Bounce house owner sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting boys he met through his business

Heber • A Heber City businessman was sentenced to prison on Wednesday for sexually abusing boys he met through his bounce house/water slide entertainment business.

Bryce Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty in 4th District Court to three counts of first-degree felony attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child, and two counts of second-degree felony sexual exploitation.

Johnson — owner of Fun Stuff LLC, which operates Heber Bounce — admitted to touching boys inappropriately and taking photos of a boy in his underwear. He also had child pornography on his computer.

He was sentenced to prison terms of three years to life for the attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child counts, which will run consecutively.

For the sexual exploitation counts, he was sentenced to two terms of 1-to-15 years, which will also run consecutively. Those terms will run concurrently to the sentence for the attempted aggravated sexual abuse.

He was arrested on June 7, 2017, and initially was charged with three first-degree felony counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. As part of a plea deal, 18 counts of second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a child were dismissed.

Johnson was taken into custody after a 10-year-old told police that he and another boy were offered $50 to pose in underwear at Johnson’s home.

Johnson appeared aroused, according to charging documents, and had his hands in his pants as he took photos of the boys in different positions. He also made sexually suggestive comments to the other boy in the room, instructing the 10-year-old to sit on the other boy’s lap and count to 10 while the other boy was “grinding” on him, charges state.

The boy asked Johnson to take him home about five minutes later, he told police. Johnson reportedly told the boy to tell his mom he’d earned the money by working to put up bounce houses, charges state. Johnson also reportedly put his hand high up on the boy’s leg during the drive.

Johnson had also previously slapped the 10-year-old on his buttocks, the boy told police.

Another boy, now 12, said Johnson had paid him $50 to take off his shirt and pull up his underwear so it would be visible in pictures when he used to work for Johnson.

Johnson asked the boy to “pose like a model” on his bed while the two were working at Johnson’s house. Later, Johnson asked if he could cuddle with the boy and the boy told Johnson he didn’t want to. In the car, as Johnson drove the boy back to the ice rink, he told the boy he loved him and touched him inappropriately.

The boy felt nervous and moved Johnson’s hand, he told police.

The 12-year-old told police Johnson touched boys inappropriately and told them he loved them “every time” they were in his car with him.

Johnson had also touched his buttocks over his clothes while giving him a back rub, the 12-year-old said, offered to pay him money to make out with him, and rubbed his stomach under his clothes. The boy told police Johnson had asked at least six other boys to cuddle with him.

Police have said they fear Johnson may have met other victims through his entertainment business.

This story will be updated.