Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BOSTON – A lifetime Level 2 sex offender, pleaded guilty today to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Eric Robert Johnson, 50, of Billerica, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2024. Johnson was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in February 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2022. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
“Possession of child pornography is not a victimless crime because it further victimizes the innocent children who were abused to create these horrific images and drives demand for the creation of more abusive material,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mr. Johnson, a lifetime sex offender previously convicted of child rape, possessed over 5,000 files showing the sexual abuse of children, including infants. He is clearly a danger to our communities, and now faces significant time in federal prison. Our office will continue to relentlessly pursue individuals who harm children.”
“Images of children being sexually abused aren’t just documenting a moment in time. They’re a window into the horrific, ongoing reality for many of these kids. Sex offenders like Eric Robert Johnson who collect this material perpetuate the demand for it, which means more children will be exploited,” said Jodi Cohen Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “It’s imperative for the FBI and our law enforcement partners to intercept such predators when we find them, and we’re grateful Mr. Johnson accepted responsibility today for his criminal conduct.”
Searches of Johnson’s person and residence in February and March of 2022 resulted in the recovery of 25 electronic devices including a laptop, hard drives and other electronic devices. Multiple hard drives were found hidden next to Johnson’s bed as well as in Johnson’s basement ceiling, shelves, cabinets and in an ammunition can located in a crawl space at the residence. At the time of the search, the laptop was running a program to wipe, delete or remove files from an attached hard drive and was approximately 56% complete before being disabled by an on-scene forensic examiner.
A subsequent forensic examination revealed over 5,000 files depicting CSAM on seven of the seized devices, including images and video files depicting the sexual abuse of minor victims as young as infants and toddlers. Further forensic examination determined that 15 of the seized devices were encrypted or had hardware and could not be searched.
Additionally, during the search of Johnson’s residence, at least three mutilated dolls with the vaginal region sliced to make a hole were seized. Two children’s backpacks containing various children’s clothing including bathing suits and a nightgown, were found under his bed, along with a bag of children’s costumes. Additionally, children’s diapers were also observed throughout the residence.
Johnson was previously convicted in 1992 on state charges in New Hampshire of two counts of Aggravated Felonious Sexual Assault of a Child Under 13 Years of Age. At the time of the searches, Johnson was a Level 1 registered sex offender in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Per the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board, Johnson is currently a Level 2 registered sex offender.
The charge of possession of child pornography after a prior conviction for a sex offense provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and Billerica Police Chief Roy Frost made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus, Luke A. Goldworm and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.