Police, FBI nab suspect through Web cam

Jen Lawson

Friday, July 16, 2004 | 9:40 a.m.

A 39-year-old North Las Vegas man thought he was exposing himself via a Web camera to a 14-year-old girl, but his audience was actually an undercover FBI agent and a Metro Police detective.

Jefferey L. Johnson was arrested Wednesday on three counts of using technology to lure children after a joint investigation by the FBI and Metro Police. He was scheduled to appear in court today.

According to the arrest report, Johnson was in a Yahoo! chat room in December and initiated a chat conversation about sex with a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

In addition to allegedly exposing himself online by using his Web camera, the police report alleges Johnson asked the undercover agent on several occasions if they could meet for sex.

Similar events occurred on two prior occasions, according to the police report, with Johnson and other FBI agents posing online as 14-year-old girls.

Police ran a background check on Johnson and found he had no criminal record. Police and FBI agents also searched Johnson's home on the 5000 block of Vista Loma Way in North Las Vegas and seized his computer.

Johnson admitted to police that he does chat with people online and uses a Web cam to expose himself, according to the report.

Authorities weren't sure of Johnson's occupation but they said he didn't work with kids.