Clinton J. Johnson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma
A former coach and middle school teacher from Belton, Missouri, Ronald Dale Sanders, has been sentenced to 360 months in prison for multiple charges related to child exploitation and sexual abuse. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill handed down the sentence following Sanders' conviction on six counts, including Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and Production of Child Pornography.
Upon release, Sanders will be under lifetime supervision and required to register as a sex offender. "Sanders is a dangerous child predator and every parent's worst nightmare," stated U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
The investigation revealed that between August 2023 and October 2023, Sanders traveled from Missouri to Oklahoma to engage in sexual acts with a 14-year-old. He used social media to initiate inappropriate conversations with the minor, eventually coercing them into sending sexually explicit photos.
FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Ogden commented on the breach of trust: "As a teacher, the defendant held a position of trust... He violated that trust by exploiting a former student for his own sexual gratification."
Sanders was caught by law enforcement after being confronted by one of the minor's parents outside their home. Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and Oklahoma Highway Patrol apprehended him shortly thereafter.
The case was investigated by several agencies including the FBI and Miami Police Department, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Hockenbury and Valeria Luster. This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation.
