Ex-East Point officer sentenced to life after sex assault conviction
Former East Point police sergeant Richard Gooddine at his sentencing on September 22, 2026. (FOX 5)
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - A former East Point police sergeant convicted of sexually assaulting vulnerable women and a teenager while on duty learned his sentence Tuesday.
Gooddine was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years around 9:15 a.m. following his conviction.
What we know:
A Fulton County jury found Gooddine guilty of 10 counts of felony charges on Sept. 8.
His convictions include:
- Aggravated sexual battery
- Child molestation
- Enticing a child for indecent purposes
- Threatening or causing harm to hinder or delay testimony or prosecution
- Threatening or causing harm to hinder or delay testimony or prosecution
Prosecutors said Gooddine used his badge and patrol car to sexually assault vulnerable victims between 2016 and 2018.
During the trial, witnesses testified that Gooddine broke departmental policy by failing to log his patrol vehicle's mileage while driving a 15-year-old girl.
Former East Point Police Chief Tommy Gardner testified Gooddine violated core policies by failing to log his vehicle's starting and ending mileages over the radio while taking the minor home in his patrol car.
A friend of the victim testified that Gooddine stopped their group at a park, poured out their alcohol and refused to let anyone else ride along when he took the minor away alone.
An emergency room charge nurse testified that Gooddine arrived at the hospital shortly after the minor was brought in, acting in an agitated and intimidating manner.
The nurse testified Gooddine refused to give his name and asked staff, "Is this how you want your relationship with the police to be?"
Video of the confrontation was played in court.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents testified to swabbing high-touch areas and back-seat stains in Gooddine's patrol SUV.
A former GBI analyst testified that the DNA evidence from the victim's kit was inconclusive due to low nanogram levels.
An emergency room doctor testified that sexual assault often leaves no visible physical injuries.
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet publicly confirmed how many years in prison Gooddine will face at Tuesday's sentencing hearing.
The backstory:
The charges followed allegations involving incidents authorities said occurred while Gooddine worked for the East Point Police Department in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Gooddine was fired in August 2018 after being accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl while on duty.
According to an incident report, Gooddine stopped the teenager and three friends for allegedly being out past curfew, let the others go and had the girl get into his patrol vehicle.
Investigators said Gooddine drove the teenager around for several hours before taking her to an apartment complex on Stanton Road, where the assault occurred in his police SUV.
The GBI opened an investigation at the request of East Point police.
Days after Gooddine was fired, the Fulton County District Attorney's Office issued arrest warrants involving allegations connected to three women.
One of those women, Rosa Woodard, previously told FOX 5 that Gooddine sexually assaulted her after arresting her for driving with a suspended license in 2016.
East Point police said at the time that its Internal Affairs Division investigated Woodard's complaint and determined it was unfounded.
Gardner said when Gooddine was fired that an internal investigation determined he had violated multiple departmental policies and procedures.
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The Source: The information in this story was gathered from court testimony and evidence presented during the Fulton County trial, as well as previous statements and incident reports from the East Point Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.