Prosecutor: Lynchburg man altered photos to create child porn
Ronald Wojdyla
Advertisement
Text size: small | medium | large
By Chris Dumond
Published: December 10, 2008
A Lynchburg man accused of using his work computer to superimpose sexual images of himself over otherwise innocent photos of an 11-year-old girl is facing a possible sentence of 50 years in prison if he’s convicted.
Ronald Wojdyla, 57, of Wyndview Drive, is charged with 10 counts of producing child pornography. After hearing Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Doucette’s case Wednesday, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judge Kenneth Farrar found there was enough evidence to send the charges forward to a grand jury for consideration.
The girl’s mother was so upset when shown the images in court Wednesday that she became sick in the hallway outside the courtroom.
The woman said she took her daughter to a beach vacation with Wojdyla and his family in August. She said she didn’t notice anything unusual about the man’s picture-taking at the time but probably would have if she had been around him more.
She tearfully identified her daughter in the 10 photographs in the album found in Wojdyla’s office.
“She told us she was not touched,” the mother said, adding that her daughter doesn’t know she was the subject in the images.
Tom Ligue, Wojdyla’s boss at Alliance Industrial Corp., testified the images were discovered on a computer and in a photo album found in his office.
Ligue said he became suspicious in September after Wojdyla appeared to close the same file on his computer every time he walked into the office.
While Wojdyla was at lunch one day, he testified, he opened the file and found it was a story about a sexual encounter between Wojdyla and a young girl.
“The first paragraph mentioned a fantasy with a young girl as something he hadn’t done in 33 years,” Ligue said.
Wojdyla was then fired and items from his office were turned over to police, Ligue said.
Investigator John Lloyd of the Lynchburg Police Department testified Wojdyla told him that he used his computer at work to manipulate photos he had taken of the girl during the family’s trip to the beach.
Using a computer program, he was able to superimpose nude adult genitals over the girl’s bikini and combine those images with photos he had taken of himself to appear as if he was having sex with her.
“He told me it was purely fiction,” Lloyd testified.
The detective said Wojdyla’s home computer was being checked for similar pictures and that test results weren’t available yet.
If he is convicted, the charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison on the first offense, 15 years on subsequent offenses.
The next grand jury is scheduled to meet Jan. 5. Wojdyla is free on a $20,000 secured bond.
Post a Comment
The commenting period has ended or commenting has been deactivated for this article.
Can't find what you're looking for? Try our quick search:
Reader Reactions
Posted by ( crispy daisy ) on December 12, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Geez, Cosmo, I hate to get drawn back into this.
As I’ve told you before, I agree with you that this man, and others like him, did not choose to be the way they are. I’m sure that he is tormented by his compulsions and that he would change them if he could. I’ve seen what can happen to the family of someone like him—the bewilderment and shame, and the cruel treatment they receive from strangers and “friends” alike. I agree that understanding is a good thing.
Where we seem to part ways is on the subject of what should happen to them. Your comments have indicated that you think it’s barbaric for pedophiles and people involved in child pornography to be jailed. It appears that you think anyone who thinks they should be jailed is an intolerant, revenge-seeking, Bible-thumping cretin.
I think that people who perpetuate the sexual abuse of children, whether by abusing them themselves, filming others doing it, or feeding the demand for pictures of it, need to be jailed to protect other children. I also think that they need to know that the consequence for doing those things can be jail.
People feel compelled to do all sorts of things that can harm individuals and society—rape, serial killings, abusing animals, stealing, etc. Just because they can’t help themselves doesn’t mean that they should be allowed to do it without consequence. It’s good to try to understand why people do things, but we also need to be protected from them.
If porn of any kind were strictly computer-generated, using imaginary people, it wouldn’t hurt anyone. This case is a tough one because it used images of a real little girl. I can understand why her mother got sick after seeing the pictures.
“I also don’t favor keeping mentally ill people locked in attics or basements… or burning witches… or praying gay people straight.“ I don’t favor any of those things, either, nor do most people. That’s a rather disingenuous comment, and the sort of thing that drives me crazy about debating you.
“I think you best eliminate problems by understanding them.“ Understanding problems only helps you understand them; it doesn’t necessarily translate to eliminating them. Maybe someday, we will understand what causes people to be sexually attracted to children. In the meantime, kids need to be protected from those who take that attraction too far.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( Imprimis ) on December 12, 2008 at 5:10 pm
“he may have a “wide stance” like a Senator from Idaho.“
I LOVE this! As soon as he gets flustered, Cosmo, the avowed protector of individual rights, open-mindedness, and alternative lifestyles starts using crude homosexual sex references as an attempted INSULT to someone!
I take it back, what I said. You probably ARE an old white man. Your basic bigotry and prejudices are showing through despite all your big open-minded talk. Be more careful next time; hide it better.
And no bagels for you.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( Imprimis ) on December 12, 2008 at 4:29 pm
“I do not think, however, that he is a liar”.
Yes, he certainly seems to be the upstanding, truthful sort.
You SURE you don’t want to drop “gullible” and join us in the un-classy ranks? We have bagels every Friday ...
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( crispy daisy ) on December 12, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Imprimis, Cosmo has been posting here a lot longer than you have, on all kinds of subjects. I have had many frustrating debates with him on this site. For the most part, I think he is smug, condescending and prone to sweeping generalizations about people. His attitude on child porn is beyond my understanding. I do not, though, think he is a liar. He told me he had a family long before we started discussing any stories about child porn.
“I think I’ll take un-classy and run with it.“ Everyone should concentrate on the things they do best.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( Imprimis ) on December 12, 2008 at 1:30 pm
crispydaisy -
So, this anonymous local internet-star-wannabe whose posts on child pornography and potential child molestation make you feel dirty, like you need a bath after you read them ... He’s told you he has a daughter.
And you believe him? I don’t know whether I’d rather be un-classy like me, or extremely gullible like you.
I think I’ll take un-classy and run with it.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( Cleocat ) on December 12, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Gosh…I wonder what church he went to.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( crispy daisy ) on December 12, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Imprimis, I completely disagree with Cosmo’s opinions about child pornography. Reading his posts on the subject always makes me feel that I need to be decontaminated. He did tell me a long time ago, though, that he has daughters. How very classy of you to call him a liar.
AceCard, this man never touched the little girl. He created the porn on his computer, using ordinary snapshots of the girl and superimposing images of himself doing sexual things to her. It is creepy and sickening, but it is not the same as actually sexually molesting her.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( AceCard22 ) on December 12, 2008 at 11:31 am
honestly, this guy doesn’t deserve to live! What I’ve also noticed is a lot of child porn is going on around here (most of them older white males) and its becoming sickening! when are we going to stand up in this community and stop this tragedy? These men sentencing other men are not taking into account the innocence that is taken away when these men molest little girls. and yes creating porn w/a child is molesting a little girl. And most of these guys seem to skate.. its not fair and disgusting and shows a lot about our community..
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( Imprimis ) on December 12, 2008 at 11:25 am
Sure you do. Yep. Right.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( Imprimis ) on December 11, 2008 at 7:20 pm
No daughters, CW?
No offspring at all?
And I don’t suspect there will be any in future.
Limits your perspective some, being frustrated in that.
Report Inappropriate Comment