US citizen pleads guilty to traveling to Thailand to engage in sexually explicit conduct with minors

HONOLULU — A U.S. citizen residing in Thailand pleaded guilty Friday to one count of sexually exploiting a minor, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Ronny Lee Waldrip, 63, originally came under suspicion after he traveled to Honolulu in February 2012. Upon his arrival, law enforcement discovered Waldrip brought a laptop computer containing sexually explicit photos and videos of minors, including videos showing Waldrip engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minor females. According to his plea, from May 2010 through October 2011, Waldrip used a hidden camera to record his sexual conduct with minor females in Thailand. The victims named in the indictment were 14 and 15 years old at the time of the abuse. Waldrip's sentencing is set for May 7, 2015, before Senior U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sarah Chang and Michael Grant of the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald G. Johnson of the District of Hawaii, with help from the Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs.

This case is a product of HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators, and an ongoing Department of Justice program known as Project Safe Childhood, which is designed to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc

Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.