OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announces that Joshua D. Johnson, dob: 04-03-1989 formerly of Springfield, MO, pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement on June 2, 2016 to one count of statutory rape in the first degree of a child less than 12, two counts of statutory sodomy of a child less than 12, and three counts of endangering the welfare of child first degree in front of the Honorable Senior Judge John Waters. Per the terms of the plea agreement, JOHNSON received a total sentence of twenty-three (23) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The charges stem from offenses that occurred in a residence located in Christian County Missouri between February 1, 2012 and August 27, 2013. The child victim was ages 6, 7, 8 during this time frame. The child ultimately disclosed the sexual abuse at her school. The child was forensically interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center in Springfield, Missouri. Sgt. Shayne Duryea of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office was assigned to the investigation.
Judge Waters sentenced the defendant to nineteen (19) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on the one count of statutory rape in the first degree of a child less than 12, and nineteen (19) years for each count of statutory sodomy in the first degree of a child less than 12 with those three counts running concurrent and four (4) years on each count of endangering the welfare of a child 1st degree with those counts running concurrent. Judge Waters ordered counts II, IV, V to run consecutively to counts VI, VII, and VIII for a total sentence of twenty-three (23) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections probation was denied.
The case was prosecuted by Prosecuting Attorney Amy Fite and was investigated by Sgt. Shayne Duryea of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.