RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN – A 67-year-old man who once headed a Rutherford County YMCA wellness center and was later convicted of rape in Murfreesboro has lost a recently filed appeal in the Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee at Nashville. Court documents denying the appeal were filed with the Clerk of the Appellate Courts on Monday, March 23, 2026. Richard Lawrence Canada, who went by the nickname of Rick, was originally convicted by a Rutherford County jury of eight counts of rape in 2023.

Content Warning: This article contains detailed descriptions of criminal behavior that may be distressing or triggering for some readers, particularly those who have experienced trauma. Reader discretion is advised.

Richard "Rick" Canada was convicted on eight counts of rape in May 2023 in the courtroom of Chancellor Howard Wilson. Two months later, in July 2023, Canada was sentenced to 11 years in prison, with the court ordering 100% of that time to be served in confinement. Canada, who was once well known for a wide array of community involvement, is currently an inmate at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center. He is expected to remain incarcerated until 2034, concluding his sentence just two months before his 76th birthday.

The 2021 Incident and Trial - The convictions stemmed from a July 2021 incident where Canada contacted a 20-year-old neighbor, claiming he was enrolled in a massage class and needed to interview a student for a project. The victim, who had known Canada's family for twenty years, testified that she trusted him.

Upon arriving at his home, the victim found a "pallet" on the floor surrounded by candles and an anatomy book. Canada proceeded to assault the victim, using a pink vibrator he described as a "massage stick" and claiming the penetration was intended to "release all the tension". Investigators later recovered a 19-minute video Canada recorded of the assault, which showed the victim clenching her legs and appearing in shock while Canada continued the penetration.

Appellate Court Findings - In his appeal, Canada’s legal team argued that the evidence did not support a finding of "fraud" or "lack of consent" because the victim remained on the pallet. Judge Jill Bartee Ayers, writing for the court, rejected this, stating that "any tacit consent was not effective because it was induced by Defendant's deception".

The appellate court did find that the trial court erred in one area: it ruled that the legal definition of a "position of private trust" does not automatically apply to a neighbor. However, the court upheld the 11-year sentence because of the "history of criminal behavior" discovered during the investigation.

Digital forensics performed on Canada’s electronics revealed:

• Child Pornography: Images of a prepubescent female being sexually abused.

• Other Potential Victims: Videos of another unidentified female being penetrated with the same pink vibrator while she appeared to be asleep.

A Permanent Impact - The victim’s family testified at the original sentencing that the assault shattered the young woman’s sense of safety, leading to a diagnosis of PTSD and frequent panic attacks. The trauma was so severe that the family eventually sold their home and moved to a different city to escape the proximity to Canada’s residence.

With this appellate ruling, Canada’s convictions for four counts of rape by fraud and four counts of rape without consent remain final. Upon his eventual release, he will be required to register as a sex offender and remain under community supervision for life

The Original Case: Richard "Rick" Lawrence Canada, a prominent community figure and former manager of the Murfreesboro Athletic Club (and former head of the Murfreesboro YMCA wellness center), was convicted in May 2023 of eight counts of rape. In July 2021, Canada used his status as a trusted neighbor to lure a 20-year-old woman to his home under the fraudulent pretense of needing a subject for a college massage therapy project. During the "session," which Canada recorded, he sexually penetrated the victim with his hands, mouth, and a vibrator while maintaining the ruse that the acts were part of a therapeutic massage.

The Appeal: Canada appealed his conviction and 11-year sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee at Nashville. He argued that the evidence was insufficient to prove the acts were non-consensual or accomplished by fraud, noting the victim did not physically resist. He also challenged his sentence, arguing that the trial court improperly applied enhancement factors regarding his criminal history and his "position of private trust" as a neighbor.

The End Result: On Monday, March 23, 2026, the Appellate Court officially affirmed the trial court's judgments. While the appellate judges agreed that being a "neighbor" did not legally constitute a "position of private trust," they ruled that his 11-year sentence was still justified due to his history of criminal behavior—specifically the child pornography and images of other victims found on his devices—and the fact that he committed the crimes for his own pleasure.

• Read previous article from July 2023 court case HERE, or the story that was reported in May 2023 HERE.