HOUSTON – A 50-year-old Houston man has been charged with distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Authorities arrested Jason Dion Johnson Friday, May 6, 2016. He made his initial appearance yesterday, at which time he was ordered into custody pending a detention hearing which is set for tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Milloy.
At the time of the investigation, Johnson was employed as a 7th grade Social Studies teacher at Beechnut Academy in Houston, according to the charges.
The investigation began Dec. 6, 2015, as the FBI sought to identify persons using peer-to-peer software to traffic in child pornography, according to the criminal complaint filed in the case. According to the charges, authorities soon discovered a specific computer as offering to participate in the distribution of child pornography movies. Johnson was allegedly identified as the person linked to that computer.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant May 6, 2016, at Johnson’s Houston residence, at which time the criminal complaint alleges investigators found a number of videos and images of prepubescent girls being sexually exploited. Additionally, agents allegedly found several unmarked VHS tapes which revealed the presence of what appeared to be a hidden camera video from a changing area within a school. On these tapes, there are young female students who are observed to be entering the camera’s field of view and removing their clothing while in the process of changing into a uniform, according to the complaint.
Authorities do not believe the footage was taken at Beechnut Academy.
If convicted, Johnson faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years imprisonment for the distribution and receipt as well as another 10 years for the possession of child pornography charges.
FBI investigated.
This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
###