University of Oregon Professor Andrew Goble Arrested on Child Sex Abuse Charges

Andrew Edmund Goble, 72, a longtime professor in the University of Oregon’s Department of History, was arrested and booked into the Lane County Jail on November 21, 2025. According to jail records, he faces 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, all of which are felony charges under Oregon law.

The arrest followed a search warrant executed by Lane County Sheriff’s detectives at approximately 7 a.m. on November 20 at a residence associated with Goble in the 1900 block of Dogwood Drive in Eugene. The warrant stemmed from an investigation initiated by the Lane County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which specializes in child exploitation cases. Under Oregon statutes, the charges typically relate to the possession, duplication, or distribution of materials depicting the sexual abuse of minors.

Goble has been a faculty member at the University of Oregon since the 1980s and is recognized for his scholarship in pre-modern and medieval Japanese history. His work has focused on disease, mortality, medical concepts, and treatment practices in medieval Japan. Over his 35-year career at the university, he has taught courses such as History of Japan, Medicine and Society in Pre-modern Japan, East Asian Civilization, and Buddhism and Society in Medieval Japan.

His published works include Kenmu: Go-Daigo’s Revolution (Harvard University Press, 1996) and articles in the Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and volumes on Japanese history released by Stanford University Press. Goble holds both a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Queensland in Australia.

As of publication, the University of Oregon has not issued a public statement regarding his arrest. Goble remains in custody at the Lane County Jail, and a court date has not yet been announced. According to Oregon law, First Degree Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison per count, while Second Degree is a Class C felony carrying potential sentences of up to 5 years per count.

This case is ongoing, and additional information is expected as the legal process continues. Goble is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, and all charges are subject to change as the investigation develops.

Information regarding the charges was obtained from Lane County Jail records; biographical details and professional background were sourced from publicly available University of Oregon faculty listings. Local crime reporter Michael Weber, who runs the Lane County Mugshots Uncensored crime-watch group with more than 88,900 members, continues to monitor updates from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office.