Former Local Teacher Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges

HOUSTON – A 51-year-old Houston man has been ordered to prison following his convictions of receipt and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Jason Dion Johnson pleaded guilty April 20, 2017.

Today, U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett took into consideration Johnson’s position as a teacher and that he had been involved in collecting child pornography for more than 18 years. He then sentenced Johnson to 204 and 120 months for the receipt and possession convictions, respectively. The sentences will run concurrently. Johnson was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $70,000 to four known victims and will serve 15 years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation into Johnson began Dec. 6, 2015, as the FBI sought to identify persons using peer-to-peer software to traffic in child pornography. Agents soon discovered a specific computer as offering to participate in the distribution of child pornography movies. Johnson was 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 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. Agents also found a pile of girls underwear at his residence.

At the time of the investigation, Johnson was employed as a 7^th grade Social Studies teacher at Beechnut Academy in Houston. However, authorities do not believe the footage was taken at that school.

Johnson will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI conducted the investigation.   

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."