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Press Release

Toledo man indicted for distribution of child pornography and exploitation of a minor

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced today that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Thomas Daniel Johnson, age 34, of Toledo with sexual exploitation of a minor and receipt and distribution of child pornography.

According to the criminal complaint filed in the matter, the defendant was believed to have been engaged in the distribution of online child pornography and was attempting to facilitate sexual encounters with a minor who occasionally stayed at his residence. On November 22, 2019, federal investigators and members of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Taskforce executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence.  During the search, law enforcement seized several electronic devices that were later discovered to contain large amounts of child pornography. 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Toledo Police Department, as part of a state-federal task force on child exploitation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey B. Tangeman.

Contact

Daniel Ball
(216) 622-3921
Daniel.Ball@usdoj.gov

Updated May 21, 2020

Topic
Project Safe Childhood