are typically investigated by both local and federal authorities and can result in prison terms, restitution and immigration consequences for noncitizens. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
