Wellesley coach busted on child porn charges

A 69-year-old Wellesley High School assistant track coach, who previously worked with athletes at Harvard University, was arrested on child pornography charges yesterday, officials say.

Walter Johnson of Framingham was arrested at his house after federal agents executing a search warrant found child porn, acting U.S. Attorney William Weinreb said.

During the raid, Weinreb said Johnson admitted to sending and receiving child pornography “with various individuals he met on Craigslist.”

Johnson, a former track coach at Harvard University who was Wellesley’s assistant outdoor track coach, an assistant indoor track coach and the head girls’ cross country coach, also worked as a special education teaching assistant at Wellesley Middle School from 2007 to 2015, according to the school.

“Once informed by the authorities, the Wellesley Public Schools immediately terminated Mr. Johnson’s employment,” a statement issued yesterday by Wellesley Public Schools read. “Given the seriousness of these charges and the impact of this news, we will be ready to offer our support to students, families and staff in the days ahead.”

Johnson was detained following his initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday afternoon, where he was charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, Weinreb said. A detention and probable cause hearing is scheduled for Monday.