Criminal Complaint and Affidavit — United States v. Justin Johnson, No. 6:22-mj-01154 (M.D. Fla.)

Summary

A Criminal Complaint with affidavit, Document 1, filed 02/25/22, Case 6:22-mj-01154-LHP, United States of America v. Justin Johnson, Middle District of Florida. It charges 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a), Sexual Exploitation of Children (Production of child pornography), on or about January 4, 2022, in the county of Seminole. Special Agent Rodney Hyre of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) states in the affidavit that a report reached Seminole County Child Protective Services in January 2022, that devices were turned over to an associate and then to police, and that a search under a state search warrant found images and videos. The affidavit states that the children identified were in the defendant's care. The Court's block reads Leslie Hoffman Price, U.S. Magistrate Judge.

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Case 6:22-mj-01154-LHP Document1 Filed 02/25/22 Page 1 of 11 PagelD 1

AO 91 (Rev. HI/11) Criminal Complaint

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

for the
Middle District of Florida

United States of America )
V. )
JUSTIN JOHNSON ) Case No.
) 6:22-mj-1154
)
)
)
Defendant(s)
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
I, the complainant in this case, state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
On or about the date(s) of January 4, 2022 in the county of Seminole in the
Middle District of Florida , the defendant(s) violated:
Code Section Offense Description
18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) Sexual Exploitation of Children (Production of child pornography).

This criminal complaint is based on these facts:

See attached affidavit.

@% Continued on the attached sheet. Wg /.

Complainant's signature

Sworn to before me and signed in my presence. Rodney Hyre, Special Agent

Printed name and title

City and state: Orlando, Florida LESLIE HOFFMAN PRICE, U.S. Magistrate Judge

Printed name and title
Case 6:22-mj-01154-LHP Document1 Filed 02/25/22 Page 2 of 11 PagelD 2

STATE OF FLORIDA CASE NO. 6:22-mj- I{ ¢ 4

COUNTY OF ORANGE
AFFIDAVIT
INTRODUCTION

I, Rodney Hyre, being duly sworn, do hereby depose and state as follows:

1, For the past 20 years, I have been employed as a Special Agent with the

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). I am currently assigned to the Tampa
Division Orlando Resident Agency of the FBI.

2. Since 2009, I have been investigating crimes against children. I have
received specialized training in the investigations of sex crimes, child exploitation,
child pornography, and computer crimes. I have been involved in investigations
involving child pornography and online solicitation/enticement of a minor. I have
participated in investigations of persons suspected of violating federal child
pornography laws, including 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251(a) and (e), 2252, and 2252A. I have
also participated in various training courses for the investigation and enforcement of
federal child pornography laws in which computers and cellular phones are used as
the means for receiving, transmitting, and storing child pornography. Additionally, I
have participated in the execution of search warrants involving searches and seizures
of computers, computer equipment, software, and electronically stored information.

3. I submit this affidavit in support of a criminal complaint against JUSTIN
Case 6:22-mj-01154-LHP Document1 Filed 02/25/22 Page 3 of 11 PagelD 3

DWAYNE JOHNSON, SR. OHNSON). As set forth in more detail below,
I believe there is probable cause to believe that on or about January 4, 2022,
JOHNSON used, employed, induced, enticed, persuaded, or coerced a minor to
engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of
such conduct through the use of a cellphone that traveled in, and is a facility of
interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a).

4. I make this affidavit from personal knowledge based on my
participation in this investigation, information from other criminal investigators,
information from law enforcement officers, information from agency reports, and a
review of documents provided to me by these witnesses and law enforcement
officers. Because this affidavit is being submitted for the limited purpose of
establishing probable cause in support of a criminal complaint, I have not set forth
each and every fact learned during the course of this investigation.

INVESTIGATION

3. On January 28, 2022, the Seminole County Child Protective Services
received a report concerning a foster parent identified as JUSTIN JOHNSON
(JOHNSON). The report indicated that JOHNSON was recording children within
his home located in Sanford, Florida 32771. The report received from an associate of
JOHNSON, D.A. stated the following:

"The foster parent has been recording the victim children in the home via

cameras he installed into the walls of the girls’ bedrooms. There are hundreds

of videos which showed the foster parent touching the victim children while
they are asleep, the victim children naked, and the victim children changing
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clothes. [A child] noticed the flashing blue light on the camera. On the
morning of 1/28/22, the foster parent asked D.A. to take the camera.”

6. On January 28, 2022, the case was assigned to Investigator David
Thomas with the Sanford Police Department. On the same date, Investigator
Thomas was contacted by D.A., who arrived at Sanford Police Department and
turned over two wall socket spy cameras. D.A. told Investigator Thomas that
JOHNSON had provided the cameras to D.A. for the purpose of holding them in
case JOHNSON’S residence was searched by the police for the cameras. Investigator
Thomas turned over these two devices to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office
Digital Forensic Unit.

7. On January 30, 2022, D.A. stated to Investigator Thomas that he met
with JOHNSON and JOHNSON provided D.A. a blue Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Serial: FRLDO3MNOD4C, a black Apple iPad Pro Serial: DLXXW33VKCO6T and a
black HP Compaq Elite 8300 computer Serial: 2UA3171CCC. JOHNSON requested
D.A. keep them in his possession because JOHNSON believed law enforcement may
be searching his residence in the near future.

8. On January 31, 2022, Investigator Thomas contacted D.A. and
scheduled an appointment to meet with D.A. at the Sanford Police Department
located at 815 Historic Goldsboro Boulevard, Sanford, Florida. The meeting was
scheduled so D.A. could turn over JOHNSON’S blue Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

Serial: F2ALDQ3MNOD4C, black Apple iPad Pro Serial: DLXXW33VKC6T and
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black HP Compaq Elite 8300 computer Serial: 2UA3171CCC that JOHNSON asked
D.A. to hold.

9. On February 10, 2022, D.A. arrived at the Sanford Police Department
and agreed to conduct a controlled phone call with JOHNSON in the presence of
Investigator Thomas. During the controlled phone call, JOHNSON stated that his
blue Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max Serial: FALDQ3MNOD4C, black Apple iPad Pro
Serial: DLXXW33VKC6T and black HP Compaq Elite 8300 computer Serial:
2UA3171CCC contained images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
JOHNSON provided D.A. the password and-security codes to access the devices in
belief that D.A. would delete the CSAM. JOHNSON also requested to meet with
D.A. in person and was afraid of law enforcement looking into the recordings.
Investigator Thomas turned over these three devices to the Seminole County
Sheriff's Office Digital Forensic Unit. A search warrant was sought and obtained
from the 18th Judicial Circuit in Seminole County Florida, to search the three
devices for evidence of CSAM.

10. On February 15, 2022, Investigator Thomas received information that
that JOHNSON was possibly making plans to flee the area. JOHNSON was looking
for a vehicle and hotel room, and stated he had no plans to return to the Sanford,
Florida area. On the same date, JOHNSON was arrested by the Orlando Police
Department in response to an arrest warrant issued out of Seminole County, Florida.
The arrest took place at a McDonalds restaurant located at 6875 Sand Lake Road,

Orlando, Florida. Johnson invoked his Miranda rights following his arrest.

4
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11. On February 17, 2022, pursuant to the state search warrant, Seminole
County Sheriff's Office Detective Nelson Tai and FBI Special Agent (SA) Kevin
Kaufman physically accessed JOHNSON’S cellular device identified as an Apple
iPhone 13 Pro Max serial number FALDQ3MNOD4C (the device) using the
password provided by JOHNSON to D.A. This is the device which JOHNSON
claimed to be his phone when he turned it over to D.A. Investigators utilized
password xxxx69, which JOHNSON provided in the controlled phone call to D.A.,
to access the device. Also located in the device were numerous family images
containing JOHNSON’S image, wedding images of JOHNSON’S wedding and
selfies of JOHNSON. In addition, numerous emails were located in the device which
were addressed to JUSTIN JOHNSON.

12. | When Investigators accessed the device, investigators went to the
“Misc” folder and accessed the “VS2” application which is password
protected. Investigators utilized password xx25 to gain access to the application
which was a password JOHNSON provided D.A. When investigators accessed the
application, they observed 2 folders titled “Photos” and “Videos.” SA Kaufman
accessed the “Photos” folder and discovered 36 sub folders. The subfolders
contained adult pornography and CSAM.

13. The second folder titled “Photos” contained 36 sub folders. Within the
sub folders, SA Kaufman discovered a folder titled “Sad” which contained numerous
images and videos of CSAM.

14. SA Kaufman looked in the next folder titled “Li 6”. Within the folder,
5
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SA Kaufman located 1 image and 5 videos. Below is a description of one of the

videos:

Title: Video-30-Nov-2021 22:57:48:
Description: The video is approximately 1 minute and 55 seconds in
length. In the video an adult male is observed digitally penetrating a female

child who is approximately 7 years old. The child victim was identified as
CHILD VICTIM 1 (CV1).

15. AsSA Kaufman continued looking through the phone, SA Kaufman
observed more than 50 images of CSAM to include the following image:

Title: Photo-29-Mar-2019 09:33:50

Description: The image is of an 18-day old infant who is on a changing bed
naked. An adult male’s erect penis is lying between the child’s vagina. The
child was identified as CHILD VICTIM 2 (CV2).

Date Created: March 29, 2019

Title: Video-04-Jan-2022 13:47:52
Description: The video is approximately 42 seconds in length. In the video
an adult male’s face is shown. The male is identified as
JOHNSON. JOHNSON is observed pulling the underwear off of a female
child who is approximately 4 years old exposing her vagina to the
camera. The child then lays on the ground and spreads her legs while

- JOHNSON focuses the camera on her vagina. The child was identified as
CHILD VICTIM 4 (CV4).
Date Created: January 4, 2022

16. AsSA Kaufman continued to look through the device, SA Kaufman
located 4 images and 2 videos of a female later identified as CHILD VICTIM 5
(CV5). The videos and images are sequential in time/date and are described below:

Title: Photo-14-Jun-2019 14:09:47

Description: An image of a female child who is approximately three years

old. The child is asleep on the ground covered by a blanket

Date Created: June 14, 2019

Title: Photo-14-June-2019 14:11:50
Case 6:22-mj-01154-LHP Document1 Filed 02/25/22 Page 8 of 11 PagelD 8

Description: An image of a female child who approximately three years
old. The child is sleeping while an adult male holds his penis above the
child’s face. The child was later identified as CV5.

Date Created: June 14, 2019

Title: Photo-14-June-2019 14:11:59

Description: An image of a female child who is approximately three years
old. The child is sleeping while an adult male holds his penis above the
child’s face.

Date Created: June 14, 2019

Title: Photo-14-Jun-2019 14:16:10
Description: An image of a female child who is approximately 3 years old

asleep on the ground. The child is in a pair of blue panties and a pajama top
Date Created: June 14, 2019

Title: Video — 14-Jun-2019 14:21:23

Description: The video is approximately 37 seconds in length. The video is
of an adult male and a female child who is approximately 3 years old. In the
video an adult male’s hand is observed moving over the panties of a child who
is asleep on the ground. The male rubs his finger across the child’s vagina.
Date Created: June 14, 2019

Title: Video — 14-Jun-2019 14:29:59

Description: The video is approximately 40 seconds in length. The video is

of an adult male and a female child who is approximately 3 years old. In the

video an adult male’s erect penis is rubbed against the vagina of the child. The

adult male tries to penetrate the child with his erect penis.

Date Created: June 14, 2019

17. SA Kaufman spoke to Sanford Police Department Detective Justine
Hooper. Detective Hooper stated every child that was identified by law enforcement
was in the care and custody of JOHNSON at the time of their victimization.
Additionally, the images and videos contained within the device were transported or

transmitted using the Apple iPhone 13, which is a means or facility of interstate

commerce.
Case 6:22-mj-01154-LHP Document1 Filed 02/25/22 Page 9 of 11 PagelD 9

18. On February 23, 2022, D.A. was interviewed at the FBI in Orlando,
Florida. During the interview, D.A. stated he was in business with a male identified
as JOHNSON and has been in business with JOHNSON for approximately 6
years. D.A. held a business relationship with JOHNSON and sometimes hung out
with D.A. during special events. Approximately 6 months ago, JOHNSON told
D.A. that he wanted to travel to meet “young girls”. JOHNSON stated he wanted to
travel to the Dominican Republic so he could find young girls. D.A. asked
JOHNSON how young, and JOHNSON stated, “young enough to get me in
trouble”. D.A. became alarmed about this statement and played along telling
JOHNSON that he liked young children too.

19. D.A. stated on the morning of January 28, 2022, JOHNSON called
him and stated that a female they were fostering discovered a hidden camera in the
wall socket. JOHNSON stated that the foster daughter discovered the device
because the device was emitting a blue light indicating the camera had lost internet
connection. JOHNSON was worried that his foster daughter was going to report the
incident to law enforcement. JOHNSON told D.A. that he installed the hidden
cameras to secretly catch his foster children in the nude. JOHNSON opened his
cellular telephone and showed D.A. several videos and images of JOHNSON
victimizing young children. D.A. observed a young baby in which JOHNSON’S
erect penis was placed across the infant’s vagina. D.A. asked “Damn bro that’s
you”, JOHNSON commented “It is not the size because it fits”. D.A. believed this

meant JOHNSON was having sexual intercourse with the child. D.A. also observed
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a video of a female child who was approximately 3-4 years old. In the video,
JOHNSON moves the child’s panties aside and spreads the child’s vagina

apart. JOHNSON told D.A. that the child tasted “so pure” meaning that
JOHNSON had performed oral sex on the child. JOHNSON gave D.A. the wall
socket cameras for safe keeping until JOHNSON could pick up the items at a later
date.

20. Later that night, JOHNSON contacted D.A again and told him that he
believed that law enforcement was going to come get his devices. JOHNSON
requested to meet D.A. so he could turn the items over to D.A. for safe
keeping. D.A. met JOHNSON at their place of employment. During this meeting,
D.A. recorded the conversation. During the conversation, JOHNSON told D.A.
that the iPhone he was turning over to D.A. was his (JOHNSON’S) baby and that
the phone cost $2,600. JOHNSON provided this information in explanation for why
he did not destroy the phone. JOHNSON expressed his nervousness regarding the
CSAM which was located on all the devices he was turning over to D.A.

21. The images and videos retrieved from JOHNSON’S cell phone
corroborate the information obtained from D.A. as to the nature and scope of the

sexual abuse of the minors.
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CONCLUSION

22. In light of the above, I submit there is probable cause to believe that on
or about January 4, 2022, JOHNSON used, employed, induced, enticed, persuaded,
or coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct fort the purpose of
producing a visual depiction of such conduct through the use of a device that

traveled in, and is a facility of interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §

Rodney Hyre, Special Agent
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Subscribed and sworn to before me
this©@ day of February, 2022.

United States Magistrate Judge

10


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