A California pastor and massage therapist has entered not guilty pleas to charges alleging he molested two children under the age of 14 over a period of several years, prosecutors said.
David Johnson, 58, of Ojai, is charged in Ventura County with six felony counts of child molestation, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said investigators are now seeking potential additional victims and are urging anyone with information about Johnson, or about any possible crimes that have not been reported, to contact law enforcement.
The charges accuse Johnson of molesting two children who were younger than 14 when the alleged abuse took place.
Prosecutors said the alleged incidents unfolded over multiple years at sites in Ojai and Oxnard.
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David Johnson, 58, of Ojai, Calif., faces six felony child molestation charges involving two children under 14. (Ventura County Sheriff’s Office)
Johnson, who worked as a pastor and a massage therapist, had access to the children through a family relationship, prosecutors said.
Authorities have not publicly identified the children.
Johnson faces four felony counts of committing a lewd act upon a child and two felony counts of continuous sexual abuse.
Prosecutors have also filed special allegations involving substantial sexual conduct and the victims being under 14 years old, according to the district attorney’s office.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has charged Johnson with six felony child molestation charges. (Ventura County District Attorney’s Office/Facebook)
Johnson was arrested Monday on charges of child molestation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, according to sheriff’s inmate records.
The records show Johnson was arrested shortly before 3 p.m. and booked into the Ventura County Main Jail later that evening.
Johnson appeared in Ventura County Superior Court for his arraignment and pleaded not guilty to all six charges.
He remains in custody without bail and is scheduled to return to Ventura County Superior Court on Friday for a bail review hearing.
Johnson was arrested Monday on charges of child molestation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. (Thousand Oaks Police Department)
Deputy District Attorney Cesar Ponce of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting the case.
Investigators have not said publicly how many additional victims they believe there could be.
The district attorney’s office is asking anyone with information about the case or other possible unreported crimes involving Johnson to contact Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Detective Michael Loth at 805-384-4745.
News Outlet reached out to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for additional information.
