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February 20, 2005
Woman gets state time for child pornography
EASTON, NJ -- Brenda Woodginski admitted she snapped photographs that Northampton County Judge Leonard N. Zito said he couldn't bear to look at.
Zito sent the 32-year-old Easton woman to state prison Friday for 21 years and eight months to 43 years and four months for disseminating 130 photos of child pornography.
She took photos of her husband, Jimmy Woodginski, molesting girls ages 6 through 12, according to Assistant District Attorney Pat Broscius.
Some photos show 3- and 4-year-old children watching the abuse take place, Broscius said.
"These photographs represent the most extreme depravity and exploitation of children," Zito said.
Broscius gave him eight pictures, but the judge only looked at a few.
"These are repulsive," Zito said. "I don't care to see them."
Defense attorney Robert Patterson said Brenda Woodginski was terrorized by her husband into cooperating with him. She is mildly retarded, the product of an alcoholic and abusive father and is easily controlled by dominating men, Patterson said.
Broscius said Jimmy Woodginski was remorseful and cooperative with prosecutors when he was arrested. He resides in Norristown State Hospital, where he will remain until he gains the competency to stand trial.
When Brenda Woodginski was arrested, she said, "I want a lawyer," Broscius said.
Woodginski stood with her head cocked and eyes downward throughout the hearing. She never expressed remorse for her crime, saying only that she wanted the hearing over with and, "I wish I would have left (Jimmy Woodginski) long ago. He beat me so bad. I could barely walk."
When asked if she wanted to plead guilty to 65 counts of sexual abuse of children, Brenda Woodginski said no. Then she said yes, but said she wanted a jury.
Zito allowed Patterson to confer with Woodginski a few minutes, after which she pleaded guilty.
Police say Jimmy Woodginski abused the girls in the photos over a nine-year period. He was charged with sex offenses on Nov. 7, 2003.
Brenda Woodginski gave the photos to an employee at the Easton Laundromat on Nov. 9, 2003, and told the employee to do whatever she wanted with them.
Patterson said that by giving the photos away, Brenda Woodginski knew deep down that she would be caught. It was her way of escaping from Jimmy Woodginski's control and acknowledging her wrongdoing, Patterson said.
Broscius said Brenda Woodginski never told authorities what her husband was doing despite years of repeated abuse. She waited until her husband was arrested to dump the pictures.
"I believe she failed to protect the children," Broscius said. "She helped promote this exploitation."
Brenda Woodginski is seen holding the camera, taking pictures in a mirror reflection on two of the photos. Patterson said there is no way to prove she took all 130 of the photos, but she admits she took some of them.
Brenda Woodginski and her relatives blamed her husband for her conduct.
"She was scared to death of him, all the time," said Loretta Miller, Brenda Woodginski's mother.
"She would have stood on her head and spit nickels for him," said a woman who identified herself as Brenda Woodginski's godmother.
"When you say there were multiple victims, you have to include Brenda Woodginski," Patterson said.
Psychologists found Brenda Woodginski has a low risk to re-offend. Patterson asked Zito to limit her prison time.
Broscius told Zito he could not be lenient after looking at the pictures.
"To say that this defendant was terrorized by Jimmy Woodginski is ridiculous," Broscius said. "To say that she wanted the pictures to get into the right hands is ridiculous."
"The thoughts I have are for the victims in this case," Zito said. "The victims are very young and have been subjected to the most terrible conduct."
Posted by Nealus at February 20, 2005 09:57 AM
