ISABELLA COUNTY, Mich. – A Michigan mother threatened and harassed her son's ex-girlfriend on Facebook at his request while he was locked up on suspicion of attacking, choking and beating the woman, according to federal officials.
Michael Lee Johnson is currently locked up in the Clare County Jail on suspicion of attacking his ex-girlfriend, officials said. He is charged with unlawful imprisonment, assault of an intimate partner by strangulation, assault of an intimate partner by suffocation, interstate domestic violence, assault while striking, beating or wounding and numerous counts of witness tampering.
Johnson has been in custody since November 2018, police said. While in jail, he asked his mother, Robin Johnson, to post several things on Facebook for his ex-girlfriend to see, according to officials.
During her son's incarceration, Robin Johnson has published many negative Facebook posts about the ex-girlfriend, officials said. She had also posted photos of the ex-girlfriend on her son's Facebook page with degrading and negative comments, according to records.
"I have evidence of what the dark evil snake did to my son," one post said, according to authorities.
"(She) lied, cheated on my son," another post allegedly said. "She's a (expletive)."
Some of the posts have been removed, and Robin Johnson has been warned that her Facebook account will be closed down if she continues, officials said.
On Thursday, Robin Johnson made a threatening post on her own page with a photo of her son attached, police said.
"You take mine? I take yours," the post allegedly said. "Eye for an eye. This is my first born. Do you have a first born? Son for son. Daughter for son? Trade for trade. I'm not God. I am a mother! Worse than God's wrath! Know that!"
According to the victim, her two young children were present when Michael Johnson attacked her. He is not the father of her children, the woman said.
Michael Johnson called his mother at 9:16 a.m. Thursday from the Clare County Jail, officials said. During the call, Robinson Johnson told her son about the Facebook post and said, "She'll understand what I mean," according to authorities.
Officials believe Robin Johnson wanted the ex-girlfriend to receive the message as a threat to one or both of her children.
Robin Johnson is accused of committing the crime of threatening communications.