A 39-year-old Port Charlotte man is behind bars without bond after deputies say he molested a child under 12 while the child was being babysat in the Port Charlotte area. Scott Daniel Johnson was arrested Wednesday and charged with lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12, according to investigators. He is being held at the Charlotte County Jail while detectives continue their work on the case.
Parents contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office on Sunday with concerns about the child's welfare, which triggered the investigation, as reported by YourSun. Detectives learned the babysitter had been checking on the child and Johnson roughly every 10 minutes, according to those reports. Investigators later arranged a controlled phone call to Johnson with law enforcement listening in, then met him at a scheduled probation appointment, where they took him into custody.
What the Law Says
Under Florida law, lewd or lascivious molestation of a child younger than 12 is classified as a life felony when committed by an adult, one of the most serious categories on the books, according to the Florida Legislature. State law allows sentencing enhancements in cases involving very young victims, and certain provisions require mandatory minimum sentences and post-release monitoring. Taken together, those rules give prosecutors room to seek a lengthy prison term if the case ends in a conviction.
Allegations in Court Documents
Court and arrest documents reviewed by YourSun state that Johnson allegedly fondled the child's genitals on a bed while they watched a video of "The Lion King," then did so again the next morning on a couch. Detectives' reports say Johnson admitted touching the child's genitals through the child's clothing and told the babysitter he knew the behavior was inappropriate and felt bad about it. He was charged with lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old, according to those documents.
Arrest, Booking and Next Steps
Johnson was booked into the Charlotte County Jail on Wednesday and is listed as being held without bond in county arrest records, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. Reporters who reviewed the booking sheet and court records say Johnson was on probation for a prior battery conviction involving an older adult, and detectives added a violation-of-probation charge in connection with the new arrest. Once detectives finish their reports, the case is typically forwarded to the State Attorney's Office for formal charging decisions. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
