Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography

Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River man pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Garald Benson Johnson, 42, pled guilty on August 29, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.

According to court documents, Johnson engaged in sexual activity with a minor and used a cellphone to make recordings of the encounter.

Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2023, and faces not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.