Rumaldo Valdez, a former U.S. Navy petty officer stationed on Oahu, is headed to federal prison for more than eight years after admitting he possessed violent child pornography in his military housing. Prosecutors say the material showed extreme abuse and helped tie him to an online group investigators accuse of targeting minors.
Sentence, Search and Evidence
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii, the 22-year-old Valdez pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. A federal judge sentenced him to 97 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered him to register as a sex offender.
The office said agents with the FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service searched Valdez’s residence at the Naval Computer and Telecom Area Master Station Pacific in Wahiawa in May 2024. During that search, investigators recovered hard drives loaded with violent child abuse material.
Connection to Greggy’s Cult
Separately, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn unsealed an indictment charging five men, including Valdez, in what authorities describe as an online child exploitation enterprise known as “Greggy’s Cult.” The group allegedly used Discord and gaming platforms to groom and coerce minors into creating sexual content, according to the Eastern District of New York.
Hoodline previously reported on local ties to the group in December, in a story titled “Honolulu Man Tied To ‘Greggy’s Cult.’”
What Prosecutors Said
“Let Valdez’s sentence serve as a warning,” U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said in a statement to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, adding that protecting children is a top priority and that federal partners will continue to pursue predators.
FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter and NCIS Hawaii Special Agent in Charge Anna Ryan offered similar comments, praising the investigators whose work led to Valdez’s conviction and sentence.
Restitution and Prosecution Details
Local reporting indicates Valdez was ordered to pay $33,000 in restitution, to be divided among 11 identified victims. Court records show none of those victims lives in Hawaii, according to Hawaii News Now.
The Honolulu case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne A. Myers and Jonathan D. Slack and investigated by the FBI and NCIS.
Legal Posture
Valdez will serve his 97-month sentence in the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons, then remain under supervision for 10 years as a registered sex offender.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn indictment accusing other alleged members of Greggy’s Cult is still pending, as federal authorities continue coordinated investigations into online networks that exploit children.
