A Dyersburg man, Robert Galler, has been sentenced to prison by both federal and state courts for sexual abuse charges. The announcement was made by Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, and Danny H. Goodman, Jr., District Attorney General for the Twenty-Ninth Judicial District.
In 2020, Galler traveled to Iowa and returned with a victim identified as Minor A. In 2022, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services received a referral concerning sexual abuse at Galler's residence in Dyersburg. Three minor females alleged ongoing sexual and physical abuse by Galler over four years. These allegations were supported by forensic interviews conducted at the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse.
Galler pled guilty in federal court on September 11, 2024, to transporting a minor with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. On January 8, 2025, Senior United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced him to 300 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release and lifetime placement on the sex offender registry. Federal sentences do not allow parole.
After his federal sentencing, Galler returned to state custody where he pled guilty on January 21, 2025, to one count of rape of a child and one count of rape. Dyer County Circuit Court Judge Mark Hayes sentenced him to 25 years’ imprisonment with lifetime supervision and placement on the sex offender registry. Under state law, he must serve the full sentence without parole. Both sentences will run concurrently.
District Attorney General Danny H. Goodman praised Assistant District Attorney Andrew Hays for his dedication: “I would first like to thank Assistant District Attorney Andrew Hays for the time he dedicated to this case." He emphasized that their office seeks justice for victims of crime: "This case is a perfect example of how the partnership with our office and the United States Department of Justice allowed us to accomplish that goal."
The investigation was conducted by several agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS), and Dyersburg Police Department.
Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren expressed gratitude towards Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Hays and all law enforcement partners involved in investigating the case.
For further details or inquiries, contact can be made through USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov or follow updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or X at @WDTNNews.