Oakland airport employee charged after allegedly telling girl he wanted to fly her in from Florida

OAKLAND — A Hercules man has been charged with two felonies after he allegedly chatted with a 14-year-old Florida girl about wanting to fly her out to the Bay Area, where he worked for a restaurant at the local airport, court records show.

Sam Wesley Johnson, 36, was charged with possession of child pornography and contacting a minor with intent to commit a sex crime, both felonies. He was released from jail on Aug. 29, by Judge Michael Risher, who ordered Johnson not to contact minors, keep electronic devices, and to participate in alcohol counseling, court records show.

Johnson was arrested at a Lafayette residence in August, after police investigated a cybertip about suspicious activity on his account. They allegedly found numerous videos depicting child sexual abuse, and lewd chats with “minors and adults,” police said in court filings. In one, Johnson allegedly told a 14-year-old girl from Florida that he wanted to fly her out for a weekend, and fly her back after sexually abusing her, noting that “I was (expletive) 22 when you were born.”

“Shhh, mommy doesn’t need to know. Fly you out Friday night…fly you back Sunday,” Johnson allegedly wrote, later noting that his position at the airport would make it relatively easy. Authorities say he has worked at a restaurant at the Oakland airport since May 2024, and that an airport investigator helped identify him based on a “selfie” found in one of his chats.

After his arrest, Johnson confirmed his email address but said he had no knowledge of the chats, claiming that he gets “blackout drunk” and didn’t remember anything he did, police said in court filings. He has pleaded not guilty and his preliminary hearing has been set for Oct. 13.