A Venice man is in custody at the Charlotte County Jail after an arrest in Punta Gorda on charges involving a minor. Kevin Johns, 67, was taken into custody on Oct. 29 following an investigation by the Venice Police Department, with assistance from Punta Gorda Police and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. He faces two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor age 16 or 17 by a person 24 or older, one count of lewd or lascivious touching of a minor, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Johns awaits extradition to Sarasota County.
Venice Police detectives believe there may be additional victims, and they are asking the public for help. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Sam Montes directly at 941-882-7556. Even details that seem minor can be valuable to an active investigation.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell praised the cross-county cooperation and had a pointed warning for anyone thinking about evading law enforcement in his jurisdiction: if you think you can hide or lay low in Charlotte County, think again. For those in our Gulf Coast communities who need support, SPARCC operates a 24-hour helpline for survivors of sexual violence at 941-365-1976.
Have you ever wondered how multi-agency investigations come together across Sarasota and Charlotte counties? Share your thoughts in the comments.
