Savannah man — revered for his work with at-risk youth — arrested, charged with child abuse

A man who worked with the Deep Center and the Chatham County Juvenile Court's WREP (Work Readiness Enrichment Program program) was charged by the Superior Court of Chatham County with rape, aggravated child molestation and false imprisonment, on Oct. 5.

Opollo Johnson, 47, was arrested by Savannah Police Detective James Coleman on July 27, court filings reveal. A Savannah Police Department records custodian denied sending the police reports to the Savannah Morning News, writing in an email that the reports contain an allegation of child abuse, and as such, are deemed confidential by statute.

Prior to the child abuse charges, Johnson had been revered for his work with the community, particularly with at-risk youth. The Savannah Morning News centered Johnson in an article about formerly incarcerated individuals who struggled to find employment post-incarceration.

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According to his booking history, Johnson's criminal history extends from 1992 through 2004. During that period, he was charged twice with theft by shoplifting or receiving stolen property, three parole or probation violations, four possession or sale of drugs, one armed robbery, and one possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In 2004, he was sentenced to federal prison.

During his time in prison, he said he graduated from Ohio University with a degree in social science. He said he worked multiple jobs, facilitating mediation programs in the psychology department, working as a shift supervisor in the chow hall and counseling younger incarcerated people.

Johnson was released from prison in 2021. That same year, Johnson was hired by Deep Center, a Savannah-based non-profit focused on social justice initiatives and advocacy.

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Johnson worked as a life navigator in the Deep Center's work readiness enrichment program, an 18-week juvenile court referral program created in partnership with the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System and the Chatham County Juvenile Court. In this role, Johnson provided mentorship to court-involved boys, ages 14 through 17, helping them to get hired for temporary jobs and guiding them as they search for work and take steps toward their careers.

The Chatham County Juvenile Court did not answer multiple calls for comment by the time of publication.

Coco Papy, Deep Center's Director of Public Policy and Communications, emailed a written statement. According to the statement, Papy declined to answer specific questions "due to the sensitive nature of the allegation, due process rights, privacy considerations and an attempt to protect the integrity of the active investigation."

Deep Center learned in July that Johnson was arrested "in connection with an ongoing investigation," the statement reads.

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"The staff member was placed on paid administrative leave while an internal investigation was completed. At the conclusion of this investigation, the employee was found to have violated organizational policies and subsequently terminated. As always, the safety and well-being of our youth, staff, partners, and neighbors remain our priority and focus. Deep Center will continue to serve our community and maintain our long-standing commitment to transparency."

Johnson is currently booked in the Chatham County Jail. An arraignment — a formal reading of a criminal charging document in the presence of the defendant and a chance for the accused to enter a plea — for Johnson's superior court trial is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2023, at 3:30 p.m.

Drew Favakeh is the public safety reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah man who worked with at-risk youth charged with child abuse