Rapid City Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography.

Harland Bernard Johnson, age 73, was indicted on November 18, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on December 15, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

Johnson was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children.  The charges relate to Johnson producing child pornography between October 2018 and November 2018, as well as receiving and possessing child pornography between January 2018 and February 2021, at Rapid City.  The charges are merely accusations and Johnson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is a joint effort between the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.

Johnson was released on conditions pending trial.  A trial date has not yet been set.