Winterville Man Sentenced For Receiving Child Pornography

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today, WILLIE RIGGS GODFREY, III, 44of Winterville, North Carolina, was sentenced before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.  GODFREY received 125 months imprisonment followed by a 10 year term of supervised release.

On November 24, 2014, a Criminal Indictment was filed charging GODFRFEY with receiving and possessing child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252.  On January 20, 2015, GODFREY pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography.

According to the investigation, on January 13, 2014, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office received a tip of an IP address downloading child pornography.  On January 30, 2014, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office received information that the IP address was in use by GODFREY at his house.  On February 4, 2014, reports showed that IP address was last active on February 1, 2014, with 51 possible files believed to be child pornography.

On February 6, 2014, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on GODFREY’s residence.  GODFREY voluntarily acknowledged being in receipt of child pornography which would be on his computer but nothing produced by him.  A search of GODFREY’s computer revealed 5,312 images, 162 videos, and 18 compressed files of child pornography and erotica.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Rudy E. Renfer prosecuted the case for the United States.

This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level.  For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.