Jury finds Christian missionary from Oregon guilty of abusing Cambodian orphans

OREGON
USA Today

Gillian Flaccus, The Associated Press

May 16, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. — A U.S. jury found a Christian missionary from Oregon guilty Wednesday of multiple sex abuse charges for molesting children living at an unlicensed Cambodian orphanage that he operated in Phnom Penh over a period of years.

Daniel Stephen Johnson, 40, was convicted of six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and one count each of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and aggravated sexual assault with children. He faces a minimum of 30 years in prison when sentenced in August in Eugene, Oregon.

Federal public defender Craig Weinerman did not return calls or e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment after business hours Wednesday. His co-counsel, Lisa Maxfield, declined comment.

U.S. authorities said nine Cambodian children ranging in age from 7 to 18 have disclosed Johnson’s abuse or past abuse in lengthy interviews with trained child-forensic interviewers. The FBI launched an extensive investigation of Johnson and his potential victims after learning of the case in 2013, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Portland said.

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