An analyst with Homeland Security Investigations in Tucson has been found guilty of lying about his educational background.
Gregg Johnson, a 42-year-old computer forensics analyst with HSI, was found guilty by a jury of falsely stating on job applications that he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in theology, according to records in U.S. District Court .
After a two-day trial and about 90 minutes of deliberation, a jury on Wednesday convicted Johnson of lying on three applications to HSI from 2015 to November 2018.
The applications were for an internship as a human exploitation rescue operative and positions as a computer forensics analyst and a technical enforcement officer, according to a Feb. 20 superseding indictment.
Johnson submitted a fraudulent résumé and transcript claiming he earned degrees in 2005 and 2013 from Wayland Baptist University in Texas. An official at the university confirmed the transcript was forged, court records show. The false statements came to light during an investigation of alleged threats Johnson made to his wife, federal prosecutor Jane Westby wrote in a Jan. 2 court filing.
Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for May 20.
All of the positions Johnson applied for required a top-secret security clearance, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release. The conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
