Rhode Island man sentenced to 260 years in federal prison in ICE HSI Boston child exploitation case

PROVIDENCE, RI – A Warwick, Rhode Island, man who admitted to producing child pornography involving prepubescent children on multiple occasions over more than 10 years was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Providence to 260 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, and North Kingstown Police Chief Patrick Flanagan.

Thomas Goodman, 45, was arrested by detectives from the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force on May 17, 2018, after Electric Boat Security confiscated Goodman’s cell phone when he violated company policy by using the cell phone on Electric Boat property. While conducting a search of the phone, Electric Boat Security discovered a vast quantity of child pornography. The phone was turned over to a North Kingstown Police Department Detective who confirmed that the phone contained child pornography.

According to information presented to the Court, a subsequent investigation by members of the ICAC Task Force, including a court-authorized search of Goodman’s residence, a forensic examination of his electronic devices, and interviews with the defendant, determined that Goodman possessed approximately 7,800 images and 370 videos of child pornography. ICAC Detectives determined that at least 62 of the videos and 135 of the images of child pornography involved prepubescent minors, and that they were created by Goodman between September 2007 and February 2018.

In interviews with law enforcement, Goodman also admitted to having had sexual contact with at least three prepubescent females.

Goodman, who has been detained since his arrest on May 17, 2018, pled guilty on October 11, 2018, to eight counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Goodman to 260 years in federal prison. Goodman was also ordered to pay a mandatory assessment of $5,000 on each of the nine counts he pled guilty to as provided for in the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 19,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2018, more than 3,000 (3,191) child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 850 (859) victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.