- Guilty on all charges
- Sentenced to active prison term
SMITHFIELD – Johnston County Board of Education member Ronald Johnson was convicted on all four charges, Friday afternoon.
Johnson had been on trial for two weeks charged with obstruction of justice and the willful failure to discharge duties.
Jurors deliberated for a little more than one hour Friday afternoon, returning the guilty verdicts just after 5:00pm.
Johnson was convicted of extorting DeVan Barbour IV of Benson, a former candidate for US House in 2022 by threatening to release an audio recording of defamatory allegations concerning Mr. Barbour weeks before a primary election in which Barbour was on the ballot.
Johnson was also convicted of failure to discharge his duties as a member of the Johnston County Board of Education, including recording a closed session of a school board meeting in violation of Board duties.
After the jury returned the guilty verdicts, a judge sentenced Johnson to serve an active prison term of 6 to 17 months, followed by 30 months probation. He was also ordered to surrender his law enforcement certification, pay court costs, and submit to a DNA test. Johnson was also ordered to have no contact with DeVan Barbour IV and Owen Phillips.
The judge noted Johnson used his power to not only harm individuals, but families and children.
Johnson was elected to the school board in 2016. He won re-election in 2020 and 2024. With today’s conviction, Mr. Johnson has been disqualified from serving in an elected office, and his seat on the school board is now considered vacant.
Johnson was fired from his job as a Smithfield police officer in October 2022.
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This story has been updated
Dog gone no more RonJon entertainment
Ronald would never want to harm any child. This Judge is not correct in his determination.
Turn out the lights, the parties over. It’s about time this Nut Case got what he deserved. Unfortunately now we will have to deal with endless at taxpayer expense. This whole issue is JoCo’s fault, you elected this idiot.
I didn’t elect that nimrod. I voted for Walker. Johnson has no credibility.
I Am glad that Justice has been served this is great for all of our communities now let us see who his lunatic following backs next !!
Da*n every dog has his day.. one thing about North Carolina Leo or not u out of pocket u walking that line I respect our state to the fullest
Never would have thought RJ would sink this low . While he was at SMS as SRO officer he was a positive influence to many students and students looked to him for support. You never know when the mask will come off!
He went against the Smithfield machine/swamp and they made an example out of him. They’ll put a GOP Rino in his place I’m sure. One that’ll promise us change like all the rest have and do nothing. Same GOP that hasn’t delivered us a “true” conservative governor in 150yrs.
Buh bye!
DNA? What?