Johnson receives suspended sentence for soliciting a minor

Judge Molly Owen sentenced a Polson man to one year in the Lake County Jail with all but four days already served suspended. The sentence was in accordance with a plea agreement reached Nov. 1 for Scott William Johnson, 60.

Johnson was initially charged with felony sexual abuse of a child, which his attorney, Britt Cotter, argued was not the correct charge that should have been filed. Under the plea agreement, Johnson pled guilty to the amended and reduced charge of misdemeanor negligent endangerment.

Prosecutor Lori Adams explained the challenges in trying this case, noting Johnson could have mistaken the victim in the case for an older person, and the victim was on board with the plea agreement.

According to court records, on Oct. 5, 2022, a deputy with the Lake County Sheriff’s office responded to a report that a man attempted to solicit a 13 year old as she was walking home from school. The alleged victim told the deputy that a man in a white work truck stopped near her and stated, “you look like a fine young lady,” and that her “body was all grown up.” 

The girl told the deputy that this made her feel uncomfortable so she replied “thank you,” and continued walking away. She said the man continued soliciting, so she began recording the conversation on her mobile phone. 

The man allegedly offered the girl $100 if she could come over to his house around 7 or 8 p.m. The girl told the man she was a child and not of legal consenting age.

She said the man began to drive away, but stopped and came back and asked if she was recording him. He also allegedly asked the girl to not tell anyone and keep everything quiet and again said if she came over he would pay her.

The deputy was able to locate Johnson at his residence, and Johnson allegedly admitted that he talked to a girl earlier that day.

Johnson gained attention in Lake County when he was accused of dealing methamphetamine, soliciting sex for meth and contaminating a school bus in the St. Ignatius School District. Due to circumstantial evidence in that case, more serious charges were reduced to a simple possession charge. 

Johnson had the imposition of sentencing deferred for three years. He also successfully completed a 28-day drug treatment program and paid nearly $12,000 for clean-up costs incurred by the St. Ignatius School District. Cotter represented Johnson in that matter as well.

“It's disturbing what you did Mr. Johnson,” said Judge Owen when handing down the sentence. She also acknowledged the victim would have suffered more trauma had she testified if the case had gone to trial.