Any other victims or anyone with additional information are asked to contact Ashland police
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
An Ashland man is in custody on child exploitation charges involving photographs of at least six alleged victims, all young girls, Ashland police Chief Tighe O’Meara said Friday.
Craig Albert Johnson was arrested and jailed after an investigation originating with the Central Point Police Department found evidence of child exploitation in Ashland, the Ashland Police Department announced Thursday.
A complaint about Johnson taking a picture of a “very young girl” occurred in Central Point and was brought to the attention of that police department, he said. The Ashland police news release said the child was 5 years old.
The ensuing investigation by the Central Point Police Department led to evidence of additional child exploitation at Children’s World Montessori School in Ashland. The release identified Johnson as an employee there.
Asked if Johnson was a teacher, O’Meara said this was his understanding because the parents he has spoken to have referred to Johnson as a teacher. What grade Johnson taught, how many students he had access to and how long he was employed by the school was not immediately available. A call to the school Friday was not immediately answered. The release stated some of the incidents of exploitation occurred at the school and the school is working with law enforcement in the investigation.
Johnson is a 68-year-old Ashland resident who has been held in Jackson County Jail since his arrest July 30 on a $250,000 bond for the charge of using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct, according to Jackson County court records. Johnson is being held without bond on additional charges of invasion of personal privacy in the first degree and encouraging child sex abuse in the first degree.
O’Meara said the investigation is being handled by Ashland police with some assistance from Jackson County’s Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team.
“We have leaned on the expertise from that team and the children’s advocacy center and we will continue to do so,” he said.
The release stated all the known victims of Johnson are female. The evidence against Johnson includes photographs of multiple child victims, O’Meara said.
“Right now, we know about — not counting Central Point — at least six child exploitation incidents that are being investigated,” he said.
Any other victims or others with additional information are encouraged to come forward, O’Meara said. Ashland Detective Lacie Six can be reached at 541-552-2125.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.
