A Bahamas national has been sentenced to 27 years in prison in the United States after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting an 11-year-old child who was in his care.

According to court documents, Rian Wayne Johnson, 38, was arrested after Newport News Police officers in Virginia responded to a report of suspected child sexual abuse on July 15, 2025.

When officers arrived at the home, they found Johnson with the child. 

Investigators later determined that Johnson had sexually exploited the victim from at least May 30, 2025, to July 15, 2025, while serving as the child’s primary caregiver.

Court documents stated that Johnson recorded himself engaging in sexual acts with the child and stored the recordings on his cellphone.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, DC, with assistance from the Newport News Police Department.

Assistant US Attorney Lisa McKeel prosecuted the case.

The prosecution was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a US Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating federal, state and local efforts to investigate and prosecute offenders.