INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A former middle school athletic director in Indian River County has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a student led to charges involving conduct across multiple states, according to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
The investigation began in 2024 after the sheriff's office received a report of an inappropriate relationship between a middle school athletic director and a student.
Authorities said the victim disclosed she had been victimized for about one year by Mia Johnson, 42, who was serving as a middle school's athletic director at the time.
According to the sheriff's office, the School District of Indian River County removed Johnson from the campus where she worked and terminated her employment after learning of the allegations.
Detectives later executed a search warrant at Johnson's residence. The sheriff's office said Johnson subsequently left Florida and traveled to Kansas City, Missouri.
Investigators determined that criminal acts occurred in multiple states during travel with a girls basketball team. Because of the interstate nature of the case, the FBI joined the investigation.
Federal authorities ultimately located and arrested Johnson in Kansas City on a charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity under federal law.
On Friday, Johnson was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release.
“Every child in Indian River County deserves to feel safe at school. Our detectives, working alongside the FBI, made sure this victim was heard and that Johnson was held accountable for her actions. We will never stop fighting to protect our kids,” Sheriff Eric Flowers said in a statement.
The sheriff's office credited its detectives, the FBI and the School District of Indian River County for their roles in the investigation and prosecution of the case.