New York Man Arrested for Driving Across Country to Have Sex with Underage Oregon Girl, Producing Child Porn

Jackson County Sheriff's Office

Case 22-S032

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. – The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) joint inter-agency task force alongside the Rogue River Police Department (RRPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Long Island, served a search warrant Wednesday morning at a residence in Port Jefferson Station, New York and made an arrest at a residence in Bayport, New York. The suspect arrested was Brent Johnson Jr., 24, of Port Jefferson Station, New York. He has been federally charged with sexual exploitation of children, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography. The suspect met his victim online in the multiplayer videogame “Among Us.”

In December 2021, RRPD investigators discovered Johnson allegedly drove from Long Island, New York to Rogue River, Oregon to engage in sexual activity with a teenaged minor. Investigators learned the suspect took her to a local hotel to have sex on several occasions. The suspect is also believed to have filmed one of the sexual encounters, and later sent a screen shot of the video to a family member of the victim. 

In February, RRPD contacted the SOCET task force for assistance. HSI and RRPD investigators obtained a federal search warrant for a residence in Port Jefferson Station which ultimately led to his arrest in Bayport, New York. During Wednesday’s search warrant, investigators seized digital devices which will be transported to the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force in Medford, Oregon. High Tech Crimes detectives will forensically examine the devices for further evidence of child exploitation and to identify other possible victims. This case is ongoing, with investigators working additional leads. The case is being federally prosecuted in the District of Oregon. 

SOCET enables local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with federal partners such as HSI, to effectively investigate and prosecute out-of-state suspects when they victimize children in our community. SOCET is a joint inter-agency task force that started in June of 2020 to combat child exploitation and human trafficking. The task force consists of investigators from JCSO, Oregon State Police, Medford Police Department, Grants Pass Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and HSI; as well as prosecutors from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Jackson and Josephine County.

Investigators have reason to believe Johnson may have other victims. If anyone has additional information on the suspect, please call your local law enforcement agency or the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office tip line at (541) 774-8333.