Former Andrews Middle School Choir Director Sentenced to 97 Months in Federal Prison on Child Pornography Charge

In Midland today, a federal judge sentenced former Andrews Middle School Choir Director Gary Lynn Ragland to 97 months in federal prison on a child pornography charge, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.  

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge David Counts ordered that Ragland, age 59, pay a $20,000 fine; a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA); and, $35,000 in restitution.  Judge Counts also ordered that Ragland be placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term.  Ragland has remained in custody since his arrest on October 1, 2019.

On November 21, 2019, Ragland pleaded guilty to one count of attempted receipt of child pornography.  According to court records, on September 27, 2019, the school web filter flagged that pornography was being searched for off campus by a school-issued MacBook assigned to Ragland.  Ragland admitted to accessing child pornography on a daily basis and using that MacBook to view and/or possess more than 5,000 images depicting child pornography.

Court records further reveal that Ragland has also admitted to inappropriate touching of at least four identified adolescent victims’ breasts and buttocks as well as a previous incident he was accused of inappropriate touching a 12-year-old student.  It was deemed unfounded and he previously denied committing the act, but he now admits that what the child alleged actually happened.

“Even amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are still achieving justice for our most vulnerable victims.  This middle school choir director admitted to inappropriately touching multiple children and to using his school-issued computer to download massive amounts of child pornography.  He will now spend 97 months in federal prison,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.

The Andrews Police Department investigated this case along with the Texas Rangers.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Berry prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.