Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Barry Thomas Goldsborough, age 52, of Laurel, Maryland, with receipt, transportation, distribution, and possession of child pornography.  The indictment was returned on September 21, 2020, and unsealed yesterday at Goldsborough’s initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.  At that hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles B. Day ordered that Goldsborough be detained pending trial

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to the four-count indictment, on dates ranging from January 27, 2018 through November 19, 2019, Goldsborough received, transported, distributed, and possessed images documenting the sexual abuse of children.  As stated during yesterday’s detention hearing, Goldsborough has two prior sex offense convictions involving minor children.  Specifically, on April 12, 2005, Goldsborough was convicted in the District Court for Baltimore County, Maryland for possession of child pornography.  While Goldsborough was on probation for the Baltimore County conviction, Goldsborough was then charged with, and later was convicted of, attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and possession of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.  At the time of the alleged conduct in the four-count indictment, Goldsborough was on federal supervision for this last offense.  

Due to Goldsborough’s prior sex offense convictions, if convicted of receipt, transportation, or distribution of child pornography, Goldsborough faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison; and if convicted for possession of child pornography, faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

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 the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.        

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI, Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah B. Grossi, who is prosecuting the federal case.

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