Cassidy Johnson

A Lignite man has been sentenced to serve 25 years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) following a change of plea of guilty to a count of gross sexual imposition-victim under 15, a Class AA felony, and possession of certain materials prohibited, a Class C felony.

Cassidy Cody Johnson, 32, was sentenced on Monday after entering his change of plea in December and the completion of a presentence investigation. A third charge of Class B felony luring minors by computer was dismissed in accordance with the plea agreement. The charges against Johnson stemmed from a report in May 2023 to law enforcement by the victim’s parent that he was involved in a sexual relationship with their juvenile daughter.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim provided a statement to investigators with the Kenmare Police Department and was later interviewed at the Northern Plains Children’s Advocacy Center. The victim told investigators Johnson was aware she was younger than 15 years old at the time he initiated a sexual relationship with her, and she exchanged sexual images with him on a social media app.

On the first count, North Central District Judge Douglas Mattson sentenced Cassidy to 50 years with the DOCR, with 25 years suspended and credit for 283 days already served. Mattson noted in the criminal judgment that he did not favor early release for Johnson, who also is required to register as sex offender and be under supervised probation for the rest of his life. Johnson’s phone was ordered to be forfeited to law enforcement and destroyed.

Cassidy was given a concurrent sentence of five years with the DOCR for the prohibited material possession charge and assessed $525 in court fines and fees.