PRESS RELEASE – On December 3, 2025, a Walker County jury convicted Christian Austin Raines, for sexually assaulting his two minor family members, after a three-day trial before Chief Superior Court Judge Brian House.

Raines, 24, was convicted on all 8 counts of sexually-related crimes against the children including: Rape, Aggravated Child Molestation, Aggravated Sexual Battery, Child Molestation, and False Imprisonment.

Evidence presented at trial showed that in June of 2021, a child family member of Raines was seen coming out of a bathroom with Raines and the child was crying.

When asked by others what happened, the child disclosed that Raines had locked the child in the bathroom and sexually assaulted the child.

Another young family member, then disclosed that Raines had been molesting that child as well.

The family reported the children’s disclosures to law enforcement, and the children were taken to the Children’s Advocacy Center where they were interviewed by Senior Forensic Interviewer Holly Kittle.

During the interview, the younger child disclosed additional criminal acts by Raines that occurred in the bathroom.

The child went on to disclose that Raines’s sexual abuse began years before and had recently gotten worse.

The older child disclosed that Raines had sexually touched the child.

Both children received medical exams and the younger child’s exam showed medical evidence of being molested.

Zach Simpson, formerly of the Walker County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case and, after hearing the children’s disclosures during the interviews and receiving the results of the children’s medical exam, secured warrants for Raines.

Upon his arrest, Raines agreed to speak to Simpson and eventually admitted to most of the allegations.

The case was presented to the jury by Assistant District Attorney David Wolfe with the assistance of Victim Witness Advocate Ashley Nicholson, who coordinated and communicated with the witnesses, and provided support to the victims throughout the entire trial.

After the conviction on all counts, Chief Judge Brian House held a sentencing hearing for Raines.

During that hearing, ADA Wolfe pointed out that Raines had shown no remorse for his actions at any point including during his interview or when he testified at the trial.

Judge House sentenced Raines to a life sentence with the first 30 years to be served in prison. Judge House cited Raines’s lack of remorse as his reasoning for the sentence.

Clayton M. Fuller, District Attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, thanked the incredible work done by law enforcement and the outstanding work of the Children’s Advocacy Center that fights for kids in this Circuit every single day.

He also praised the tireless efforts of David Wolfe’s prosecution team and had this to say:

“Let me be clear: in other circuits, monsters like this might squeeze out a soft plea. In the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, we take you to trial. David Wolfe is a fearless prosecutor. We don’t hand out deals because we’re scared to pick a jury we fight for the toughest sentence the law allows. You hurt a child in this community, and we will come for you. And we won’t miss.”