PHOENIX, AZ (February 11, 2011) – Judge Paul McMurdie today sentenced William Lewis Riedel (DOB 5/19/1964) to serve 35 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by lifetime probation for multiple sex crimes involving the 13 year-old daughter of his former girlfriend over a six month period. Riedel, a former sex offender counselor in Mesa, pled guilty to one felony count each of sexual conduct with a minor, child molestation, attempted child molestation, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, and unlawful administration of a narcotic drug. The victim’s 59-year old mother pled guilty to similar charges and was sentenced in November 2010 to 15 years in prison followed by lifetime probation. Both offenders will serve the full term of their sentences without the possibility of parole.

“There can be no leniency for those who violate the trust and innocence of a child with such depravity,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, whose office prosecuted the case. “We will spare no effort in aggressively prosecuting child sex offenders like these and sending them to prison where they belong,” he added.

According to Mesa police, Riedel and the victim’s mother were neighbors in an apartment complex and involved in a romantic relationship. Riedel later told police he “groomed” the victim’s mother into helping him molest her daughter. Between January and June 2006, the two administered sleeping pills to the victim and Riedel engaged in numerous sex acts with her while she was asleep. Some of these acts were photographed by the victim’s mother and downloaded to Riedel’s computer. Police were contacted in January 2008 when a classmate of the victim discovered the images and recognized the victim. The computer was also found to contain thousands of commercial child pornography images. At the time, Riedel had been living with the classmate and her mother for two months.

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