Orland man charged with child sexual abuse

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

Readers: Please remember that in our criminal justice system, the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Very few facts regarding the case below are known with certainty. Please do not engage in threats against the individual in this story.

However, not only is the presumption of innocence a basic premise of our system of government, so is the concept of a fully informed public. Ignorance and democracy cannot exist simultaneously.

You are entitled to know what there is to know so far regarding this case.

Anyway, at about 10:37 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, Deputy Ramirez received a report of a cold sexual assault of juveniles at an address on County Road 17 near Orland.

Deputy Ramirez met with the caller, Zandi Lin Lawrence of Corning, and her two juvenile step-grandchildren.

Deputy Ramirez initiated an investigation. He concluded his investigation, and it was turned over to the Major Crimes Unit for further action.

According to the sheriff’s log for the Dec. 24 incident, other “involved parties” included Glenn County Child Protective Services, 127 East Walker Street, Orland; Chester William Johnson of Orland; Camelia Vivian Johnson of Orland; Christopher Spangler of Orland; River Jay Hope Johnson of Orland; and two anonymous and presumably juvenile victims from Orland.

At about 7:54 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, Chester William Johnson, 39, of Orland, was booked into the Glenn County Jail on charges alleging continuous sexual abuse of a child, lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, sexual penetration with force on a child under the age of 14, and willful cruelty to a child that could result in injury or death (all felonies).

His bail was set at $315,000. He was taken into custody near Orland by a Glenn County Sheriff’s deputy.

On Thursday, Jan. 5, the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office charged Johnson with alleged continuous sexual abuse of a child, and lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14 (again, both charges are felonies).

The matter is next set to be in court (Donald Cole Byrd presiding) at 8 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 13. At this hearing, Attorney Robert L. Marshall, who works out of Oroville, may be retained.

Attorney Marshall attended law school at CAL-Northern School of Law in Chico. He was admitted to the State Bar of California on May 17, 1999.