A Leesburg man, 47-year-old Eric Phillip Johnston, was sentenced this week in Loudoun County Circuit Court to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography, including a second offense charge. Judge James P. Fisher handed down the maximum sentence allowed, departing significantly from state sentencing guidelines, which recommended between two and a half to four years. Johnston will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
The case against Johnston began in the spring of 2023, when Virginia State Police launched an undercover operation targeting an online network used to share child pornography. Investigators discovered Johnston had downloaded numerous illegal files. A search warrant executed at his Leesburg home in November 2023 uncovered multiple electronic devices filled with child pornography, along with a phone containing surreptitiously taken photos of women and children in public places like pools, daycare centers, and stores.
During the sentencing hearing, Senior Commonwealth’s Attorney C. Anthony Needham III stressed the severity of Johnston’s actions. “Over 1,300 images and videos were found of local clothed female children and adults, surreptitiously taken… the Commonwealth is unwilling to wait until he puts his hands on someone,” Needham said, urging the court to go beyond the recommended sentencing guidelines.
Defense attorneys argued for leniency, claiming Johnston’s photos, while inappropriate, were not illegal. However, Judge Fisher firmly rejected this, stating, “The total number of photos is shocking… surveillance photos of children of the community… I think that is remarkably outrageous. The public deserves retribution, and the judiciary must do its job.”
Johnston was sentenced to 20 years, with 10 years suspended. He will serve the remaining 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation.
