Port Townsend, Washington, man arrested for creating images of child sexual abuse

Tacoma – A 32-year-old Port Townsend, Washington man was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with production of images of child sexual abuse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Matan Liyor Goodman is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma at 2:00 PM today.

According to records filed in the case, the investigation began with a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user of Kik Messenger had uploaded suspected images of child sexual abuse. Review of the computer records indicated the person uploading the images resided in Western Washington and the information was forwarded to the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force at the Seattle Police Department.

An agent with Homeland Security Investigations connected the computer information with Goodman at an address in Port Townsend. Further investigation revealed that Goodman is a registered sex offender due to convictions in California.

Law enforcement obtained a judicially approved search warrant to search Goodman’s home and person, including any electronic devices belonging to him.

Following the search, Goodman was taken into federal custody on probable cause.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Due to his prior convictions, Goodman faces a mandatory minimum 25 years in prison if convicted of Production of child pornography.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in partnership with the Seattle Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Victoria Cantore and Matthew Hampton.