GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Florida couple has been sentenced for transporting a minor from Texas to Florida and holding the victim captive to sexually abuse, administer narcotics to the point of overdose, and produce child sexual abuse material following a joint Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Gainesville investigation.
Timothy Frederick Murphy-Johnson, 40, of Gainesville, was sentenced to life in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of interstate transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity. He also received 30 years for each of three other counts for conspiracy to produce and production of child sexual abuse material, which he will serve concurrently with the life sentence.
Olivia Ashford Henn, 21, of Orlando, was sentenced to 276 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material and two counts of production of child sexual abuse material.
“Justice demands that this couple, who committed the unspeakable acts of kidnapping, physically restraining, drugging and repeatedly sexually abusing a child, be held to the fullest extent of the law,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “This life sentence serves as a solemn reminder HSI, alongside our partners at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, are committed to protecting the innocent and ensuring that such egregious violations of human dignity are met with unwavering accountability.”
“The extreme acts of sexual, physical and emotional abuse to which this child was subjected over six weeks are indescribable, and nothing short of horrific,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Jason R. Coody. “These sentences account for the defendants’ vile acts of depravity and send a strong message that those who exploit children will face justice. Due to the tireless efforts of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, this child was saved and returned to her family. We will continue to work together to protect our children and hold such dangerous criminals accountable.”
In July 2023, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Texas Department of Public Safety with locating and recovering a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing since June 10, 2023, from Corpus Christi, Texas. Investigation at that time revealed evidence that the child may have been transported to the Gainesville area, although the responsible parties’ identities remained unknown.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office engaged in extensive investigation using IP address information and prior contacts with Murphy-Johnson, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Gainesville, to locate the victim. Based on that information, law enforcement officials obtained a search warrant for Murphy-Johnson’s residence, which was executed on July 25, 2023. Execution of that warrant led to the discovery of the missing child, who appeared severely fatigued and malnourished, within Murphy-Johnson’s residence. Law enforcement authorities documented several injuries to the child, including rope marks on her wrists and ankles, bruising and several cuts and scrapes in various stages of healing.
“Thank you to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations agents and investigators who so swiftly and meticulously worked this case and rescued the child from these heinous predators,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Keesha Nauss. “These sentences help ensure that no other children will be terrorized by this criminal duo.”
Investigation later revealed that Murphy-Johnson had met the child in a chat on the online platform Discord and had arranged for her to be transported to his residence in Gainesville. Following the child’s arrival, Murphy-Johnson, along with co-defendant Olivia Henn, physically restrained the child within Murphy-Johnson’s residence, administered narcotics to the child, and engaged in the repeated physical and sexual abuse of the child until her July 25, 2023, rescue. Henn was arrested in Winter Garden Aug. 4, 2023, and admitted to physically and sexually abusing the child on three separate occasions in Gainesville. Henn also admitted to lying to law enforcement over the phone on June 28, 2023, when Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Murphy-Johnson’s residence in reference to the child victim screaming for help.
Forensic extraction of the electronic devices used by Murphy-Johnson and Henn revealed many images and videos depicting the physical and sexual abuse of the child victim. Investigation also revealed that the co-defendants administered narcotics to the victim on a regular basis, resulting in the victim’s overdose and resuscitation on at least two occasions.
Murphy-Johnson, should he ever be released from prison, will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release. Henn’s imprisonment will also be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Both defendants will be required to register as sex offenders and will be subject to all sex offender conditions. The court also ordered forfeiture of the residence and property owned by Murphy-Johnson, which was used to house the victim during the commission of the offenses as well as electronic devices used to commit the offenses. Both defendants were ordered to pay $56,000 in restitution to the child victim.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by HSI Gainesville, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Williams and David Byron prosecuted the case.
To report any information about human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or the trafficking in child sexual abuse material contact the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or report it through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website.