BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Ray Reach, a musician and educator who has played a significant role in Birmingham’s jazz community for years, has been found guilty of multiple child pornography charges.
Reach, a pianist who has also directed the jazz programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Birmingham-Southern College, was convicted on four counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.
Despite maintaining his innocence throughout the proceedings, Reach was initially indicted and detained on the charges in April 2018, though his trial didn’t commence until Tuesday. By Thursday, the jury had reached a guilty verdict.
The jazz instructor was arrested April 23, 2018 and charged with possession of obscene material involving a victim under the age of 17. At the time of his arrest, Reach was the director of jazz programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
Reach is currently being held in the Jefferson County Jail and will be sentenced on July 8.
