Police charged a Gainesville man Thursday with 12 counts of possession of child pornography, with the potential for more charges as police continue their investigation into the man’s electronic devices.
Robert Godwin, 70, was arrested Thursday morning after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a “CyberTip” from Microsoft Wednesday, according to a Gainesville Police Department arrest affidavit. Godwin’s bond has not yet been set as of 11:30 a.m. Friday.
Microsoft reported two images including child sexual abuse material were uploaded to Bing Image. The company stated that this is the “only information related to this user in Microsoft systems,” according to court documents.
Microsoft also provided the upload IP address and the date and time the images were uploaded. The pictures were uploaded to Bing Image Wednesday at 2:59 a.m. and 3:44 a.m.
One of the images showed a nude prepubescent female in sexually explicit poses, according to the arrest report.
After checking the IP address, the police found out that it belonged to Cox Communications. The police then subpoenaed Cox Communications, where they revealed Godwin’s address, according to the arrest affidavit.
At around 9 a.m. Thursday, police executed a search warrant at Godwin’s home where he and his wife were found. They told police they have lived at their Gainesville home since 1977, according to court documents.
After police explained the details of the case to the couple, Godwin’s wife was asked if she is sexually attracted to children. She isn’t, she said.
Godwin himself was then asked if he was sexually attracted to children. He told police he wouldn’t discuss that with them, according to the arrest affidavit.
Police soon found an HP desktop computer in Godwin’s workshop. He and his wife stated that Godwin’s wife doesn’t use that computer and never goes into his workshop.
Two USB drives were plugged into the computer. Over 3,000 photos of child sexual abuse were found on the USB drives and on the computer, according to the arrest affidavit.
Police also found four large binders in a desk within the workshop, which had over 1,000 pictures of child sexual abuse, child erotica and computer-generated child sexual abuse material, according to the affidavit.
Once Godwin was placed under arrest he turned and apologized to his wife.
Police haven't completed the forensic analysis of Godwin’s computer and several of his devices have yet to be searched, according to the arrest report.
Contact Jordan Ramos at jramos@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @JordanR68971799.
Jordan Ramos is a fourth-year journalism major who spends his time singing in two different choirs and his a cappella group.
