A federal grand jury has indicted Robert Lee Johnson, III., 39, of Gainesville, Florida, on six counts related to the production of child pornography. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Johnson appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville. His jury trial is set for April 8, 2026, at 8:30 am before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If found guilty, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison for each count.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations along with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt is prosecuting the case.
“An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial,” according to the press release.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to address child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The program coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to find and prosecute individuals who exploit children online and to help rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. Public court documents are available through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. Additional details about the office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
