A 48-year-old Sanford foster parent was sentenced to 170 years in federal prison for molesting children and recording sexual abuses with at least 18 victims that were under his foster care.
Justin Dwayne Johnson was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger on Thursday, November 17, on four counts of production of child sexual abuse material, one count of production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material, and one count of possession of child sex abuse material.
According to court records, in January 2022, Sanford Police Department initiated an investigation into Johnson after Child Protection Services was alerted by an acquaintance that he was secretly recording foster children in the nude. Johnson disclosed to the acquaintance that he had videos on his cellphone and computer that depicted him molesting children.
Through the course of their investigation, detectives obtained multiple phones and computers, as well as cameras that had been hidden throughout Johnson’s home.
During their investigation, law enforcement officers found thousands of images and videos depicting children being sexually abused by other children under Johnson’s care, as well as Johnson himself. The videos and photos were captured over the course of multiple years, according to authorities.
Johnson was arrested on February 15 in Orlando and was extradited to John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County on February 23, 2022.
According to court records, to date, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified at least 18 child victims that were sexually exploited by Johnson.
“Johnson’s crimes are particularly disturbing, in that he was in a position that is expected to provide protection and care to already vulnerable children, and he exploited that role and further victimized these young children,” said Chief Cecil Smith of the Sanford Police Department. “I hope his sentence brings some comfort to those who he has abused.”