Monday, 27 July 2026, 22:51
A former university professor from West Sacramento has been sentenced to more than 18 years in federal prison for attempting to sexually exploit a child and for distributing and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The case, investigated by the FBI’s Fresno resident agency, highlights ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation in California.
According to court documents, in March 2023, Rodger Githens, operating under the profile name 'Tall laid-back,' initiated contact on Grindr with an account controlled by an undercover agent. Githens quickly moved the conversation to Telegram, which he considered more secure. During chats, he expressed taboo thoughts every day and described in graphic detail what he wanted to do with the agent and the agent's fictional 7-year-old niece. Githens told the agent he was 'into babies,' adding that he 'would love to have a dad or uncle invite me' before describing his plans in detail. Several times Githens discussed traveling to Fresno to meet them.
On April 19, 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant at Githens’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents found numerous Telegram chats containing videos of child sexual abuse.
U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake sentenced Githens on July 24, 2026, to 222 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine. Restitution will be determined later. Githens will have restricted internet access and limited contact with minors during supervision and must register as a sex offender.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.
Githens had been employed as a professor at a local university and consulted for other colleges. He was convicted on May 1, 2026, after a stipulated bench trial.
The case centered on plans to meet a child in Fresno. The FBI’s Fresno resident agency led the investigation, supported by the West Sacramento Police Department. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to identify and prosecute offenders and rescue victims.
The sentencing of Rodger Githens sends a clear message about the severe consequences of online child exploitation. Law enforcement agencies in Fresno and across California continue to prioritize protecting children from predators.
