EMPORIUM (EC) — A former police officer will remain in jail beyond his minimum sentence after his parole was denied during a hearing held Tuesday at the Cameron County Courthouse.

Francis Paul Johnson, 53, of Weedville, who formerly served as an officer with the Emporium Borough Police Department, had his request for early release denied during a parole hearing.

Johnson, who had earned rank as sergeant prior to his dismissal from the force upon his conviction, has served just over ten months of his mandated 10 to nearly 24-month sentence that was imposed in February of 2017.

The previous September, Johnson entered an open guilty plea to one count of felony criminal solicitation to commit sexual abuse of children related to the production of pornography. Related charges were not prosecuted as part of the plea negotiation.

Johnson communicated with a juvenile female who was 15-years-of-age several times over a period of several months via text message, Snap Chat, Facebook, and in person. The messages were found to be sexually explicit in nature and included explicit photographs and videos.

Johnson’s attorney, Gary Knaresboro of DuBois, argued that Johnson had been a model prisoner, participating in the work release program for several months at the beginning of his sentence until his termination by Morgan AM&T. He then worked in the jail kitchen, complying with rules at the jail, staying out of altercations and having no contact with his victim. However, Commonwealth attorney Christopher Jones, working with the state Attorney General’s office, countered that Johnson’s victim still suffers the ill-effects of their relationship, despite counseling, and that Johnson should be held to a higher standard due to his time as an officer of the law.

“The idea that someone could take that oath and violate it by preying on the most innocent of victims, I couldn’t in good conscience check off the box to allow him to be paroled,” Jones said. “He violated not only the crimes code, but also his oath.”

Judge Richard Masson stated that he believed that the victim, who is still a minor, likely needed more time before Johnson is paroled, and stated that there are still issues Johnson needs to work through, and that he will likely need to undergo another mental health evaluation. In the first examination, completed as part of pre-sentence investigations, Johnson was diagnosed as a pedophile, non-exclusive type, and found to be narcissistic and to possess anti-social tendencies, but was not found to have an anti-social disorder. He was also described as having “extreme indifference” in the section designed to measure cold-heartedness, and lacking empathy, with an ability to use others with no compassion for his victim.

“The impact on his minor victim cannot be quantified…but this will affect her both immediately and in the future,” said Masson. “I believe this young woman who is the victim deserves some time where she feels secure. I think the victim should at least feel safe until she reaches the age of majority and graduates from high school.”

Masson ultimately denied Johnson’s parole request, and he was returned to the Elk County Jail to continue serving his sentence: a jail term of 10 months to 24 months less one day, followed by three years of probation. Johnson must continue to register as a sexual offender for 25 years from the time of his sentencing.