ZANESVILLE, Ohio (AVC News) — A Zanesville man and former pastor has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a minor.
Christopher A. Riggs, 42, appeared in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court on June 1, where Judge Kelly Cottrill sentenced him to 17 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree felony gross sexual imposition and two counts of third-degree misdemeanor voyeurism.
The sentence is one month short of the maximum 18 months allowed under Ohio law for the charges. Riggs must also register as a Tier I sex offender, requiring him to register annually with the sheriff’s office for 15 years after his release.
According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, the case began after a minor reported that Riggs had touched the victim in a sexual manner. During the investigation, detectives interviewed Riggs, who admitted to both watching and touching the child.
Investigators said the first incident occurred in 2023 when the victim was 13 years old. Riggs admitted looking through a bathroom window to watch the victim while nude. Weeks later, he admitted touching the victim over clothing for sexual gratification.
Authorities said a third incident occurred in 2025 when Riggs again looked through a window to watch the victim undressed.
During questioning, Riggs told investigators he had “feelings of sexual curiosity,” was sexually aroused by what he observed and admitted the crimes were motivated by lust.
Investigators also examined whether there were additional victims. The prosecutor’s office said the child involved in the case was not a member of the church where Riggs had served as pastor. Riggs has since resigned from his pastoral duties.
“Every case involving abuse of a child is terrible, but the laws of Ohio determine how serious the offense is and what the punishments are for those crimes,” Muskingum County Prosecutor Ron Welch said in a statement. “Following those guidelines, we were able to obtain a significant sentence that removes this offender from our community for at least some time and provides notice to others of his crimes.”
Last Updated on July 13, 2026 by AVC News
