{"id":22620,"date":"2019-09-26T22:38:21","date_gmt":"2019-09-26T22:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/09\/26\/feds-navy-officer-sexually-abused-child\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:00:06","slug":"feds-navy-officer-sexually-abused-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/09\/26\/feds-navy-officer-sexually-abused-child\/","title":{"rendered":"Feds: Navy officer sexually abused child"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Prosecutors accuse a recently retired Navy officer enticing a youngster to engage in \u201cillicit sexual conduct,\u201d according to a seven-count federal indictment unsealed this week in Rhode Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One court filing states that Lt. Cmdr. Ronald W. Zenga, 49, admitted to sexually abusing the unnamed minor over the span of several years, including in Guam where he served as a Navy pilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Rhode Island<\/a> also alleges he swapped child pornography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zenga\u2019s civilian defense attorney, John E. McDonald, declined comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A former Naval War College<\/a> instructor, Zenga retired from the Navy on Oct. 31, 2017, according to service records provided to Navy Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Less than a year later, federal agents raided his Middletown, Rhode Island, residence and arrested him. He was placed into pretrial confinement on Oct. 17, 2018, and prosecutors continued to file motions delaying his indictment until this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although much of the court file remains sealed, an affidavit submitted by a Homeland Security Investigations special agent states Zenga admitted “the sexual abuse began when he was in the U.S. Navy stationed in Guam\u201d and it continued until two weeks before agents searched his home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zenga was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 in Guam from 2010 to 2013, according to his military records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The affidavit also alleges that Zenga confessed to “receiving, distributing, and possessing child pornography on the social media application Kik<\/a>\u201d and through an encrypted email address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Zenga described himself as a \u2018Monster,\u2019\u201d the agent wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\t