Warning: This story contains details some may find disturbing. A list of resources for people who have experienced sexual violence appears at the end.
The owner of a P.E.I. foot clinic embroiled in allegations that he was working as a podiatrist without any formal credentials has been charged by Charlottetown police with several crimes unrelated to his podiatry practice.
John Johnson, 26, was arrested and charged with trespassing, mischief, voyeurism and committing an indecent act.
“That type of disturbing behaviour, you don’t know where it ends,” said Charlottetown police Det.-Sgt. Darren MacDougall. “So as a police agency, we were extremely diligent in our efforts to have the findings we did arrive at.”
Police stressed the charges are unrelated to Johnson’s podiatry work.
Det.-Sgt. Darren MacDougall says a DNA test confirmed semen found at the scene matched Johnson’s. (Steve Bruce/CBC News)
DNA places Johnson at scene, police say
Earlier this month, police received a complaint from a woman living in a ground-floor apartment.
The woman said she’d gone to bed with her bedroom window slightly open and her curtains closed. She woke to find a tree branch stuck in the window and its screen torn.
At the scene, police discovered semen on the siding below the window.
The next night, officers kept a close eye on the area and spotted Johnson near the apartment. Security footage showed him in the vicinity the previous two nights as well.
At the start of October, police charged Johnson with trespassing at night while they awaited the results of a DNA test.
Johnson is also facing allegations that he called himself a podiatrist wihtout formal credentials. Police say the charges laid last week are unrelated to his work at a foot clinic. (Aaron Adetuyi/CBC)
MacDougall said last week that those results confirmed the semen police had collected at the scene belonged to Johnson. He was arrested and charged on Friday with mischief, voyeurism and indecent acts.
He was released from jail but must wear an ankle monitoring bracelet and stay on his own property between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. each day. He is under no conditions that will prevent him from continuing to work.
Johnson did not know the victim, police said. He is due in court in late December to answer to the charges.
CBC News reached out to Johnson for comment Monday, but did not hear back.
Under unrelated investigation
Meanwhile, Johnson continues to be under investigation by Charlottetown Police with respect to his foot-care clinic.
He is facing allegations that he called himself a doctor and performed medical procedures on hundreds of Islanders’ feet without having any formal credentials.
This summer, P.E.I.’s Chief Public Health Office recommended that some of Johnson’s clients get themselves tested for hepatitis and HIV due to cleaning and sterilization concerns at the clinic. Health officials described the risk as very low.
More than 75 people have since been tested for blood-borne infections.
P.E.I. recently passed provincial regulations for podiatry, and is among the last provinces in Canada to do so.
Resources and supports available to anyone who has experienced sexual violence: