Richard Steve Goldberg

Infobox FBI Ten Most Wanted
name = Richard Steven Goldberg


crime = Sexual exploitation of children (Production of child pornography); Unlawful flight to avoid prosecution - Lewd acts upon a child (Six counts); Possession of child pornography (Two counts)
birth_date = birth date and age|1945|11|9
death_date =
death_place =
added_date = June 14, 2002
caught_date = May 12, 2007
remove_date =
number = 474
status = Captured

Richard Steven Goldberg (born November 9 1945 in Brooklyn, New York) is a convicted sex offender and a fugitive who was added to the FBI's FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on June 14, 2002. Goldberg is the 474th fugitive to be placed on the list. He was captured in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on May 12, 2007.

Child molestation accusations

In 2001, Goldberg, former Boeing aerospace engineer, became a babysitter and befriended with children in the Long Beach area by gaining trust of the neighborhood parents and making his home attractive to children. Goldberg had several children's items such as computer games, children's music, art supplies, swings, children's soap and cage with rabbits and ducks. [http://www.amw.com/captures/case.cfm?id=25405 Richard Goldberg - Overview] (HTML) "America's Most Wanted". Retrieved on 2008-10-04]

On May 11, 2001 two young girls playing on Goldberg's computer saw an image of two of their young friends naked with their neighbor. Authorities were alerted and investigation was launched as six neighborhood kids reported being sexually assaulted by Goldberg. Police searched his home in June 2001 and seized his computer. Investigators discovered images of child pornography on his computer, including photos of Goldberg himself, engaged in sex acts with children. Goldberg was arrested and he fled after $50,000 bond had been posted for his bail. [http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/goldberg_steve.html#hopes Molestation suspect to be deported. 'It's not like he's a serial killer,' lawyer says] (HTML) The Gazette. Retrieved on 2008-10-04]

On July 2001, a state arrest warrant was issued in California charging Goldberg with six counts of lewd acts upon a child and two counts of possession of child pornography. Goldberg was subsequently charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in a federal arrest warrant issued by the United States District Court for the Central District of California. [cite web|url=http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel02/goldberg061402.htm|title=Federal Bureau of Investigation - Press Release|format=HTML|publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation|accessdate=2008-10-04]

Fugitive

Goldberg visited his parents briefly in Rumson, New Jersey after leaving Long Beach. On July 26, 2001, he crossed the Canada – United States border claiming to be on business trip and using his U.S. passport. Despite his status on the FBI's list, he was able to withdraw nearly $50,000 from his U.S. bank account to finance the six years he spent in hiding in Montreal. [cite web|url=http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/goldberg_steve.html#Suspected|title=Suspected pedophile ordered deported |format=HTML|publisher=The Montreal Gazette|accessdate=2008-10-04] Goldberg lived under a fictitious name Terry Wayne Kearns, backed by a Saskatchewan birth certificate, and was living off his savings and keeping low profile. [http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=f3935235-d1c6-40db-a1aa-96838feca468&k=79433 Richard Goldberg - Overview] (HTML) Canada.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-04]

He was added to the list of FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives in June 14, 2002. The FBI offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Goldberg's capture.

Capture

On May 2007, Goldberg had been seeing a nonprofit counselor. He allegedly told the counselor he was an American fugitive, but the charges against him were "trumped up". [cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/05/13/fugitive.arrest/index.html?eref=rss_latest|title=Tip snares alleged child molester on FBI top 10 list |format=HTML|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2008-10-04]

The counselor had identified Goldberg as one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and verified the outstanding arrest warrant for Goldberg by visiting the FBI’s website, where Goldberg’s photo and the description of his alleged crimes were posted. [http://www.amw.com/captures/capture.cfm?id=25405 Richard Goldberg - Capture] (HTML) "America's Most Wanted". Retrieved on 2008-10-04] He then contacted the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and provided the information as to where Goldberg could be located. Agents with the FBI’s Los Angeles Office then contacted the FBI’s Legal Attache stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, with details as to Goldberg’s whereabouts. FBI’s Legal Attache in Ottawa requested assistance from Canadian law enforcement authorities in Montreal. Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Montreal Police Service (MPS) responded immediately and arrested Goldberg without incident at the address provided by the tipster. [cite web|url=http://losangeles.fbi.gov/pressrel/2007/la051207.htm|title=FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitive, Richard Steve Goldberg, arrested in Canada after tip called in to FBI Los Angeles|format=HTML|publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation|accessdate=2008-10-04]

After being a fugitive for six years, Goldberg was arrested by the RCMP and MPS for violating Canadian immigration laws on May 12, 2007. On May 24, he was deported from Canada back to the United States, where he was tried on both state and federal charges of child sexual abuse and distribution of obscene material involving children. [cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070513/us_fugitive_070512/20070513?hub=Canada|title=FBI 'most wanted' fugitive arrested in Montreal|format=HTML|publisher=CTV.ca|accessdate=2008-10-04]

Goldberg's lawyer, Jeffrey Boro, said his client was preparing to surrender himself days before his arrest. The lawyer suggested Goldberg's inquiries and requests for help made him easy to track down.

Conviction

On December 10, 2007, Goldberg pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of producing child pornography, and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. [cite web|url=http://www.fbi.gov/publications/innocent.htm|title=Innocent Images National Initiative and Online Child Pornography Program|format=HTML|publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation|accessdate=2008-10-04] At his sentencing, U.S. District Judge John Walter said: "Goldberg is a deeply disturbed individual with a lack of remorse beyond belief."

Inmate Goldberg (ID # 14321-052) is currently incarcerated in The Federal Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana. His protected release date is in October 11 2024. [cite web|url=http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=Goldberg&Middle=Steven&FirstName=Richard&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=346&y=294|title=Federal Bureau of Prisons - Inmate Locator|format=HTML|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons|accessdate=2008-06-19]

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070314233821/www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/goldberg.htm The Internet Wayback Machine's archive of Goldberg's FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Alert]
* [http://www.amw.com/captures/brief.cfm?id=25405 Goldberg's profile on "America's Most Wanted"]