Crime

Mass. sex offender pleads guilty to child porn charge

Eric Robert Johnson, 50, was previously convicted of two counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault of a child under 13.

By Adora Brown

1 minute to read

A lifetime sex offender from Billerica pleaded guilty Monday to possessing child sexual abuse material.

Eric Robert Johnson, 50, was previously convicted of two counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault of a child under 13 in New Hampshire back in 1992. 

During searches of Johnson’s home in February and March of 2022, police discovered 25 electronic devices, including a hard drive that was being wiped by a laptop program until a forensic examiner stopped it, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office.  

A forensic examination found over 5,000 files of child sexual abuse material on seven different devices. Some of the images and videos included victims as young as infants and toddlers, federal officials said. Fifteen of the remaining devices had hardware that made them unreadable. 

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Johnson’s residence also contained three mutilated dolls with the vagina regions sliced, two children’s backpacks filled with clothing, children’s costumes, and diapers, authorities said. 

Johnson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could be sentenced to up to 20 years due to his prior conviction. His sentencing with U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper is scheduled for May 2, 2024. Johnson is currently a Level 2 registered sex offender.

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