An Antioch, Tennessee man and former teacher at South Laurel Middle School has been sentenced for online enticement of a minor. William Goodson, aged 32, was sentenced to 246 months by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom. The sentence comes after Goodson admitted to persuading a minor to engage in sexual activity between August 2023 and February 2024.
The court heard that Goodson, while working as a teacher and basketball coach, communicated many sexually explicit messages with the victim through text messages and Snapchat. He described his relationship with the minor as akin to a boyfriend's and admitted to buying gifts for the victim and communicating daily via Snapchat. This communication led to multiple instances of sexual contact within his classroom.
Goodson is required by federal law to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence. Following his release, he will be under supervision by the U.S. Probation Office for two decades.
The announcement of the sentence was made jointly by Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Louisville Field Office; and Chief Jerry Hollon from the London Police Department.
The investigation was carried out by both the FBI and London Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuting on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started in 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project coordinates federal, state, and local resources to apprehend offenders exploiting children online and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
