A juvenile detention center supervision officer is sitting in jail this week, facing serious child sex charges that have two Central Texas counties on the paperwork and a lot of unanswered questions in the community.
The Llano County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Justice Malachi Johnson and said he is charged with sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Deputies said the arrest followed an investigation that led to multiple arrest warrants issued late last month.
According to the Llano County Sheriff’s Office, deputies obtained several warrants for Johnson on Jan. 28, then worked with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office to arrest him and book him into the Hays County Jail. Officials have not publicly clarified whether the alleged assault happened in Llano County. Johnson's attorney was not immediately available for comment. As reported by KXAN, both counts are classified as second-degree felonies.
Where He Worked
Authorities said Johnson had been employed at the Hays County Juvenile Detention Center, a secure county facility in San Marcos that houses youth in both pre-adjudication and post-adjudication custody. The Hays County website lists the center at 2250 Clovis Barker Road and outlines policies for reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation, according to Hays County. County officials have not released Johnson’s specific job title or how long he worked at the facility.
Charges And What They Mean
Llano County deputies said Johnson faces counts of sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. Under Texas law, sexual assault of a child is a second-degree felony, and indecency with a child can also be charged as a felony depending on the conduct involved. A conviction for a second-degree felony carries a potential prison sentence of two to 20 years and a fine of up to $10,000 under the Texas Penal Code.
The charging details came from the sheriff’s release and local reporting, according to KXAN. The penalty range is spelled out in state law in Texas Penal Code §12.33, which is available on Justia.
Broader Concerns
The arrest lands at a time when Texas youth detention facilities are already under a harsh spotlight. Federal investigators and advocates have been sounding alarms for years about safety and staff conduct in juvenile settings across the state.
A 2024 Justice Department review found unconstitutional conditions at several state-run juvenile facilities and cited failures to protect youth from sexual abuse, a conclusion reform advocates have repeatedly pointed to in calls for change. Local reporting has also documented previous law-enforcement action involving corrections staff in the region, including a Hays County corrections officer arrested in 2025 on child-assault allegations, adding to ongoing scrutiny of how youth in custody are supervised.
The Llano County Sheriff’s Office said protecting children is a priority and urged anyone with information to contact investigators through the county’s public contact page. Tipsters can reach the Llano County Sheriff’s Office via the county site. This story will be updated as charging documents, court filings, or statements from attorneys become available.
