Oak Ridge, TN (WOKI / WLVT) –
A former Oak Ridge National Laboratory executive has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child sexual exploitation offenses involving two teenage victims.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Andrew Worrall, 56, a United Kingdom citizen who lived in Farragut and formerly served as director of the nuclear energy program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was sentenced Tuesday to 235 months in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan imposed the sentence during proceedings in federal court. Following his prison term, Worrall will be required to serve a lifetime of supervised release, register as a sex offender and will be deported to the United Kingdom.
As part of the sentence, Worrall was also ordered to sell his Farragut residence, where federal authorities said the crimes occurred. The court further ordered him to forfeit $249,805.29, representing his equity from the property’s sale.
Federal prosecutors said Worrall pleaded guilty on Feb. 12 to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of production of child pornography. The plea agreement involved cases prosecuted in both the Eastern District of Tennessee and the District of South Carolina.
According to court records, Worrall used Snapchat in July 2025 to contact two 17-year-old girls, one in Tennessee and another in South Carolina. Prosecutors said he coerced both victims into sending sexually explicit photographs and videos.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the crimes and the impact on the victims.
“The 19-year sentence in this case hopefully brings a sense of justice and dignity to Worrall’s victims and deters others from committing similar crimes,” Hamilton said in a statement.
Federal officials said the investigation was conducted under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative created to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The sentencing brings to a close a high-profile case involving a former senior scientist and research leader at one of the nation’s premier energy and scientific research institutions.
Federal authorities emphasized that Worrall will remain under supervision for life after completing his prison sentence and will face deportation proceedings upon his release from custody.
