Former Riverside school counselor sentenced for child sexual abuse, placing camera in bathroom
Matthew Daniel Johnson
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A former school counselor in Riverside was sentenced to 30 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse materials and placing a hidden camera inside a bathroom.
Matthew Daniel Johnson, 34, was a counselor at La Sierra Academy in Riverside.
In March 2020, law enforcement searched Johnson’s home and seized several videos which showed young boys engaged in sexual activity.
According to the DOJ, the victims in the video were under the age of 12, with some being as young as three.
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Johnson admitted to law enforcement that he had hidden a pen-shaped recording device in a toilet paper holder inside a bathroom at La Sierra Academy.
Another video showed Johnson adjusting a recording device inside a different bathroom at a Junior High School Bible Camp where he was working as a chaperone for children attending the camp.
Federal officials also say Johnson admitted to using and employing a minor in January 2020 for the purpose of creating child porn.
He's been in federal custody since October 2024. Officials say upon his eventual release from prison, Johnson will be placed on lifetime supervised release.