BRANDON, Fla. — A 56-year-old Brandon man accused of having a sexual relationship with his 12-year-old niece and trying to marry her has been sentenced to 37 years in prison.
- Brandon man sentenced for trying to marry 12-year-old niece
- Mirza Hussain accused of sexually battering niece
- Hussain's niece and her family was living with him at the time
- Hussain found guilty, sentenced to 37 years
According to officials, Mirza Hussain took in his sister and her family, including two minor daughters, when they legally immigrated to the U.S. from Bangladesh in 2010. Hussain’s relatives were culturally and socially isolated, did not have employment, lacked transportation, and spoke very little English, officials said.
According to the report, Hussain developed "a romantic and sexual interest in his 12-year-old niece." The report stated, "bought the child tight fitting clothing, romantic jewelry, and cellphones."
At some point, Hussain began to sexually batter his niece and started living with her openly as if she were his spouse in front of her family and his wife.
Officials said his wife left him, and in early 2012, his sister's family, including his 12-year-old niece, moved out of his house.
After that, the report stated that "Hussain sent numerous sexually explicit text messages to his niece—professing his love for her and his intention to marry her, discussing sex with her, soliciting naked photographs from her, and asking her to masturbate for him. He also manipulated her into falsifying reports claiming that her parents were abusing her."
In November of 2012, officials said Hussain traveled to Bangladesh and obtained a false birth certificate that changed his niece's birthdate, making her appear three years older. After returning to the U.S., officials said he used the new birth certificate to fraudulently obtain a new Legal Permanent Resident Card reflecting her new birth year.
Hussain then showed up at his niece's home and tried to take her away from her parents, according to the report.
He was charged with enticement of a minor, document fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He was found guilty on January 11, 2019.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigation.
This criminal put his own agenda first, hurting his own family. He thought he could get away with his despicable behavior by lying and blaming others for his actions,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “Thanks to our HSI special agents and law enforcement partners, a jury of his peers found him guilty and he will now be unable to harm anymore. His family can feel safe knowing justice has been served.”