SACRAMENTO – A Rio Linda man, whose arrest was previously reported by Rio Linda Online following a multi-agency sting operation, has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta sentenced Kenneth Wayne Lorenz, 82, to 14 years in prison for possessing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Background on the Case
Lorenz first came to the attention of the community in August 2024, when Rio Linda Online reported on a large-scale undercover operation that targeted online predators in the Yuba-Sutter area.
As detailed in that previous report, Lorenz was identified during a sting that initially targeted Kevin Gipson, 60, of Oroville. At the time, law enforcement authorities from Yuba City and the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force were communicating with Gipson, who believed he was chatting with a father willing to let others abuse his young daughter.
Sentencing Details
According to the court documents finalized this week, the undercover operation revealed disturbing details about Lorenz’s involvement. Gipson had informed an undercover officer—who had assumed the identity of the child’s father—that Lorenz would also be interested in victimizing the 8-year-old child.
Federal prosecutors stated that the undercover officer later spoke directly with Lorenz by phone. During that call, Lorenz confirmed he would cancel a scheduled poker game to allow the officer to bring the child to his Rio Linda residence.
Following that interaction, a search warrant was executed at Lorenz’s home. Authorities seized a laptop and two thumb drives. A forensic examination of these devices uncovered child sexual abuse material (CSAM), which prosecutors described as including videos involving infants and bestiality.
Lorenz admitted to law enforcement that he possessed the material on the drives and had viewed it with friends, including Gipson.
Outcome for Co-Defendant
Kevin Gipson, who was also named in the original sting operation report, has pleaded guilty in a separate case within the district (Case No. 2:24-CR-272-TLN). He is currently awaiting his own sentencing.
Investigating Agencies
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney. The successful conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by:
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office
- The Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force / Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation.
Community Resources: For information on internet safety education and how to protect children online, please visitwww.usdoj.gov/pscand click on the “resources” tab.
