Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a 15-Year-Old

NASHVILLE – Aaron Samson Riley, 38, of Madison, Alabama, was sentenced on July 31, 2026, to 25 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. also sentenced Riley to ten years of supervised release. Riley will be required to register as a sex offender. Riley pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment on April 24, 2026. Under a binding plea agreement, Riley and the government agreed to the 25-year term of imprisonment. “Aaron Riley repeatedly sexually exploited a 15-year-old child and continued his criminal conduct even after law enforcement intervened across multiple states,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This 25-year sentence holds him accountable and protects the public from a defendant who demonstrated that he would not stop on his own. We are grateful to the federal, state, and local law enforcement officers whose persistence brought this child to safety and Riley to justice.” “Sexual exploitation of children is a heinous crime. This case demonstrates the importance of collaboration among law enforcement partners and the commitment to holding offenders accountable for these serious crimes,” said HSI Nashville acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Perez. According to court documents, the child was reported missing from Alabama in April 2023. Alabama law enforcement determined that Riley had been in frequent telephone contact with the child around the time he ran away. In May 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service located Riley and the child together in Georgia after a concerned citizen reported encountering the child at a library. Riley and the child returned to Alabama, but Riley later fled Alabama with the child again. They remained on the run until September 29, 2023, when Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers arrested Riley after responding to a burglary at an unoccupied residence in Nashville. The child was located near the residence. Homeland Security Investigations seized a cellphone from Riley and additional electronic devices from his vehicle. After obtaining federal search warrants, investigators extracted the electronic devices and discovered child sexual abuse material, including sexually explicit images and videos of the child that Riley had produced in Tennessee and other states. Riley has remained in custody since his arrest. The government’s sentencing memorandum also stated that Riley was convicted of cyberstalking in 2021 for conduct involving the solicitation of sexually explicit images and videos from an 11-year-old relative and threats to distribute those images. Restitution will be determined at a later date. The court also ordered Riley to forfeit two cellphones and two tablets used to commit or facilitate the offenses. Homeland Security Investigations and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case. #####