Making Child Porn For A Convict

(Stillwater, Minnesota) A 50-year-old woman, Diane Marie Johnson, faces charges related to the production of child pornography at the urging of a convicted murderer.

According to a Washington County criminal complaint, 45-year-old Oak Park Heights Prison inmate Joseph Soltis offered "a large sum of money" to a female friend if she allowed someone to photograph her as she engaged in sexual acts with the teen.

He chose Johnson, a friend of his from Circle Pines, to be the photographer, and she allegedly took the shots of the teen, who was 14 at the time, on three occasions between January and May, the complaint stated.

Johnson told investigators she took the photos because she was afraid of Soltis.

Although both women knew Soltis, prosecutors say, they didn't know each other before the photo sessions.

According to the complaint, Soltis asked Johnson to have the teen and the woman watch pornographic movies before the photo sessions, and the photographer had the girl dress provocatively and wear suggestive makeup.

Soltis was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a 57-year-old woman in 1999. He won't be eligible for parole until 2033. It's not known whether Soltis will be charged in the case.

Johnson is scheduled to appear in Washington County District Court tomorrow to face felony counts of aiding and abetting the use of a minor in a sexual performance or pornographic work. If convicted, she faces a possible 10 years in prison.

Tip: SKE