YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Springfield, MO

Log in Subscribe

Former Ozarks YMCA employee indicted for child porn

Posted online

A federal grand jury indicted a former Ozarks Regional YMCA employee for receiving and distributing child pornography online.

Benjamin Goodwin, 28, of Springfield, was arrested yesterday after being indicted Aug. 15, according to a news release from the office of Tom Larson, acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

The indictment alleges Goodwin committed the offenses between June 11, 2016, and Aug. 3, 2017, and according to the release, was an Ozarks YMCA employee during that time.

Ozarks Regional YMCA CEO Steve Gimenez yesterday emailed members of the organization’s Pat Jones and Ward Downtown centers, as well as its school-age services program, informing them of Goodwin’s indictment. In the letter provided to Springfield Business Journal, Gimenez said Goodwin worked part time in the school-age services department but noted the alleged offenses that led to his arrest did not occur at the YMCA or within its programs.

“Our Y is taking this situation very seriously,” Gimenez wrote. “While we have no reason to believe that any child was involved in any inappropriate incidents at the Y or within our programs, we do want to make you aware of the situation and to encourage you to contact legal authorities if you believe anything inappropriate may have occurred in connection with your child.

“The YMCA makes no presumption of guilt or innocence in the case, but has taken these measures out of an abundance of caution.”

Comments

No comments on this story |
Please log in to add your comment
Editors' Pick
From the Ground Up: Republic Intermediate School

The Republic School District is on track to open its Intermediate School for fifth- and sixth-grade students for the 2025-26 academic year.

Most Read
Update cookies preferences