Kevin P. Davidson, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama
Robert Aaron Sheppard, a 33-year-old resident of Wedowee, Alabama, was sentenced by a federal judge on April 30, 2025, to nine years in federal prison. Sheppard was convicted for possession of child sexual abuse materials and multiple firearms violations. Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing. Upon release, Sheppard will face five years of supervised release and will have to register as a sex offender, as there is no parole in the federal system.
Court records indicate that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip in May 2022 about online uploads of child sexual abuse materials. This information, which included images of nude young females, was forwarded to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Child Exploitation Unit, which identified Sheppard as the uploader.
A search warrant was executed at Sheppard’s Wedowee home, where agents conducted a forensic analysis of electronic devices, uncovering numerous images of child sexual abuse materials.
During the investigation, law enforcement found a handgun with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), which transforms a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic weapon. According to federal law, MCDs are considered machineguns whether they are installed or not. Additionally, an unmarked and unregistered silencer was seized, which is illegal under federal firearms laws.
On October 8, 2024, Sheppard pleaded guilty to charges of possession of child sexual abuse materials, as well as possession of a machinegun and a silencer.
The case was investigated 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 handled the prosecution.
