Phillip (Phil) Johnson, 60, a retired Orange County fire official who once held a top post in the Orange County Fire Authority, has been ordered to stand trial in San Diego County on felony child-molestation charges tied to alleged abuse at family gatherings years ago. Court filings say the accusations date back decades and involve young relatives, and Johnson is currently being held as the case works through pretrial proceedings.
According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, a criminal complaint alleges Johnson molested two girls between 2001 and 2008 at a home in Rancho Santa Fe. A sworn declaration by a sheriff’s deputy states that other family members later came forward to report additional abuse. The complaint says the alleged victims were between 6 and 8 years old at the time. Court filings also indicate Johnson remains in custody in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Public payroll and salary databases show Johnson rose steadily through the Orange County Fire Authority ranks over a long career. Records from Transparent California list him as an assistant chief, with pay entries running through 2022. Those records align with the timeline referenced in court filings and underline how a onetime senior emergency-services leader is now at the center of a serious criminal case that has drawn attention in both Orange and San Diego counties…