Pendleton man pleads guilty to sex crimes in federal court
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PORTLAND — Aaron William Pizer, 41, pleaded guilty Monday to sexually abusing two minors and engaging in sexual contact with a third minor. The charges against him were two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and one county of abusive sexual contact.
According to court documents, on or between July 10, 2016, and July 9, 2017, and on or between Aug. 22, 2019, and Aug. 21, 2020, Pitzer sexually abused two minors under the age of 16 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Documents also reflect that on April 19, 2024, he engaged in sexual contact on the reservation with a minor under the age of 16.
A federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Pizer with the crimes. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for the first two counts, and two years in prison for the third count. He also faces a fine of $250,000, and five years to life of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement he agreed to pay restitution in full to the victims.
Pizer will be sentenced on March 12, 2026, by a U.S. District Court judge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice.
Editor’s note: The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Portland provided the documentation in the case.
