Former Professor Convicted of Enticing Minor and Child Porn Offenses

Visiting U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake convicted Rodger Githens, 48, of West Sacramento, on May 4, 2026, following a bench trial in the Eastern District of California. The charges included attempted enticement of a minor and receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, per the U.S. Department of Justice press release.

The conviction directly affects Githens as the defendant, subjecting him to federal penalties under relevant statutes. Attempted enticement of a minor under 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) typically involves efforts to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity, impacting at least one intended victim in this case based on the charge description in the release.

Receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material under 18 U.S.C. § 2252 affects multiple victims depicted in such materials, though the release does not specify the number of images or individuals involved. The Eastern District of California, covering 34 counties and serving approximately 14 million residents per U.S. Census data, handles such cases as part of federal jurisdiction over interstate crimes.

Before the trial, Githens faced charges but retained presumption of innocence; the guilty verdict shifts his status to convicted felon effective May 4, 2026. Sentencing will follow at a date to be set by the court, replacing pretrial proceedings with post-conviction processes.

No changes to broader laws or programs are detailed in the release, but the outcome enforces existing federal statutes without alteration.

The conviction triggers a sentencing hearing where Judge Otake will impose penalties, including a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the enticement charge and 5 to 20 years for the material offenses, per the statutes cited in standard federal sentencing guidelines.

Githens must register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon any release, requiring lifelong reporting to authorities. The U.S. Probation Office will prepare a presentence report within 60 to 90 days, prompting potential appeals or motions from defense counsel.

The case aligns with federal prosecutions under laws strengthened by the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003, which established minimum sentences for child exploitation crimes. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California has pursued similar convictions in recent years, including over 50 child exploitation cases filed in 2025 per publicly available DOJ records.