Abita Springs man sentenced in child porn case

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An Abita Springs man arrested in 2013 as part of a federal investigation into a global child exploitation operation has been sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Twenty-eight-year-old Jonathan Johnson pleaded guilty last year to operating a child exploitation enterprise. Authorities said he operated an online network that preyed upon hundreds of boys across the United States and overseas. U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite said Thursday’s 21-year sentence also requires Johnson to register as a sex-offender.
Johnson administered two child pornography websites out of his Abita Springs home.
His case was made public last year as part of a federal investigation called “Operation Round Table.” Authorities said he admitted creating multiple fake female personas from his home to entice boys to produce sexually explicit images of themselves.