Criminal Complaint — United States v. Rodney R. Johnson (Middle District of Florida)

Summary

A criminal complaint with supporting affidavit in United States of America v. Rodney R. Johnson, Case 6:25-mj-02104-NWH, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, filed October 6, 2025 as Document 1. It charges a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(b), International Travel Reporting Violations, on or about October 5, 2025 in Brevard County. In the affidavit, Margaret Kochan, a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations, states that JOHNSON was encountered at Port Canaveral on October 5, 2025 returning on the MSC Seashore from a cruise with stops in Honduras and Mexico. The affidavit states that Detective Branscum of the Bethany, Oklahoma Police Department confirmed no notice of the international travel was given. The complaint was sworn before Nathan W. Hill, U.S. Magistrate Judge.

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Case 6:25-mj-02104-NWH Documenti_ Filed 10/06/25 Page 1of6PagelD 9

AO 91 (Rev. 11/11) Criminal Complaint

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

for the
Middle District of Florida

United States of America )
V. )
RODNEY R. JOHNSON ) Case No. .
) 6:25-mj- 2104
)
)
)
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 October 5, 2025 in the county of Brevard County in the
Middle District of Florida , the defendant(s) violated:
Code Section Offense Description
18 U.S.C. § 2250(b) International Travel Reporting Violations.

This criminal complaint is based on these facts:

& Continued on the attached sheet.

—¢ ‘omplainant’s signature

Margaret Kochan, Special Agent

Printed name and title warn

Sworn to before me over the telephone or other reliable electronic means and signed by me

pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 4.1 and 4(d). | (<
Date: 10/6/2025 ila: Y M

Judge’s signature

City and state: Orlando, FL NATHAN W. HILL, U.S. Magistrate Judge

Printed name and title
Case 6:25-mj-02104-NWH Documenti1_ Filed 10/06/25 Page 2 of 6 PagelD 10
Case No: 25-mj-2104

AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF COMPLAINT AND ARREST WARRANT

I, Margaret Kochan, a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations,

being duly sworn under oath, do hereby depose and state as follows:

INTRODUCTION AND AGENT BACKGROUND

1. Iam a Special Agent with the United States Department of Homeland
Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and I have been employed in this
capacity since January 2007. I am a graduate of the Criminal Investigator Training
Program and ICE Special Agent Training Academy. As a result of my employment
with HSI, my duties include, but are not limited to, the investigation and
enforcement of Titles 8, 18, 19, 21 and 31 of the United States Code. Iam an
“investigative or law enforcement officer of the United States” within the meaning
defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2510(7), in that Iam an agent of the United States authorized

by law to conduct investigations of, and make arrests for, federal offenses.

2. As part of my duties as an HSI agent, I investigate criminal violations
relating to the sexual exploitation of children, including the illegal coercion and
enticement of minors, and the production, distribution, receipt, transportation and
possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251, 2252 and 2252A.
I have received training in the area of child exploitation and have observed and
reviewed numerous examples of child pornography, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2256,

in all forms of media. I have been involved in numerous child pornography
Case 6:25-mj-02104-NWH Documenti- Filed 10/06/25 Page 3 of 6 PagelD 11

investigations, and I am familiar with the tactics used by individuals who collect,

distribute, and produce child pornographic material.

3. Based on the information set forth herein, I believe that Rodney R.
JOHNSON, committed a violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification
Act (34 U.S.C. § 20901 et seg.), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(b) (“International
Travel Reporting Violations”) occurring September 28, 2025, and continuing through

October 5, 2025.

FACTS OF THE CASE

4. On October 5, 2025, Rodney R. JOHNSON was encountered by
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations at the Port of
Entry at Port Canaveral, Florida inbound on the MSC Seashore (an internationally
operated cruise ship). The ship had just returned from an ocean voyage that left Port

Canaveral on September 28, 2025.

5. The MSC Seashore made several international stops to include:

e Isla de Roatan, Honduras (due to weather the ship was re-routed
from MSC Ocean Cay, Bahamas) on October 1, 2025;
e Costa Maya, Mexico on October 2, 2025; and,

e Cozumel, Mexico on October 3, 2025.

6. The cruise ship, MSC Seashore is a foreign flagged vessel, registered

with Malta. JOHNSON was a passenger aboard the MSC Seashore on this seven-

2
Case 6:25-mj-02104-NWH Documenti- Filed 10/06/25 Page 4 of 6 PagelD 12

day roundtrip cruise that included stops in Honduras and Mexico, as referenced

above.

7. Rodney R. JOHNSON is a Registered Sex Offender. JOHNSON pled
guilty and was convicted on five counts of rape in the first degree, forcible sodomy,
indecent exposure on July 22, 2003. JOHNSON was sentenced to 25 years of
incarceration for rape, which ran concurrent with 10 years of incarceration for
forcible sodomy and 1 year of incarceration for indecent exposure. Following his
release, on December 13, 2023, JOHNSON signed and initialed the Oklahoma
Corrections Sex Offender Registration and Notice of Duty to Register documents—
this includes JOHNSON signing his initials beside a provision requiring JOHNSON,
in pertinent part, “to inform ODOC [Oklahoma Department of Corrections] and LE
of any intended travel outside of the United States at least twenty-one (21) days prior
to that travel.” The Oklahoma Corrections Sex Offender Registration and Notice of
Duty to Register documents indicate the victim of JOHNSON was a 9-year-old

female.

8. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Agents contacted Detective
Branscum from the Bethany, Oklahoma Police Department - Investigations
Division, which supervises JOHNSON’s compliance with his sex offender
registration requirements. Detective Branscum confirmed that JOHNSON did not
provide any notice of JOHNSON’s international travel aboard the MSC Seashore

(nor of any international travel whatsoever). Detective Branscum advised that he
Case 6:25-mj-02104-NWH Documenti- Filed 10/06/25 Page 5of6PagelD 13

also contacted the Department of Corrections (ODOC), which oversees all sexual
and violent offenders (and maintains the sex offender registry database) and further
confirmed JOHNSON did not provide any notice of his international travel aboard

the MSC Seashore (nor any international travel whatsoever).

9. JOHNSON was interviewed after waving his Miranda rights. During

the interview, JOHNSON:

a. confirmed his travel aboard the MSC Seashore vessel, which

cruised internationally to Honduras and Mexico;

b. acknowledged his signature on his “Law Enforcement Address
Verification Form (Alternative Letter)[,]” which mailed to and filled out by

JOHNSON (with his mailing and physical address) on December 30, 2024;

c. acknowledged his signature on the Oklahoma Corrections Sex
Offender Registration and Notice of Duty to Register form, which set out the
requirements he must comply with while being a registered sex offender, dated

December 13, 2023;

d. acknowledged his initials next to § 30 “International Travel”
requirement on his Sex Offender Registration and Notice of Duty to Register

dated December 13, 2023;
Case 6:25-mj-02104-NWH Documenti_ Filed 10/06/25 Page 6 of 6 PagelD 14

e. he confirmed Detective Branscum is the point of contact for his
sex offender registration and he did not advise Detective Branscum of this

international travel.

10. During the interview, and acknowledgement of his signature and
initials on the Sex Offender Registration and Notice of Duty to Register form,
JOHNSON placed his initials and placed the date of interview (10/5/25) next to the
areas of the form (specifically, by § 30, as well as by his final signature at the end of
the document) to confirm his prior initials and signature on the form that were

referenced during the interview.

11. This completes my Affidavit.

Respectfully submitted,

VA bch

Margaret’Kochan, Special Agent
Homeland Security Investigations

Signed before me this: * a of October 2025.

NATHAN W. HILL
United States Magistrate Judge


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