Evansville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison After Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct with a 14-Year-Old Via Facebook Video Chat

EVANSVILLE- Stacy Ryan Goldman, 32, of Evansville, Indiana, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.

According to court documents, between August of 2016 and March of 2017, Stacy Goldman communicated with a 14-year-old girl via Facebook video chat sessions. The child lived in Wisconsin and Goldman lived in Evansville, Indiana. During the video chat sessions, Goldman discussed sexual activity with the girl and sent her videos of himself in sex acts. Goldman also asked the child to send him sexually explicit material.

In an interview with FBI agents, Goldman admitted that he knew the girl was a minor. Goldman also admitted that on at least one occasion he threatened to publicly post intimate pictures of the child online.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.

“Through social media networks and mobile devices, predators like this defendant can gain access to our children’s bedrooms from hundreds of miles away,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers “Those who might seek to engage in sexual contact with children online should take notice of the federal prison sentence imposed today. Child sexual exploitation is a heinous crime and will be met with serious punishment. Our office, alongside the FBI and our law enforcement partners, are committed to keeping our children safe and holding child sex offenders accountable.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable assistance provided by the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Goldman be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years following his release from federal prison. Goldman must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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

###