A former Hennepin Technical College student who once volunteered at the college's preschool has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Shawn Douglas Godfrey, 26, of Plymouth, admitted to possessing more than 600 images of child pornography. He also admitted that he distributed some of those images.
Godfrey, who attended Hennepin Technical College from August 2005 through December 2009, volunteered at the college's lab preschool while he was a student there, a college spokeswoman said.
Lisa Larson said that Godfrey passed a criminal background check before he was allowed to volunteer. When asked about Godfrey's activities while he volunteered, Larson referred those questions to investigators. A call to the Plymouth police officer investigating the case was not immediately returned.
Godfrey pleaded guilty Wednesday to a single count of possession.
According to a related criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County, investigators learned about Godfrey in October 2009, after tracing information about a computer user who offered to distribute child pornography. On Nov. 5, 2009, police searched Godfrey's residence and seized a computer that contained the images, compact discs, books, magazines and other items containing child pornography.
Godfrey faces up to 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim will sentence him at a later date.
The U.S. Justice Department has made combatting the sexual exploitation of children a top enforcement priority. For more on that or Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
