Richland Police have released an update on a 54-year-old man arrested for sexual exploitation, and child porn.
The Man is Now Linked to Local Victims
April 6th, Kevin Royal Johnson was contacted at Cottonwood Elementary, where he worked as a para-educator. He was arrested by Richland Police.
A cyber tip led to an investigation from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), indicating images of children engaged in sexual activity had been uploaded online. The upload was traced to Johnson, and he was taken into custody.
Numerous electronic devices of his were taken as part of the investigation. Now, Police say there are local victims.
The Man used Images of Underage Children to create AI-Generated Porn
As the investigation moved forward, members of the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force said they learned some of the victims whose images were used to create the porn have ties to the local community. Initially, it was believed the was one victim, who was not from the Tri-City area.
According to the RPD release:
“Investigators later determined Johnson had allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) software to create pornographic images depicting these child victims.”
Johnson previously had worked in the Pasco School District, and also has ties to a church in Pasco.
The investigation continues, more information will be released when it becomes available.
25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today?
Below, find out where 25 of the most infamous crimes in history took place — and what the locations are used for today. (If they’ve been left standing.)