A pastor and massage therapist from California has entered a plea of not guilty in response to allegations of molesting two children, both under the age of 14, over a prolonged period, as announced by prosecutors.
The individual in question, 58-year-old David Johnson from Ojai, is facing six felony charges related to child molestation, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities are currently probing for any additional victims and are encouraging anyone with information about Johnson or other potential, unreported offenses to step forward.
Johnson stands accused of abusing two minors who were under 14 years old at the time the alleged incidents took place.
Prosecutors stated that this purported abuse spanned several years and occurred in both Ojai and Oxnard.
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David Johnson, 58, of Ojai, Calif., faces six felony child molestation charges involving two children under 14. (Ventura County Sheriff’s Office)
Johnson, who worked as both a pastor and massage therapist, had access to the children through a familial relationship, according to prosecutors.
Authorities have not publicly identified the children.
Johnson faces four felony counts of committing a lewd act upon a child and two felony counts of continuous sexual abuse.
Prosecutors have also filed special allegations involving substantial sexual conduct and the victims being under 14 years old, according to the district attorney’s office.
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The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has charged Johnson with six felony child molestation charges. (Ventura County District Attorney’s Office/Facebook)
Johnson was arrested Monday on charges of child molestation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, according to sheriff’s inmate records.
The records show Johnson was arrested shortly before 3 p.m. and booked into the Ventura County Main Jail later that evening.
Johnson appeared in Ventura County Superior Court for his arraignment and pleaded not guilty to all six charges.
He remains in custody without bail and is scheduled to return to Ventura County Superior Court on Friday for a bail review hearing.
Johnson was arrested Monday on charges of child molestation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. (Thousand Oaks Police Department)
Deputy District Attorney Cesar Ponce of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting the case.
Investigators have not said publicly how many additional victims they believe there could be.
The district attorney’s office is asking anyone with information about the case or other possible unreported crimes involving Johnson to contact Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Detective Michael Loth at 805-384-4745.
News Media reached out to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for additional information.