A Pelham man has been sentenced to 80 years in prison for charges related to child exploitation. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon announced the sentencing of Neal Richard Goodacre, aged 54, by U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler.
Goodacre received a sentence of 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release after pleading guilty in July to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. As part of his conviction, Goodacre will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The case began when the Queensland, Australia, Child Exploitation Task Force discovered images on a Russian file-sharing website in July 2023. The account was traced back to Goodacre's residence in Pelham, Alabama. A search warrant executed by HSI on September 13, 2023, led to the recovery of two electronic devices containing 29 images and one video of child pornography that Goodacre had produced.
Homeland Security Investigations worked with the Queensland Child Exploitation Task Force and the Pelham Police Department on this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Authorities urge anyone suspecting or aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child to contact law enforcement immediately. Reports can be made to the FBI Birmingham Office at 205-326-6166 or filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children online at www.cybertipline.org.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.