Sex crimes: California man charged in global child sex case

Man had already been charged with other sex crimes against children

(Reuters)

A federal grand jury last week charged a California man with child sexual-exploitation crimes after investigators allegedly found hundreds of explicit images of underage children on the man’s laptop.

Blake Robert Johnston, from Martinez, California, now faces charges of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, online coercion, sexual exploitation involving a minor and production of child pornography, Reuters reported.

Mr Johnston already was charged in October on counts of traveling to another state with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, according to reports.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on Monday that a search of Mr Johnston’s computers and mobile devices led to the discovery of 31 possible underage victims in 12 states and overseas.

“Based on the analysis ... investigators now estimate there could be more than 300 other potential underage victims in this case, both domestically and worldwide,” ICE said.

Mr Johnston has been held without bond since October and is set to appear in court again on Tuesday.

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