Ex-Northwestern Cop, 'Unofficial' School Photographer Sentenced For Child Pornography

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL — A former Northwestern University police officer who ran a photography business out of his home was sentenced Tuesday to a four years in prison for taking explicit photographs of two girls.

Ronald Godby, 54, of Mount Prospect, pleaded guilty May 17 to making and possessing child pornography. Prosecutors said he would lure girls to his house and to remote outdoor locations and take sexually suggestive images of them without their knowledge.

One of his victims was as young as 13 when some of the pictures were taken. As a family friend, he had known the other since she was 6, according to prosecutors.

Godby communicated with the girls through social media, sending one pornographic images of women and a photo of a penis, prosecutors said. A classmate she had told of the inappropriate contact informed a teacher, who notified authorities.

Godby was first arrested last February and placed on leave from Northwestern, where he was a Lieutenant in the investigations unit, according to the Daily Northwestern. After news of his arrest spread, a second victim came forward and by April he was no longer employed with the University.

The second girl described how Godby had tried to convince her to let him take photographs of her since 2012. In the winter and spring of 2015, she agreed to participate in an indoor and outdoor photo shoot. Prosecutors said he picked her up in July and drove her to several locations in Des Plaines and directed her to pose provocatively and then took “zoomed in photos that were sexual in nature,” according to prosecutors.

In addition to being a campus cop, prosecutors described Godby as the “unofficial photographer” at Prospect High School, sometimes taking pictures of sports teams and performing arts events at the school. In 2013, he even received a distinguished service award from Township High School District 214, the Chicago Tribune reported.

According to the Tribune, his lawyer described the case as “tragic” and said Godby accepted responsibility and cooperated with authorities.

Manufacture of child pornography carries a prison sentence of four to 15 years, while its possession brings two to five years. Godby's four year sentence is for manufacturing, which he will serve concurrently with his penalty for possession. There have also been civil orders barring him from any future contact with the victim, and Godby will be required to register as a sex offender for life, according to a spokesperson for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

Related:

• Mount Prospect Man Faces More Child Pornography Charges
  
• Northwestern Police Lieutenant Charged With Child Porn

Top photo: Ronald Godby June 6, 2017 booking photograph | Cook County Sheriff