BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — A sex offender was convicted on Wednesday of attempting to meet a minor for sex during a decoy operation, announced the Kern County District Attorney.
The case dates back to August 12, 2023, when Joshua Johnson, a convicted sex offender, contacted an undercover officer online, believing that they were a minor to commit a sex act.
Johnson, then 38, agreed to meet the minor and bought condoms on the way to the meeting. He arrived at the meeting location and was subsequently arrested.
Joshua Johnson. Photo: Kern County District Attorney’s Office.
The operation was held by multiple agencies, including The Law Enforcement Task Force, which targets internet crimes against minors.
Johnson was previously convicted of statutory rape in 2009 after he had sexual intercourse with a fourteen-year-old victim, said the DA.
He was charged on April 22, 2026, with attempting to contact a minor for a sexual purpose and attempting to meet a minor for a sexual purpose.
“Undercover operations aimed at identifying individuals who pose a threat to children are a critical form of proactive policing,” stated DA Cynthia Zimmer. “They make it possible to detect and stop potential perpetrators before they can harm an actual child. In cases like Johnson’s, where there is criminal history of targeting children, it is especially important to use every measure available to ensure that such offenses are addressed appropriately.”
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Johnson is set to be sentenced on May 20, 2026. He faces a sentence of up to four years in prison.