Former La Sierra Academy school counselor Matthew Daniel Johnson was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison Feb. 12 after pleading guilty to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Johnson’s Aug. 28 plea agreement admits to paying a minor to produce a pornographic video. He also admits to secretly recording 62 boys between 3 and 12 and years old in La Sierra Academy’s bathroom using a pen-shaped recording device. He also admitted to recording boys in the bathroom at a Junior High School Bible Camp.
Johnson was originally charged with 10 additional counts of hiring minors to produce pornographic films, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography.
La Sierra Academy has not responded to our request for comment.
Johnson requested a sentence of 15 years.
“In March 2020 law enforcement discovered the nature of his activities. He promptly came forward and confessed his conduct in this case. He was fully cooperative with law enforcement in terms of helping them recover any devices and in terms of fully accounting for his conduct,” his sentencing memorandum reads.
Civil case
Three minors brought a Riverside Superior case against Johnson, La Sierra Academy and the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists on Oct. 6, 2021.
Morgan Stewart and Haley Aanested of Manly, Stewart & Finaldi represented the minors.
They sued for negligence, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, commercial sexual exploitation of a minor, invasion of privacy and distribution of sexually explicit materials.
The complaint claims Johnson was kept in a position of authority even after La Sierra Academy knew he exploited children.
The case was settled March 1, 2023.
Jonathan Lynn of Wallin and Klarich defended Johnson.
California Central District Judge Sherilyn Garnett presided.
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