Published: August 23, 2008 04:30 pm      

Man is charged in child sex case

A former worker for the Oklahoma State Department of Human Services has been charged with committing multiple sexual offenses against female minors who were in his care at the time.

Rocky Wade Johnson Jr., 26, of McAlester, is charged with eight felony counts in connection with the alleged sexual crimes.

Johnson is charged with three counts of rape by instrumentation, three counts of oral sodomy and two counts of sexual battery. He is free on $50,000 bond, according to court records.

Johnson had been assigned to the DHS’ Independent Living Program, a DHS spokesman said.

The purpose of the program is to help children who are in permanent DHS custody who are going to “age out” of the DHS system when they turn 18. That means they may suddenly be on their own.

Because of his job with the DHS, Johnson had authority over the minors, the charges state.

Johnson is accused of committing the offenses during trips he took with the minors to Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton, according to an affidavit signed by Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Agent John Jones.

He is accused of committing the sexual offenses against two different minors, according to charges filed by the District 18 district attorney’s office.

Allegations are that some of the offenses occurred at the park, either in the water or while Johnson leaned against an SUV he had driven to the park.

Others allegedly occurred while Johnson drove the SUV, according to court documents.

Johnson is accused in the charges of committing most of the offenses in a time period between June 1 and July 31 while he was employed as a Child Welfare Specialist at the DHS’ Pittsburg County office in McAlester. Johnson is accused of committing another offense between April 1 and May 31.

Johnson faces possible sentences of five years in prison to life without parole if convicted of the second-degree rape by instrumentation charges, according to court documents.

He faces a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison if convicted on each of the oral sodomy and sexual battery charges.

DHS Communications Director George Earl Johnson Jr. (no relation) in Oklahoma City said the alleged incident was brought to the attention of the DHS on July 28.

Asked if Rocky Johnson had any more contact with minors in DHS custody after the DHS became aware of the allegations, the DHS spokesman said “Mr. (Rocky) Johnson was notified it had been brought to our attention and he left the office on annual leave.”

“From July 28 until Aug. 15, he was not in the office,” George Johnson said. “He resigned on Aug. 15.”

The DHS had launched its own internal investigation through the Office of the Inspector General, the DHS spokesman said.

By law, that portion of the investigation had to end when Rocky Johnson resigned, according to the DHS.

The information that had been learned through the internal investigation was turned over to other investigators, according to George Johnson.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com