Harrison man sentenced to 55 years for production of child pornography
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Harrison man was sentenced on Thursday for sexually exploiting and abusing a minor, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Arkansas.
Aaron Micheal Ricketts, 32, was sentenced to 55 years in prison without the possibility of parole on two counts of sexually exploiting a minor via the production of child pornography.
In July 2023, a minor disclosed to their mother that Ricketts had been sexually abusing them, according to court documents.
The minor disclosed during a forensic interview that Ricketts took nude photos of them.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office later arrested Ricketts and seized his cell phone.
Multiple sexually explicit images and videos documenting Rickett’s year-long sexual abuse of the minor were found after a forensic examination of Rickett's phone.
During the sentencing hearing held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville, evidence was presented that Ricketts also distributed images of the minor online and solicited images from other minors.
The Harrison Police Department, Boone County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations and the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce investigated the case, according to the release.