Michigan man sentenced to life without parole for rape of 2 girls in Elyria

ELYRIA — A former Elyria man is going to prison for the rest of his life for raping two girls younger than 10 between 2020 and 2022. Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Donna Freeman sentenced Matthew Riever, 30, of Athens, Michigan, to life in prison without the possibility of parole. That's the maximum possible sentence on the rape charges under Ohio law. Riever also has to register as a Tier III sex offender for the rest of his life. Following a three-day trial that ended Oct. 1, a jury convicted Riever of seven counts of rape of a child under the age of 10, three counts of gross sexual imposition and three counts of pandering obscenity, all felonies, for incidents in 2020-2022. No child should ever have to experience the "physically violent" assaults Riever did against his victims, Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Tina Kishman said in court. She called Riever "a very dangerous man." The father of the victims asked Freeman for the maximum sentence under the law, and she gave it. He said his daughters still are afraid of Riever. "We try to console them as best as possible," the man said in court. "It pains me I can't do more for them." Freeman called it "troubling" that even after a jury convicted him, Riever still claimed he was innocent and showed no remorse. The abuse happened for years, the judge said. "I don't know how you get around that," Freeman told Riever. Riever also had violent pornographic material showing sexual abuse of children, she said. Defense attorney Justin Weatherly asked Freeman to give his client the minimum sentence: Life in prison with a chance at parole after 15 years. Riever, whom Weatherly said has no prior criminal record, didn't say anything in court. Weatherly said he plans to appeal. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.