A Gainesville man and an Orlando woman were sentenced to federal prison for various child pornography offenses.
According to a Northern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office press release sent on Wednesday, Timothy Frederick Murphy-Johnson, 40, of Gainesville, received a life sentence after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, one count of interstate transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity and two counts of production of child pornography.
Olivia Ashford-Henn, 21, or Orlando, was sentenced to 276 months, or 23 years, after pleading guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and conspiracy to produce child pornography.
“The extreme acts of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse to which this child was subjected over six weeks are indescribable, and nothing short of horrific,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody in the press release. “These sentences account for the defendants’ vile acts of depravity and send a strong message that those who exploit children will face justice. Due to the tireless efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners this child was saved and returned to her family. We will continue to work together to protect our children and hold such dangerous criminals accountable.”
At the plea hearings in April, Murphy-Johnson admitted to causing a child to be transported from Corpus Christi, Texas to Gainesville in early June 2023. From June 11, 2023, to July 25, 2023, the child was at Murphy-Johnson’s residence in Gainesville.
During this time, the child was subjected to extreme sexual abuse filmed by Murphy-Johnson and Henn. The couple engaged in multiple conversations – through internet-based messaging, in person and via cell phone – in which they discussed concern about being arrested by law enforcement if discovered.
According to the release, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) in July 2023, assisted the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) with locating and recovering a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing since June 10, 2023, from Corpus Christi, Texas. Investigation at that time had revealed evidence that the child may have been transported to the Gainesville area, although the identity of the responsible parties remained unknown.”
“Justice demands that this couple, who committed the unspeakable acts of kidnapping, physically restraining, drugging and repeatedly sexually abusing a child, be held to the fullest extent of the law,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno in the press release. “This life sentence serves as a solemn reminder HSI, alongside our partners at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, are committed to protecting the innocent and ensuring that such egregious violations of human dignity are met with unwavering accountability.”
ASCO and FDLE engaged in an extensive investigation using IP address information and prior contacts with Murphy-Johnson, a citizen of the United Kingdom living in Gainesville, to locate the victim. Based on that information, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Murphy-Johnson’s residence and executed it on July 25, 2023.
Law enforcement discovered the missing child in Murphy-Johnson’s residence. The child appeared severely fatigued and malnourished and suffering from several injuries, which included ligature marks on her wrists and ankles, bruising, and several cuts and scrapes in various stages of healing.
“Thank you to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations agents and investigators who so swiftly and meticulously worked this case and rescued the child from these heinous predators,” said FDLE Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Keesha Nauss in the press release. “These sentences help ensure that no other children will be terrorized by this criminal duo.”
The investigation revealed that Murphy-Johnson met the child in a chat via the online platform Discord and arranged for the girl to be transported to his residence in Gainesville. When the child arrived, Murphy-Johnson and Henn physically restrained the girl at Murphy-Johnson’s residence. The couple administered narcotics to the girl and engaged in the repeated physical and sexual abuse of the girl until her rescue on July 25, 2023.
Henn was later arrested in Winter Garden on Aug. 4, 2023, and she admitted to physically and sexually abusing the child on three separate occasions in Gainesville. She also admitted to lying to law enforcement over the phone on June 28, 2023, when ACSO deputies responded to Murphy-Johnson’s residence in reference to the child victim screaming for help.
The investigation into the couple’s electronic devices revealed multiple images and videos depicting the physical and sexual abuse of the child victim. Law enforcement also discovered the co-defendants administered narcotics to the victim regularly, resulting in the victim’s overdose and resuscitation on at least two occasions.
According to the release, “Murphy-Johnson, should he ever be released from prison, will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release. Henn’s imprisonment will also be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Both defendants will be required to register as sex offenders, and subject to all sex offender conditions. The Court also ordered forfeiture of the residence and property owned by Murphy-Johnson, which was used to house the victim during the commission of the offenses as well as electronic devices used to commit the offenses. Both defendants were ordered to pay $56,000 in restitution to the child victim.”