Pendleton, OR. — A Pendleton man has pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually abusing two minors and engaging in unlawful sexual contact with a third, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Aaron William Pizer, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact. Prosecutors said the offenses occurred on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation during two periods between July 2016 and August 2020, and again on April 19, 2024.
A federal grand jury indicted Pizer in September 2024 on three felony counts. Each of the first two charges carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a supervised release term of five years to life. The third charge carries a maximum of two years in prison, the same potential fine, and a comparable supervised release range.
As part of his plea agreement, Pizer agreed to pay full restitution to the victims. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Umatilla Tribal Police Department, and Pendleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassady Adams is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated federal, state, and local enforcement efforts.
About the Author
