Conroe ISD coach pleads guilty, sentenced 7 years in prison after sending minor nudes, officials say

CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- A Conroe ISD baseball coach was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to explicitly messaging undercover detectives posing as underaged girls in a monthslong sting operation.

On Nov. 1, 30-year-old Joseph Madison Johnson was sentenced to seven years in prison for online solicitation of a minor. Johnson agreed to plead guilty and will have to register as a sex offender.

The video above is from a previous report.

Johnson was put on administrative leave after being arrested in the Caney Creek High School parking lot on Feb. 16 by Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office.

"I want to assure you that Caney Creek High School and Conroe ISD are committed to providing a safe learning environment for your children," Conroe ISD said in part of a statement at the time of his arrest.

Detectives used the undercover personas of 14- and 16-year-old girls during a five-month-long investigation.

"Those who prey on children are often clever and careful. Because this is true, we rely on our detectives to work hard to find them. Ideally, as in this case, we find them before they can put their hands on a child, and great credit should go to our law enforcement partners in spotting this defendant before that happened," Assistant District Attorney Taylor Vanegas said.

During his role as a teacher, the undercover officers began texting and messaging with Johnson in an anonymous online chat room in September and October 2021.

Investigators said Johnson sent images and videos of his genitals to whom he believed to be the 16-year-old and repeatedly asked the girl to send him nude photos, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

Authorities said Johnson had a relationship with the girl for over three months, texted her nearly daily, and referred to her as his girlfriend throughout the fall of 2021.

The explicit conversations occurred throughout the school day, even taking place while Johnson was sitting in a classroom full of students.

What Johnson didn't know was that the 16-year-old girl was an Internet Crimes Against Children detective from the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office.

The undercover detective learned he was chatting with another detective he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. They also learned that Johnson routinely looked for teenage girls to chat with online before they found him.

The DA said communications with the 16-year-old undercover persona remained in progress until the time of Johnson's arrest.

Based on statements made by Johnson, investigators believe he may have had some form of relationship with former students.

"Cases like this are why we have an ICAC and Public Integrity Unit in Montgomery County. As Johnson now understands, the teacher or coach dreaming about a sick sexual relationship with a student should instead prepare for the real nightmare of prison life," District Attorney Brett Ligon said.

In August 2020, Johnson began his career as the head coach at Caney Creek High School.

Before his role at the high school, Johnson was a coach and later promoted to head coach at Aldine Davis High School in Aldine ISD, from 2012 through 2020.

The investigation was conducted by the Harris County Pct. One Constable's Office, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, with support from the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office-Public Integrity Division.

SEE ORIGINAL REPORT: Conroe ISD coach arrested for online solicitation of a minor, authorities say