A man from Evergreen Park, Illinois, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison by a federal judge for sex trafficking seven women in the Chicago area. The charges also include escaping from custody while awaiting trial and possessing child pornography.
Brian Johnson, 59, used multiple aliases to pose as the owner or employee of an art gallery and film production company. He lured amateurs seeking careers in artistic nude modeling and film with false promises of employment, professional connections, and travel opportunities. During supposed auditions, he provided alcohol to the women, took explicit photos and videos, and had sexual encounters with them. Johnson later claimed that the materials were unsatisfactory and demanded re-shoots under the pretense of payment.
Johnson threatened to distribute images when victims hesitated to participate again. He followed through on these threats by distributing their images online and continued harassing them over time. None of his victims received any money.
Earlier this year, a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted Johnson of sex trafficking after hearing testimony from seven victims. Johnson had also pleaded guilty to escaping custody after failing to return to jail following a granted furlough for his mother's visitation. He was found three days later at a restaurant near Midway Airport in Chicago with numerous images of his victims.
U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer delivered the sentence on Monday in federal court.
The announcement came from Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI's Chicago Field Office; Phillip Arnold, Chief of Shorewood Police Department; and Michael Saunders, Chief of Evergreen Park Police Department. Assistance was provided by the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office and Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elly Moheb and Maureen M. Merin represented the government.
Anyone who may have been a victim of human trafficking is encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at https://humantraffickinghotline.org or call 1-888-373-7888.