A Kansas man was sentenced to 210 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after directing an Australian national to create and send him child sexual abuse material, according to a July 27 announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Court documents show that Ronald Waltrip, 62, of Haysville pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child—production of child pornography. Waltrip used a social media account to communicate with an adult male in Australia, asking about a six-year-old child in the man’s custody and instructing him to engage in sexual acts with the child. The Australian man complied by creating images at Waltrip’s request and sending recordings depicting the abuse.
“Waltrip and his co-conspirator may be on different continents, but they share the same evil fantasies. Waltrip’s crime is so egregious that even after he gets out of prison, he will be under the supervision of probationary officers for the rest of his life,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
The investigation involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Wichita Police Department. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas advances justice through federal law enforcement efforts across areas including Wichita, offers public education initiatives such as Project Safe Neighborhoods, enforces civil rights protections, supports community wellness programs, provides victim support services, collaborates with local agencies on training initiatives, and operates as part of the U.S. Department of Justice, according to its official website.
This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating online child exploitation by marshaling federal, state, and local resources.