A federal grand jury has indicted Ray Anthony Waller, a 37-year-old former teacher from Fresno, on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child sexual abuse images, and sending obscene material to a minor. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced the indictment.
Court documents reveal that between November 2024 and February 2025, Waller allegedly communicated with a minor through text, voice, and iMessages to persuade the minor to create and send him sexually explicit images. Waller is accused of sending obscene images of himself to the victim and convincing the victim to reciprocate with similar images. He is currently detained pending trial, with a detention hearing scheduled for June 30, 2025. Additionally, Waller faces related charges in Fresno County Superior Court.
The case stems from an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, involving the Fresno Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is handling the prosecution.
If convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor, Waller could face a prison sentence ranging from 15 to 30 years and fines up to $250,000. For receiving child sexual abuse images, he faces between 5 and 20 years in prison with similar fines. The charge of transmitting obscene material to a minor carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing would be at the court’s discretion after considering statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project involves collaboration among federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.
