GALVESTON, Texas – In a grim turn of justice, John Kevin Waldrip, 44, from Angleton, has been convicted on multiple child pornography charges. The guilty plea, entered before U.S. District Judge George c. Hanks Jr., includes counts of distribution, receipt, and possession of child porn.
Waldrip’s downfall began during an investigation by the Pearland Police Department (PPD) into online child pornography trafficking via peer-to-peer software. Detectives pinpointed a computer offering to receive child porn on a P2P network, traced back to Waldrip’s residence in Angleton.
A search warrant executed at Waldrip’s home on June 30, 2016, uncovered a harrowing cache of 81 videos and 512 images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit acts. Some of the content involved known victims identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Sentencing is scheduled for August 16, 2017, where Waldrip faces a minimum of five years to up to 20 years in federal prison on each distribution and receipt charge. An additional 10-year maximum sentence looms for the possession conviction, with each charge also carrying a possible $250,000 fine.
The investigation was conducted by PPD and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative combating child sexual exploitation.
Project Safe Childhood harnesses federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information on this vital effort, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime|Sex Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News