July 21, 2025 – Following a five-day jury trial in Sumner County Criminal Court, Assistant District Attorneys Nathan Nichols and Tara Wyllie secured convictions, on Friday, against Christopher Howard Alessio, age 46, for 21 charges related to the sexual abuse of multiple children over a 16-year period.
Alessio was arrested by Detective Jason Steffy of the Hendersonville Police Department in October 2022 after a 13-year-old child came forward to disclose multiple instances of molestation and rape perpetrated against her by Alessio during the summer of 2022. After news of Alessio’s arrest became public, multiple other women and girls came forward to report that Alessio had also molested and/or raped them. By the time the investigation into Alessio had concluded, 6 victims had come forward, some of whom had suffered sexual abuse as far back as 2005 in both White House and Hendersonville. The incidents occurring in White House were investigated and charged by Detective Sergeant Dan Hunter of the White House Police Department.
The jury convicted Alessio of two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child, six counts of rape of a child, seven counts of aggravated sexual battery, five counts of rape, and one count of sexual battery by an authority figure.
Alessio will be sentenced by Criminal Court Judge Dee David Gay on September 5th and faces over 200 years in prison. Under Tennessee law, any sentence imposed will be served without the possibility of probation, parole, or any form of early release. He has been in the Sumner County Jail since his arrest and will remain there pending sentencing.
Justice was served Friday for six victims, some of whom have waited over a decade to receive it. These convictions would not have been possible without the bravery of the victims and excellent work of the Hendersonville and White House Police Departments. The District Attorney’s Office also thanked the Sumner County Child Advocacy Center, Ashley’s Place, and OurKids Clinic, who helped to gather valuable evidence in this case.
The District Attorney’s Office also acknowledges the hard work of Victim Witness Coordinators Sally Ann Pirtle and Jennifer Woodard as well as Administrative Assistant Brittany Nale and Legal Intern Zoe Cantrell, who all provided valuable support to the prosecutors, victims, and witnesses participating in this case.
SOURCE: Ray Whitley, District Attorney General, Sumner County, TN
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