EUGENE, Ore. –A Coos Bay man accused of sexually assaulting children at his unlicensed orphanage in Cambodia was found guilty after facing trial in Oregon.
The U.S. District Attorney’s Office said 40-year-old Daniel Steven Johnson was convicted on six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign place, one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and one count of aggravated sexual assault with children.
“The despicable nature of this defendant’s conduct is beyond understanding. Whether you are abusing children in this country or abroad, you will be pursued and held accountable in a court of law,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “The fact that this defendant abused children under the guise of being a missionary and orphanage operator is appalling.”
According to court documents, Johnson repeatedly abused children at his orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia between November 2005 and December 2013.
Nine Cambodian victims—between the ages of seven and 18-years-old at the time of the abuse—disclosed abuse or attempted abuse, prosecutors said.
In December 2013, Johnson was arrested in Cambodia. There, he was convicted of performing indecent acts on children and sentenced to one year in prison. After his release, Johnson was taken back to the U.S. by the FBI.
On January 19, 2019, prosecutors announced Johnson was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes.
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