A former Berrien County employee charged with embezzlement from the county is now facing charges of criminal sexual conduct involving a minor and producing child pornography, according to the Berrien County Prosecutor’s office. 60-year-old Joel Johnson was set to be tried next month in the embezzlement case that was announced last August. The former county building and grounds superintendent was accused of using county funds to purchase tools and materials for personal use. Now he’s been arrested on charges of first and second degree criminal sexual conduct involving a person under age 13 and four counts of child sexually abusive material. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office tells us Johnson was arraigned on Thursday with bond set at $500,000. It couldn’t tell us further details of the allegations, but says he will likely be back in court next week. This new case could postpone the embezzlement trial.
