Disgraced ex-motocross coach sentenced to 40 years in prison for child sexual abuse

Former motocross coach Ryan Meyung has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for participating in and documenting child sexual abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia announced that, following his guilty plea earlier this year to six counts of production of child pornography, Meyung, of no permanent address and 33 at the time of sentencing, was sentenced April 26, and his sentence includes a lifetime of supervised release, plus he must pay $193,500 in restitution to victims.

Meyung, who traveled the country mentoring youth and creating motocross tracks, has been exposed as the perpetrator of horrific sexual exploitation crimes against children ages six and older. His actions betray the inherent trust placed in him by both the youth and their families, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Ryan K. Buchanan said. He emphasized the concerted efforts of law enforcement agencies to bring such offenders to justice and praised the coordination that crossed state lines to ensure this outcome. Furthermore, Homeland Security Investigations underscored the seriousness of such betrayals by those charged with protecting and mentoring young lives.

According to the announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Meyung coerced six minors into illegal acts between July 2019 and December 2021. Their abuse was captured on camera for the production of child pornography. He was caught not only with his own illegal material, but also with footage of other sex offenders, including content that he transported across state lines.

This case, part of the nationwide Project Safe Childhood initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006, was investigated through the collaborative efforts of multiple Homeland Security Investigation offices and local law enforcement agencies, including the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and the Chattanooga Police Department, with Assistant District Attorney Erin N. Spritzer and trial attorneys Jessica L. Urban and James E. Burke IV serving as prosecutors. It was this project, aimed at combating the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, that marshaled resources to aggressively pursue perpetrators who exploit children over the Internet and also to focus on victim identification and recovery.

If you are seeking more information or would like to report cases of child exploitation, the U.S. Department of Justice website provides information and details about Project Safe Childhood. It also provides contact information for the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Public Affairs for any further questions regarding the current case or initiative.