A 41-year-old man from Pendleton, Oregon has confessed to charges of sexually abusing minors. Aaron William Pizer was admitted to two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact, crimes that occurred within the community of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Oregon.
The abusive acts took place over two separate periods, the first spanned from July 10, 2016, to July 9, 2017, and the second from August 22, 2019, to August 21, 2020. Pizer sexually abused two individuals, who were both under the age of sixteen at the time. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Oregon, another incident of sexual contact with a minor under the age of sixteen occurred on April 19, 2024.
An indictment from a federal grand jury on September 4, 2024, led to the charges against Pizer. The FBI has been investigating the case, which is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassady Adams. Pizer's actions are now coming to a legal reckoning with a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000 for the first two counts, and for the third count, a maximum of two years in prison and the same fine. In addition, there will be a five years to life term of supervised release post-incarceration. His sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2026, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Oregon.
As part of the plea deal, Pizer has agreed to full restitution payment to the victims. This case is a segment of the broader initiative Project Safe Childhood, which, since its start in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, has aimed to tackle the rising issue of child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaborative efforts. For more information on the program, individuals can visit the DOJ's website.
