Ex-Navy Recruiter Johnson Gets 17 Years for Child Exploitation

Benjamin Ernest Johnson, a 39-year-old former U.S. Navy recruiter from Weaverville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison for coercing and enticing minors into sexual activity. U.S. District Court Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. handed down the sentence yesterday in Asheville, marking the end of a years-long investigation into Johnson’s predatory conduct toward high school students under the guise of military recruitment.

Johnson, a Petty Officer First Class on active duty in 2014, exploited his position of authority to groom and manipulate two teenage girls he met through the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC). According to court documents, he began exchanging sexually explicit images with the first victim, a 15-year-old female, in 2013 via instant messaging. He also sent her graphic photos of himself, leveraging his role as a trusted military figure to normalize the abuse.

A second victim, referred to as CV2, was first contacted by Johnson in 2011 when she was a freshman in high school. Their communication continued through social media after she transferred schools, eventually escalating to the exchange of multiple nude images. Court records reveal Johnson planned a trip to a military testing site with the intent of making physical contact with the girl before he was apprehended.

U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose condemned Johnson’s actions, stating, “Johnson was a wolf among sheep, a predator who took advantage of his access to high school students and used his position of trust to sexually exploit impressionable young victims.” She emphasized that his betrayal of duty brings shame to the military and warranted the stiff federal sentence.

FBI Special Agent in Charge John A. Strong echoed the outrage, saying, “Benjamin Johnson was trusted to advise young people about the benefits of a military career. Instead, he used that access to manipulate children for his own vile sexual gratification.” The FBI, along with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, played a critical role in uncovering the depth of Johnson’s exploitation.

Judge Cogburn ordered lifetime supervised release and mandatory sex offender registration upon Johnson’s eventual release. Commander Stan Dickerson of Naval Recruiting District Raleigh confirmed Johnson was immediately removed from recruiting duties and discharged from the Navy upon discovery of the allegations. Johnson has been in federal custody since May 11, 2016, and will be transferred to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence.