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Gainesville man sentenced to 8 years in prison, 22 years of probation for possession of child pornography

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Robert Russell Godwin, 71, has been sentenced to eight years in state prison, followed by 22 years of Sexual Offender Probation, after entering a plea of nolo contendere to 12 counts of possession of child pornography.

Godwin was arrested by Gainesville Police Department on September 28, 2023. A search warrant was served at his home, and when officers asked Godwin if he was attracted to children, he reportedly said he would not discuss that with them.

A search of the residence reportedly found a desktop computer in Godwin’s workshop; two USB drives were plugged into the computer, and a preview of the computer and the two drives reportedly revealed over three thousand child sexual abuse material (CSAM) images, some of which depicted infants and young children being raped. A search also reportedly produced four large binders containing about 1,000 images of printed CSAM and child erotica.

Godwin’s plea document indicated that the maximum sentence for the charges is 60 years in prison, but after Godwin entered a plea of nolo contendere to all 12 charges, Judge Phillip Pena sentenced him to five years in state prison on one count, followed by three years in state prison on the second count; after release, he will be on Sexual Offender Probation for 22 years on the remaining counts.

  • Judge Pena cann go to hell with the pedophioe for letting him off with a slap on the wrist. He should die in prison!

    • He is 71, 8 years in prison at his age is a death sentence..Just a slow one.There is no parole in Fla. He will do almost all of the 8 years,and likely come out in a box. Prison is not what most think of as ..3 hots and a cot and color tv. And if he does get out, he has lost his home,money and belongings. The judge gave him a sentence worse than death

      • Fl does parole. I just got out & there’s a program for woman and 3 just got out from 25 to life sentence, more are coming out too.

        Yes this man will likely pass away in DOC. Prison has a whole underground world and if your liked enough and corrupt enough you can live a good life before those gates, especially the ones with life. They run the prison yards and COs.

  • He should have been given enough time to guarantee he would die in prison. At 80 he could still reek havoc on the innocent. Do better judge!

    • While disgusting, pictures is not a capital offense, punishable by death. The point is he can’t wreak havoc at 87 years old. Probation is very strict on sex offenders. He will come out to nothing.If the sentence would of been crazy high, he very well could claim cruel and unusual punishment..The judge did the right thing..For all intent and purpose, his life is over.

  • AmeriKKKa strikes again!!! Drug dealers from “THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN” are getting life sentences and the “GOOD OLE BOYZ” are getting slapped on the wrist!!!

  • Say what ever you like, this man isn’ t sick, he does not have a disease, if the report is CORRECT, he is PURE EVIL, he needs to be euthanized, or, better yet, saved and forgiven by JESUS CHRIST.

      • You people just cannot resist can you? You can’t just give your opinion, you are compelled to insult people of faith. Which says way more about you than it does about us.

    • Jesus Christ couldn’t even save himself so hows he gonna save others, snap out of it.

    • Gene..he may be sick, but that is not punishable by death. You Gomers sure like your death sentences. I think you may be a bit sick as well

  • Knew Bob for years at UF and never thought him to be like that, I guess we all have our vices, to bad he had this one.

  • This man deserves the slowest, most painful ride straight to hell. PERIOD.

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