A Duluth police sergeant who serves on the board of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association has been found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of making obscene or harassing phone calls to a former girlfriend.
Sgt. Craig Johnson, 52, of Esko was accused of making 119 obscene or harassing phone calls between Feb. 8 and March 17 of last year. He made 31 of the calls during work hours and 15 calls on a city of Duluth cell phone, according to police reports.
Johnson had been scheduled for a jury trial in St. Louis County District Court this week, but opted to be tried by the court.
Sixth Judicial District Judge Heather Sweetland heard the two-day trial on Wednesday and Thursday and issued her findings of fact and order on Friday.
Sweetland found Johnson guilty of both crimes he was accused of. The maximum penalty he faces is 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Sentencing will be on July 19.
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Johnson wanted to talk to his attorney before making any comment Friday.
The crimes Johnson was convicted of are not considered revocable offenses by the state licensing agency for police officers.
Johnson has been disciplined by his department by receiving 30 days off duty without pay.
Duluth Police Chief Gordon Ramsay said Friday that data privacy law prohibited him from commenting on Johnson's case.
"Anytime a police officer is on the other side of the law it makes us all look bad," Ramsay said. "We hold our officers accountable given the parameters that we have to work within."
Because Duluth prosecutors know Johnson, City Attorney Bryan Brown forwarded the police investigation to Shawn Reed, who acts as a Hermantown city attorney and served as a special prosecutor in this case.
Reed reviewed the police reports and filed charges.
According to the criminal complaint, Johnson placed the calls to his former girlfriend's work phone, her home and cell phone. He was attempting to rekindle the romantic relationship, the former girlfriend told police.
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Johnson, a member of the Duluth force since 1986, once headed the department's Juvenile Bureau. His personnel file includes many letters of appreciation from citizens, businesses and agencies. It also includes three departmental commendation awards
He's one of 13 police officers from around the state serving on the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association board of directors.
However, this is Johnson's second brush with the law. He pleaded guilty in October 2003 to careless driving after striking a pedestrian with an unmarked squad car and leaving the scene, within a block of the police station. He was fined $500 and suspended from duty for 15 working days without pay for violating the Duluth police manual's code of conduct.
