Convicted child molester sentenced to 15.5 years for abusing girls

CTV News

2 days ago

Eric Johnson, convicted of sex crimes against two young girls, was handed a prison sentence on Thursday.
Eric Johnson, convicted of sex crimes against two young girls, was handed a prison sentence on Thursday.
Warning: Content in this article may be upsetting or triggering to some readers.
A convicted child molester has been sentenced for abusing two girls between 2003 and 2018.
Eric Johnson, 52, sat in the prisoner's box in a Barrie, Ont. courtroom where he received his sentence of 15.5 years in prison from an emotional Justice Annette Casullo.
Johnson was found guilty of sex crimes against the two complainants including sexual assault and interference, exploitation, invitation to sexual touching and sexual assault with a weapon.
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson in Barrie, Ont., on April 20, 2023. (CTV News)
One of his survivors told CTV News she is relieved Johnson has been held accountable for what he has done. The identities of the young women are protected by a publication ban.
'For once, yeah. Someone listened,' she said outside the courthouse. 'No one around me listened to me until I actually had to actually come out and say 'Hey, this happened.''
Johnson and his partner at the time, Desiree Torrance, were initially charged in 2020 following an investigation by Barrie police.
Convicted in December 2023 following an eight-day trial, Torrance was sentenced to one year in jail. Johnson, however, failed to show up for his scheduled sentencing hearing last May; and was tracked down by police and taken into custody at Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene, where he's been since.
The Crown outlined Johnson's lengthy criminal record, and the court heard Johnson, who is Indigenous, was sexually abused as a child, and became an abuser himself.
One victim told the court in her victim impact statement she hoped no one else has to experience the pain and torture he subjected her to. The young woman said she became numb to the pain.
Justice Casullo described Johnson's actions as psychological and physical harm while grooming one young victim over years.
Johnson apologized to the young women at his December 2024 sentencing hearing, saying he regretted the pain and trauma he caused.
Eric Johnson and Desiree Torrance
Eric Johnson (L) and Desiree Torrance (R) outside the Barrie, Ont. Courthouse in 2023. (CTV News)
The Crown sought a 20-year sentence while the defence asked for between 10 and 12 years.
Factoring in his Indigenous heritage and time served in custody Justice Casullo credited Johnson with more than two years off his sentence.
His victim, still living with the scars of abuse, said she is grateful Johnson will not be able to hurt her or anyone else while behind bars. 'It's been seven years for this, and it's finally done,' she said. 'This is not going to continue. He is not getting away with it.'
Upon his release Johnson is barred from being within two-kilometres of his victims.