A former counselor from a Riverside County private school has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for crimes related to child sexual exploitation. Matthew Daniel Johnson, 34, from Bryan, Texas, received the sentence from United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett. A restitution hearing is set for May 28. After his release, Johnson will be under lifetime supervised release. He has been held in federal custody since October 2024.
The investigation began when law enforcement searched Johnson's home in March 2020 and discovered several videos showing minor boys involved in sexual activity. Some victims were as young as three to five years old.
Johnson admitted to placing a pen-shaped recording device inside a toilet paper holder in a bathroom near his office at La Sierra Academy in Riverside. Another video showed him adjusting a recording device at a Junior High School Bible Camp where he worked as a chaperone. This footage captured minor boys using the facilities.
In January 2020, Johnson used and employed a minor victim to create visual depictions of sexual conduct.
The Fontana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Riverside Police Department, and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee prosecuted the case.