Former New Jersey Devils prospect Ben Johnson was convicted of sexual assault in an Ontario court on Tuesday. The 22-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison, will be forced to register as a sex offender for 20 years and won’t be allowed to possess a weapon or ammo for ten years, reports the CBC.
Johnson was a third-round pick of the Devils in 2012. The Calumet, Michigan native played in junior with the Windsor Spitfires. In March 2013, Johnson was charged with two counts of sexual assault during a Spitfires St. Patrick Day Party. Johnson sexually assaulted a 16-year-old in a washroom, with another 20-year-old victim coming forward accusing him of the same crime. The underage victim was determined by the judge to be too drunk to give consent.
Despite this, the Devils signed Johnson to an entry-level contract in 2014. Lou Lamoriello, the general manager at the time, commented on the charges, saying “from everything I’ve been told they won’t impact his hockey career.”
Johnson played parts of three different season with the Albany Devils, New Jersey’s AHL affiliate. He also appeared in 28 ECHL games.
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/469892113707323392
Following the September verdict, Johnson was found guilty. The Devils subsequently terminated his entry level contract.
The Crown was seeking a three-and-a-half or four-year jail sentence, with Johnson’s lawyer arguing for a short jail term. Ultimately, the judge presiding over the case leaned towards the Crown’s suggestion with his verdict. Johnson still faces a $3.95 million civil suit from the underage victim.
