California man sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child porn

A California man who was charged with child pornography spent years on the run before people recognized him from the FBI’s "Ten Most Wanted" list. Now he is sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Photo: California man sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child porn

As he imposed the sentence Monday, Judge John Walter called Richard Steve Goldberg a "deeply disturbed individual" who exhibited an "immorality and lack of remorse beyond belief."

Goldberg, 62, pleaded guilty in August to one count of producing child pornography.

In addition to the federal count, Goldberg was named in a July 2001 state arrest warrant charging him with six counts of child molestation and two counts of possession of child pornography. The state charges, which allege Goldberg molested a half-dozen girls between the ages of 5 and 9, are pending.

Goldberg fled to Canada in 2002, shortly after Long Beach police seized his computer.

The former aerospace engineer was arrested in May in Montreal after his address was provided by a tipster who recognized him from the FBI's Web site.

In court Monday, Goldberg blamed his behavior on excessive drinking.

"I never did anything to be mean to anyone," he said with his head bowed.

Walter said Goldberg showed no meaningful remorse for his actions and noted that he wrote a letter claiming the children had set him up.