Ronny Lee Waldrip, Sexually Exploiting a Minor, Hawaii 2024

Ronny Lee Waldrip, a 63-year-old US citizen residing in Thailand, has pleaded guilty to engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minors in Thailand. Today, Waldrip pleaded guilty before US Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi of the District of Hawaii to one count of sexually exploiting a minor.

According to the indictment, Waldrip traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii on February 13, 2012, with a laptop computer containing photos and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including videos of Waldrip engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minor females. The minor victims in the case were 14 and 15 years old at the time of the abuse.

Waldrip admitted to using a hidden camera to record his sexually explicit conduct with minor females in Thailand from May 2010 through October 2011. He will be sentenced on May 7, 2015, by Senior US District Judge Helen Gillmor.

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and it is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sarah Chang and Michael Grant of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant US Attorney Ronald G. Johnson of the District of Hawaii, with help from the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell and US Attorney Florence T. Nakakuni made the announcement. This case highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating sex crimes involving minors.

The victims in this case were subjected to the heinous crimes of Waldrip, and it is essential that those responsible are held accountable for their actions. The guilty plea in this case sends a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will face severe consequences.

Waldrip’s guilty plea is a significant step towards justice for the victims and their families. The community can expect law enforcement to continue to work tirelessly to protect minors from such crimes and to bring perpetrators to justice.

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