Somali Pirate Sentenced to Life for 2010 Attack on USS Ashland

Mohamed Farah, 31, of Somalia, was sentenced to life plus 10 years in prison for engaging in piracy and committing other offenses pertaining to the attack on the USS Ashland, a U.S. Navy ship, in April 2010.

Today’s announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Martin Culbreth of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office in Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Evans of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office. The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

A federal jury convicted Farah on Feb. 27, 2013. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Farah and five co-conspirators attacked the USS Ashland on April 10, 2010. Four of Farah’s co-conspirators were previously sentenced for their roles in the attack: Jama Idle Ibrahim (15 years in prison), Mohamed Ali Said (33 years), Mohamed Abdi Jama (life plus 30 years) and Abdicasiis Cabaase (life plus 30 years). These defendants had also previously gone to sea in February 2010 with the purpose of capturing another vessel for ransom, but were instead, intercepted by the HMS Chatham of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. The remaining pirate from the attack on the USS Ashland, Abdi Abshir Osman, was sentenced to life plus 10 years.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the NCIS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. DePadilla for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Jerome Teresinski of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Hatch prosecuted the case previously.