A Dyersburg man, Robert Galler, has been sentenced to prison by both federal and state courts for crimes of sexual abuse. Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, Reagan Fondren, and District Attorney General for the Twenty-Ninth Judicial District, Danny H. Goodman, Jr., announced the sentences. In 2020, Galler, 52, traveled to Iowa and returned to Tennessee with a victim, referred to as Minor A in the indictment. In 2022, a referral of sexual abuse at Galler’s residence in Dyersburg was made to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS). During their visit, DCS workers found three minor females who reported sexual and physical abuse by Galler. The victims participated in forensic interviews with the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, revealing sustained abuse over four years.
On September 11, 2024, Galler pled guilty in federal court to transporting a minor for illicit sexual conduct. On January 8, 2025, he was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen to 300 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and lifetime placement on the sex offender registry. Federal sentences do not allow for parole. After the federal sentencing, Galler returned to state custody, where he pled guilty to one count of rape of a child and one count of rape. On January 21, 2025, Dyer County Circuit Court Judge Mark Hayes sentenced him to 25 years in prison, with placement on the sex offender registry and lifetime supervision. According to state law, Galler must serve the entire sentence, and both sentences will run concurrently.
Latest TN News
District Attorney General Danny H. Goodman, Jr. commended Assistant District Attorney Andrew Hays for his dedication to the case, emphasizing the importance of the partnership between the state and federal justice systems in prosecuting crimes involving children. The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, and the Dyersburg Police Department. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Hays and the law enforcement partners for their work on the case.
For further information, contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or X at @WDTNNews for news and updates.
Source: Read Original Release
Nashville Man Sentenced for Violent Crime Spree
Jesse Jose Rucker, a 35-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for a series of violent crimes, including carjackings and robberies in November 2021, while on probation for a previous felony. Authorities, including Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire, emphasize their commitment to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring public safety. Rucker was apprehended after a high-speed police chase, and the investigation was conducted by federal and local law enforcement agencies.