Elyria man sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually exploiting a 12-year-old he met online

An Elyria man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually exploiting a 12-year-old and related child pornography crimes.

Christopher Goodin, 33, was ordered to pay $150,156 in restitution. He previously pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Goodin controlled multiple social media accounts which he used to communicate with a young girl in Utah between June and August 18, 2018. With one account, Goodin posed as a young girl who was harassed and threatened by an older man. With another account, Goodin posed as the older man, according to court documents.

Goodin, posing as both the older man and young girl, told the victim that he would stop harassing the young girl if the victim sent sexually explicit photos to him, which the victim did, according to court documents.

A search in October 2018 of Goodin’s home on Kentucky Drive in Elyria resulted in the recovery of: a cell phone with 716 images and 126 videos of suspected child pornography, including bestiality, infants and toddlers, bondage and fetish videos; a laptop computer with 63 videos and 32 images of child pornography, as well as 661 images and 14 videos of another child victim; and an SD card with 844 image files and 761 video files of suspected child pornography, according to court documents.

“This defendant is a predator who tricked unsuspecting children into sending him graphic images by posing as someone else,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This case is a disturbing and stark reminder that people online are rarely who they claim to be, and parents need to know who their children are communicating with.”

“The FBI is pleased with the 25-year sentence given to Mr. Goodin today,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith. “Individuals who exploit children deserve to spend a significant time behind bars. Parents are urged to be aware with whom their children interact with online. Children should be loved, cherished, and protected not used for the benefit of someone’s sexual gratification.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.