A Hernando County jury on Tuesday found Brooksville resident Andrew Paul Johnson guilty on multiple child sex charges, including lewd or lascivious molestation and lewd exhibition. Jurors convicted him on five counts and cleared him on a separate charge that alleged he transmitted sexually explicit material to a minor. Johnson will be sentenced in March and, under Florida law, could receive a punishment ranging from decades behind bars to life in prison.
The verdict followed days of testimony and digital evidence that prosecutors said tied Johnson to two juvenile victims. According to Tampa Free Press, the case was tried in Hernando County Circuit Court by Assistant State Attorneys Kasey Whitson and Rob Lewis before Circuit Judge Stephen E. Toner.
What jurors heard
Prosecutors presented messages and images pulled from the Discord app, along with testimony from interviewers at a child advocacy center, which investigators say backed up the victims’ accounts. Court filings and reporting describe repeated contact with the minors and alleged attempts to keep them quiet with gifts and food, details jurors weighed during deliberations. The affidavit, digital exhibits and reporting outlining that evidence are summarized by The Guardian.
Arrest and extradition
Authorities say Johnson was located in Tennessee in August 2025, arrested there, and later extradited to Florida after Hernando County investigators opened their case in July. National coverage has walked through the arrest affidavit and court filings that trace that timeline. CBS News has reported on those filings.
Jan. 6 pardon adds a national angle
Before the Hernando County prosecution, Johnson pleaded guilty to federal charges tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced in 2024, and later received a full presidential pardon on Jan. 20, 2025. Prosecutors say Johnson referenced that clemency, along with an alleged promise of money tied to it, while trying to keep a victim from reporting abuse, a detail noted in national coverage. NPR provides additional context on the pardon and how it figured into prosecutors' narrative.
Legal consequences
Under Florida law, lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12 is classified as a life felony and can result in a life sentence or a split sentence that includes a mandatory minimum of 25 years; related offenses involving older minors carry lower maximum penalties. Sentencing is set for March, and prosecutors have said Johnson “faces up to life in prison.” See the relevant Florida statute for more detail on the possible penalties and the upcoming hearing.
Next steps
Johnson remains in custody while he awaits the March sentencing hearing. The State Attorney's Office has said it will continue to pursue the case and seek what it views as appropriate penalties. Defense attorneys had not responded to requests for comment as of the verdict, and the case is set to return to Circuit Court for formal sentencing and any additional hearings the judge orders.
