Wesley Ryan, Rachael Boyett Sentenced in Child Porn Case

Chattanooga, TN — Wesley Thomas Ryan, 28, of Fayetteville, Tenn., and Rachael Gabrielle Boyett, 21, of Taft, Tenn., were each handed decades behind bars after being convicted of producing child pornography, a crime that involved the brutal sexual exploitation of two local children. On December 16, 2016, U.S. District Court Judge Travis R. McDonough sentenced Ryan to 360 months and Boyett to 280 months in federal prison — a combined total of more than fifty-three years.

The sentence marks the culmination of a damning investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which uncovered video evidence of Ryan and Boyett recording themselves engaging in sexual acts with the minors. The footage, captured in a predatory display of control and abuse, served as a central piece of evidence in the federal prosecution. Both defendants pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, a charge that carries some of the harshest penalties under federal law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra L. Bay, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the severity of the crimes, noting that the victims were vulnerable children entrusted to dangerous adults. “This wasn’t a crime of impulse — it was deliberate, recorded, and preserved,” Bay stated during sentencing proceedings. “The defendants turned the innocence of childhood into a commodity for their own sick gratification.”

Upon completion of their prison terms, both Ryan and Boyett will face an additional decade — at minimum — under federal supervision by the U.S. Probation Office. They are also required to register as sexual offenders for the rest of their lives, a public accountability measure meant to protect communities from repeat offenses. The lifetime registration mandate ensures their identities remain accessible to law enforcement and the public.

The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the rising tide of online child sexual exploitation. Spearheaded by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the program unites federal, state, and local agencies to track down predators, dismantle networks, and rescue victims before further harm occurs.

For years, the Chattanooga community remained unaware of the abuse happening in plain sight. Now, with Ryan and Boyett locked away for generations, federal authorities are urging anyone with information about child exploitation — no matter how small — to come forward. More information about reporting abuse and the work of Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.