Hamilton Predator: Goodwin Gets 212 Months for Minor Transport

COLUMBUS, GA – Rickey Goodwin, 43, of Hamilton, Georgia, will spend the next seventeen years and eight months behind bars after being sentenced to 212 months imprisonment for the transportation of a minor. The sentence was handed down December 12, 2016, by U.S. District Court Judge Clay D. Land in Columbus, following Goodwin’s guilty plea on Count Four of the indictment back on August 3, 2016.

The case unravelled from a disturbing September 21, 2014 incident. A sixteen-year-old girl fled the home of her legal guardian in Alabama, heading to Panama City Beach, Florida, with the intention of engaging in prostitution – aided by her own biological mother. Goodwin, a convicted felon already on parole, was with the girl during this period. Investigators discovered a chilling Facebook post from Goodwin stating he was traveling to Birmingham to collect a “lil care package,” a veiled reference to the girl. Advertisements featuring the runaway appeared on Backpage.com and other online platforms notorious for facilitating prostitution.

The trail led to Columbus, Georgia in October 2014, when the Columbus Police Department received information suggesting Goodwin and the teen were operating within the city, continuing to engage in prostitution. Law enforcement quickly zeroed in on Goodwin. On October 13, 2014, a trace of the cell phone number used in the Backpage advertisements directly linked the phone to Goodwin.

“The acts for which Mr. Goodwin stands convicted are truly loathsome,” stated United States Attorney G.F. Peterman, III. “Without question he deserves the full measure of the sentence imposed upon him.” Peterman’s statement underscores the gravity of the crime and the commitment of federal authorities to pursue those who prey on vulnerable children.

The investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant United States Attorney Crawford Seals leading the prosecution. The collaborative effort between federal and local law enforcement brought a dangerous predator to justice. This case serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat of human trafficking and the urgent need for continued vigilance.

Anyone with information regarding similar cases or suspecting human trafficking activity is urged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. For media inquiries regarding this case, contact Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.