Cedar Hills man gets life sentences for child sex abuse

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Brent Richard Johnson, 52, was sentenced to 45 years to life for in prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
Johnson was arrested after investigators located videos of him sexually abusing a young girl.
Johnson faces a federal sentencing on Jan. 12 for production and possession of child sexual abuse material.

AMERICAN FORK — A Cedar Hills man who has been convicted in both federal and state court of filming himself sexually abusing a minor was sentenced to 45 years to life in prison this week.

Brent Richard Johnson, 52, was convicted by a 4th District Court jury on Oct. 23 of three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, first-degree felonies. The jury also determined that Johnson was proven to be in a position of special trust with the victim when the crime occurred.

He was sentenced Tuesday to three consecutive terms of 15 years to life in prison.

A girl reported in January 2024 that there was a USB charging wall plug in the restroom at 10024 N. Oak Road West in Cedar Hills that had a "camera-like lens" and an SD card slot. When the girl tried to remove it, Johnson would yell at her to leave it alone, court documents state.

In April 2024, police executed a search warrant at the residence, where they seized multiple devices, located the hidden camera in the bathroom and reported discovering child sexual abuse material. Police said they found three videos of Johnson in 2013 where he was recording himself sexually abusing an 11-year-old child while the girl was sleeping.

Johnson was taken into custody and was charged with object rape of a child, three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and three counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a child, all first-degree felonies. His charges were amended, however, in October 2024, to just three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

In November 2024, Johnson was also indicted on federal charges of production and possession of child sexual abuse material. He was convicted by a federal jury in August for those charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 12.

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