Former Tennessee police officer sentenced to 26 years for producing child pornography

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A former Millington reserve police officer was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison Monday for producing child pornography of three female minors. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.

Rickie Friar, 67, of Millington, was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release after his term of imprisonment by U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. Friar previously pleaded guilty to the criminal charges in May.

Parmer is the Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans field office with responsibility for Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

According to court documents, in July 2015 a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a call at Friar’s home after Friar’s housekeeper contacted law enforcement after stopping by his residence to do some chores. A female minor accompanying the housekeeper opened Friar’s iPad and showed the housekeeper sexually explicit images of children who regularly spent time with Friar. Friar was out of town at the time. 

A forensic examination of Friar’s iPad and other electronic devices seized during a search of his residence revealed additional videos and images of female minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Friar is visible in some of the images and videos, and his voice can be heard in others. The videos and images were produced between July 2013 and May 2015. Two of the victims were under 12 years old at the time.

Hours after his housekeeper notified law enforcement, Friar was located in Arkansas while returning from a trip to Oklahoma with a female minor. Law enforcement found recent receipts for sex toys and lubricant in Friar’s vehicle.

“Anyone who chooses to prey on the most vulnerable members of our society deserves to be behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Edward L. Stanton III. “As a former reserve police officer, Friar was sworn to serve and protect the citizens of our community from crime. But he broke that oath to satisfy his own abhorrent fetishes, and will spend the next 26 years in federal prison because of his egregious acts.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Ireland.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.