A Knox County man who distributed and possessed thousands of images of child pornography was sent to prison today after prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Child Abuse Unit obtained multiple convictions for various child pornography charges. Derrick Glenn Johnson, 29, pled guilty to Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Johnson will spend the next sixteen years in prison at one hundred percent.

In a plea hearing before Judge Steve Sword, Assistant District Attorney Joanie Stewart explained that in April 2015, Investigator John Williams with the Knoxville Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force launched an undercover investigation to locate individuals possessing and distributing images and videos of child pornography. Inv. Williams located a computer with a unique IP address containing known images of child pornography and used peer-to-peer software to download one hundred and thirty-three complete files of child pornography directly and solely from the suspect computer. With the assistance of the DA’s Office, Inv. Williams received information from an internet service provider to track the suspect computer to Johnson’s residence at 2340 Washington Avenue. Inv. Williams obtained a search warrant for the residence that was executed on July 9, 2015. During the search warrant, investigators recovered several computers and other electronic storage devices that were examined by KPD Forensic Computer Examiner Brittany Hodge. As a result of the computer examination, investigators recovered over two thousand images and videos of child pornography, including images and videos of infants and toddlers being raped and sadistic and masochistic acts toward infants.

“The most vulnerable victims we encounter are children,” said DA Allen. “In addition to being victimized during the production of child pornography, each time an image of child pornography is viewed or downloaded, that child is further victimized. Unfortunately, child pornographers exist in our community, but they should expect to receive lengthy prison sentences when caught.”