SANFORD, Fla. - A foster father who took care of 20 children over the last three years has been sentenced to 170 years in prison for secretly recording the children and sexually abusing some of them.
Justin Dwayne Johnson Sr., 48, of Sanford, was sentenced to federal prison 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 the Department of Justice (DOJ).
An investigation began in January 2022 after Child Protection Services (CPS) was alerted that Johnson was secretly recording his foster children. He told an acquaintance that he was secretly recording his foster children "in the nude" and said he also had videos of him touching the children, the DOJ said.
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When detectives looked through Johnson's cellphone, they found several images and videos of child sex abuse material. The DOJ said they identified 18 victims that were sexually exploited by Johnson.
"Instead of offering a haven for foster children, this predator betrayed the children with a home of horrific abuse," said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge David Walker. "The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force is committed to identifying, locating, and recovering the innocent victims of sexual abuse and ensuring their abusers are brought to justice.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Sanford Police Department and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.