EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story has descriptions of sex and behavior that may be unsuitable for younger readers, or cause distress for readers that find the topic disturbing. All information presented below describing the allegations derive from the arrest affidavit and other court documents. We describe the charges as allegations rather than proven fact because the defendant has not been proven guilty in a court of law. 

The charges against former head baseball coach Joseph Johnson come from a five-month-long investigation that include consistent contact with two undercover police officers, according to information released in his arrest affidavit. 

The arrest affidavit – which details exactly what Johnson is accused of doing leading up to his arrest – claims Johnson repeatedly asked for and sent explicit language and images to officers posing as a 14-year-old and 16-year-old as part of an operation conducted by the Harris County Constable Precinct 1’s Office and the Houston Internet Crimes Against Children.

One police officer first received contact with Johnson on Aug. 21, 2021, after matching with Johnson through an undisclosed social media platform that allows users to communicate with each other online without needing to register. The first officer Johnson made contact with posed as a 14-year-old girl. The officer reported Johnson communicated with her persona, identifying himself as “Joe” and informing her he “was a teacher and baseball coach at a high school.”

Some of the communication between the officer and Johnson allegedly occurred during and after school hours, where the communication gradually became more sexual. The conversations “detailed Johnson’s wish that the minor engage in oral sex and sex with Johnson.”

Johnson later matched with another officer through the same social media platform on Sept. 5, 2021, posing as a 16-year-old female. As their communication continued, the conversations “became more sexually explicit.” He would allegedly send sexually explicit photos and videos to the officer, from his home and workplace. After searching for his address through Realtor.com, the officer found photos of his bathroom, which appear to be the same as the ones seen in some of the pictures and videos he sent.

Johnson allegedly sent two photos of his genitalia to the officer on Oct. 30, 2021 and Nov. 21, 2021, two explicit videos in what appears to be his home bathroom in November on the same day, three more explicit photos during school hours on Nov. 30, 2021, and another on Dec. 5, 2021.

Johnson would allegedly request for the officer to send him pictures of herself undressed on Sept. 22, 2021, then asked the officer to taker her “jeans off” after sending her a photo of his genitalia on Nov. 30, 2021. Johnson also the officer more messages on the same day telling her he wanted to see her “naked so bad” after he sent her an explicit photo, Johnson would then ask for a photo of the officers “booty” in exchange for an explicit video of himself.

Johnson allegedly sent multiple other photos including some “of his classroom and students, his tattoos, facial images, and voice recordings.” 

The allegations culminate in Johnson allegedly asking to take the officer on a “date” on Dec. 21, 2021, which coincides with winter break. He told the officer he would pick them up as long as she drove herself to Spring and could even go to the high school. The meeting never came to fruition.

Throughout the officer and Johnson’s communication, officers say he made it clear he knew she was a minor by referencing her age (16) multiple times, ask her questions about her high school, whether she could drive, about her mother, and referring to her as his “high school student girlfriend.”

The officers and Johnson’s communication temporarily ended on Jan. 9, 2022, but the officer picked up the communication again up until Johnson’s arrest on Feb. 16, 2022.