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Rodger Githens, an associate professor at the University of the Pacific, was arrested on April 21, after he was busted for attempting to assault a 7-year-old. An undercover FBI agent posed as an adult man on Grindr, who had a s*xual relationship with his 7-year-old niece. The conversation between the University of the Pacific professor and the undercover agent began on March 25.
Trigger warning: This article contains references to s*xual abuse and child abuse. Readers' discretion is advised.
Githens expressed his desire to meet the man and his niece and also admitted that he was "experienced" in molesting young children. Rodger Githens further allegedly stated that he believed "kids were property" and recalled the time he got scammed after paying to have an intimate relationship with a 5-year-old boy.
FBI agents searched his devices and allegedly soon found content related to child s*xual abuse. The 44-year-old University of the Pacific professor's husband claimed that he had no idea about the content present in his partner's devices. According to university authorities, Githens has been placed on administrative leave.
All we know about the University of the Pacific professor as he is arrested for attempting to have s*xual relations with a minor
FBI agents busted the university professor and arrested him on Friday, April 21, 2023, after he expressed a desire to establish an intimate relationship with a minor on Grindr. The conversation with the FBI agent in disguise started on March 25. At one point, the University of the Pacific professor allegedly wrote to the agent:
“Little kids are so s*xual.”
According to the complaint against Rodger Githens, shortly after the profile was set up, a user with the name “Tod” contacted the undercover agent. Tod stated that he was a 44-year-old, 6 foot 4 inch Caucasian male, who “loved taboos.” Todd insisted that the agent continue the conversation on Telegram and not on Grindr.
Soon, the agent mentioned his fabricated relationship with his niece, to which Tod replied that he would like to meet both of them. He allegedly wrote:
“Honestly, I’m not assuming we’ll ever meet. Guys always flake. Always.”
Tod then went on to mention details about being scammed into paying $400 to have s*x with a 5-year-old in Mexico.
He also mentioned coming across a man on Grindr who was ready to meet him in Hawaii and let him have an intimate relationship with his 1-year-old godson. However, the University of the Pacific professor reportedly could not go to Hawaii due to the travel restrictions imposed during Covid-19.
A few days after the conversation began, the agent asked for Tod’s selfie to confirm that he wasn’t getting catfished. That was when the FBI matched the photo with Rodger’s official driver’s license. On April 7, 2023, Tod explicitly expressed the desire to meet the man and his 7-year-old niece. He further added that he would get the child a Hershey's bar and an Ariel doll.
On April 19, 2023, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant to look into his residence and his electronic devices. The FBI further put his home under surveillance.
The University of the Pacific professor, however, was concerned about being in a sting. At one point, he reportedly told the undercover agent:
“I read an article about people who lure guys like us and turn them in to law enforcement.”
Eventually, the two decided to meet up at a hotel in Fresno on April 19, but the professor backed out a day before.
Githens had a PhD and ran a consulting practice
Rodger Githens has served as Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Innovation. Githens has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Human Resource Development.
He further completed his graduate coursework from the Chicago Theological Seminary and Religious Studies and graduated in 1999 from Lincoln Christian College. According to Mike Klocke, the senior director of media relations:
“He has been placed on administrative leave. The university does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
In his faculty bio on the university’s official page, Rodger Githens wrote,
“I strive to meet students ‘where they are.’ My goal is to provide individualized attention to students and to strive to foster a community of learners in my courses in order to provide the support needed for learning.”
The 44-year-old professor also ran a consulting practice.
Githens’ husband claimed that he had no knowledge about the disturbing content on his spouse’s devices, which included videos of children getting abused and r*ped.
On April 21, federal agents arrested the University of the Pacific professor. He currently faces charges of receipt and distribution of images of a minor engaged in s*xually explicit conduct. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal jail.
