Walter Johnson, Child Pornography, Massachusetts 2023
Ex-Coach of Harvard and Wellesley High Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography
BOSTON – Walter Johnson, a former assistant track coach at Wellesley High School and a former Harvard University track coach, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for possession of child pornography.
On June 2019, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
According to investigators, an investigation began in January 2017 into child pornography being traded by a Craigslist user, which led to Johnson's arrest. A search of Johnson's home in Framingham found images and videos of child pornography on his computer and on a thumb drive hidden in his bedroom.
Johnson, 71, of Framingham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to three years in prison and five years of supervised release.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case. Assistance was provided by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the Framingham Police Department.
Johnson's arrest and sentencing mark a significant step in the fight against child exploitation. The sentencing serves as a reminder that those who engage in such heinous crimes will be held accountable.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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