On April 30, 2025, Robert Aaron Sheppard of Wedowee, Alabama, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison. Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing in relation to Sheppard's possession of child sexual abuse materials and multiple firearms violations. Post-release, Sheppard will face five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender, as federal parole is not applicable.
The investigation began in May 2022 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported an online upload of materials depicting child sexual abuse. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Child Exploitation Unit traced the uploads back to Sheppard.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Sheppard's Wedowee home, uncovering numerous images of abuse on his devices. Additionally, they found a handgun with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), a feature that transforms a semi-automatic firearm into an automatic weapon. Under federal law, such devices are considered as machineguns. Officers also recovered an unregistered silencer, illegal according to federal firearms laws.
On October 8, 2024, Sheppard entered a guilty plea for possession of child sexual abuse materials, as well as possession of a machinegun and silencer.
The case involved investigations by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation (ALEA-SBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from NCMEC. Assistant United States Attorneys Tara S. Ratz and Michelle R. Turner led the prosecution.