EUGENE, Ore. – Gary Wade Ronning, 40, of Salem, Oregon, will spend the next decade and a half behind bars after being sentenced today for a chilling campaign of online predation. Ronning attempted to lure and coerce undercover law enforcement officers, posing as children, into sexually explicit communications and planned meetings. The sentence – 130 months in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release – sends a message, but the damage he attempted to inflict is irreparable.
Court documents reveal a disturbing pattern of behavior beginning in March 2023. Ronning, using Facebook Messenger, initiated contact with an undercover officer portraying a 15-year-old girl. Over months, the communication escalated, with Ronning requesting sexually explicit images, sending his own, and attempting to arrange an in-person meeting. While he ultimately didn’t follow through with the meetup, the intent was clear: to exploit a child. This wasn’t a one-off incident. Between October and November 2023, Ronning targeted two *more* undercover officers, ages 13 and 15, employing the same predatory tactics. He was disturbingly aware of the illegality of his actions, repeatedly urging the fictitious children to maintain secrecy.
A federal grand jury in Eugene returned a five-count indictment on January 18, 2024, charging Ronning with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. The charges paint a grim picture of a calculated effort to exploit vulnerable individuals. Ronning ultimately pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025, to the charge of attempted coercion and enticement, a plea that, while acknowledging wrongdoing, fails to fully capture the depravity of his actions.
The investigation, a joint effort by the FBI and the Redmond Police Department with support from the Salem Police Department, highlights the increasing threat of online child exploitation. Assistant United States Attorney William M. McLaren successfully prosecuted the case, demonstrating a commitment to holding predators accountable. This case underscores the vital role of undercover operations in identifying and apprehending individuals like Ronning before they can harm actual children. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) is on the front lines of this fight, working tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable among us.
This conviction is a direct result of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. But the fight is far from over. The FBI urges anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children to come forward. You can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Remember, child pornography isn’t just disturbing imagery; it’s evidence of horrific crimes being committed against children, and sharing it only perpetuates the abuse. Resources are available at www.missingkids.org.
The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to protect children from online predators. The sentence handed down to Gary Wade Ronning is a step in the right direction, but vigilance and continued investigation are crucial to dismantling these networks of exploitation and bringing all perpetrators to justice. This isn’t just a legal matter; it’s a moral imperative.
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Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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