A 57-year-old man was found guilty on all charges stemming from the 2024 disappearance of a 10-year-old girl.
www.12onyourside.com
April 9, 2026
A 57-year-old man was found guilty on all charges stemming from the 2024 disappearance of a 10-year-old girl.
Johnny Chandler appeared before a Blount County jury on Thursday, where he was convicted of rape in the first degree, kidnapping, two counts of sexual abuse of a child under 12, unlawful imprisonment and obstructing governmental operations.
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Testimony over four days indicated
Chandler confessed after his arrest to picking up the child outside her home early that morning. Authorities said he also confessed to raping her at his home.
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“This case is one of the most disturbing we have seen,” District Attorney Pamela Casey said. “A 10-year-old child was taken and concealed inside a wall in a residence. The level of planning, concealment, and abuse involved in this case is difficult to comprehend. Chandler has forfeited his place in a free society.”
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Johnny Chandler, of Smoke Rise, appeared before a Blount County jury Thursday where he was convicted of rape in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree, two counts of sexual abuse of a child under 12, unlawful imprisonment in the first degree, and obstructing governmental operations.
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Johnny Chandler, of Smoke Rise, appeared before a Blount County jury Thursday where he was convicted of rape in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree, two counts of sexual abuse of a child under 12, unlawful imprisonment in the first degree, and obstructing governmental operations.
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The victim testified Chandler, whom she knew through her stepfather, told her to hide in the concealed space when law enforcement initially responded to the home after her cell phone pinged at that location. The child was not found during that first search, authorities said.
Medical testimony also indicated Chandler’s DNA was found on the girl’s clothing. Additional testimony stated Chandler had been grooming the child over time, including buying her a cell phone and other items.
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“The level of planning, concealment, and abuse involved in this case is difficult to comprehend," DA Pamela Casey said.
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A jury of nine women and three men heard four days of testimony.
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Chandler was known to the victim through her stepfather, and the victim’s family had stayed at the residence approximately two years earlier.
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“Because of the quick and coordinated actions of law enforcement, this child was found alive. That cannot be overstated,” Casey said. “Every hour matters in cases involving missing children, and their work made the difference.”
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Chandler also faces additional charges involving other children.
As a result of the ongoing investigation, he has been charged with first-degree human trafficking and reckless distribution of pornographic material. Those charges remain pending.
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“Crimes against children demand the strongest response our justice system can provide,” she said.
“My office will continue to stand between predators and our children, and we will pursue the most serious consequences available under the law. The only reason that Chandler cannot be sentenced to death for these actions is that the law was not in place at the time. Had it been, we would have aggressively pursued that option.”
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Sentencing is scheduled for May 26. Chandler faces 10-99 years up to life for the Class A felonies of kidnapping and rape.
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