Woman Allegedly Posing as High School Sophomore Arrested

LONGVIEW (Staff/AP) — An East Texas woman who allegedly posed as a high school sophomore is behind bars. According to Longview Police, Charity Anne Johnson was arrested May 12 after officers responded to a civil matter at a home in the 400 block of South High Street. Police had been called to an apartment when the person Johnson was staying with said she no longer wanted her living there. Officers gave her a trespass warning. Police say Johnson is 34, although jail records list her as 31. She had reportedly been posing as a 15-year-old sophomore at New Life Christian School in Longview since October 2013, prior to her arrest. She allegedly registered at the school under the alias “Charity Stevens.”

KETK reports Tamica Lincoln, the woman who took Johnson in when she was allegedly posing as a teenager, says she sympathized with Johnson and felt she needed an adult role model in her life. This was all before Johnson’s true identity and age were revealed, according to authorities.

KETK spoke with Johnson’s former principal, who was shocked the woman allegedly pulled such a stunt. “I don’t really believe Charity is 31 years old,” said the principal. “I am waiting for more evidence from police to prove her age. Everyone at the school is shocked because she looks like a teenager. She claims she was home-schooled so she had no school records when she came to the school in October. She was very well-liked and the whole campus is shocked and in disbelief.” The principal also said he would be getting in contact with the parents of other students on Thursday to explain the situation. Johnson is being held in the Gregg County Jail on $500 bond.