A former Seneca Valley Junior ROTC instructor was found guilty Thursday of 20 counts of sexual assault and child endangerment.

The Butler County jury returned its verdict against Kevin Johnson at 4:15 p.m. after it started deliberations at 1 p.m.

Johnson, who marks his 54th birthday today, is allowed to remain free on $50,000 bail by Butler County Judge Tim McCune.

The crying began on the victims' side when the jury first returned 25 not guilty verdicts on charges regarding the victim who first reported alleged gropings by Johnson to police in January 2008. That young man testified in court on Tuesday.

But cries turned to sobs on the defendant's side as the jury foreman read out 20 guilty verdicts for charges relating to the second victim, who testified Monday of a sexual relationship with Johnson.

Johnson's mother, wife, two sisters and a niece looked shocked as the guilty counts added up. Only Johnson's wife did not cry during the reading.

Butler County Assistant District Attorney Mark Lope said two of those charges, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse and unlawful contact, are both first-degree felonies.

Lope would not speculate on the possibility of sentencing for Johnson.

“I'm just not going to give a guess,” he said, but he did say that after four years of preparation, he is pleased with the verdict.

“I think they got it wrong with (the first victim), but got it very right with (the second victim,” he said.

Defense attorney David Shrager said he was disappointed with the outcome.

“In this environment, post Penn State (University child sex abuse scandal), it is difficult for anyone charged with this to get a fair shake,” he said.

Shrager said he “absolutely” expects to file an appeal on Johnson's behalf.

“I will continue to fight for Kevin Johnson,” he said.

Sentencing is set for 8:45 a.m. Jan. 19.

Lope said Johnson's case can be appealed to the state Superior Court.

Johnson faced 50 charges including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, corruption of minors, indecent exposure, making terroristic threats, intimidation of a witness and stalking in a case involving the two teens between 2005 and January 2008.

Four counts stemming from one victim's summer camping trip with the Junior ROTC were declared not guilty by the jury.

The 20-year-old, who left Seneca Valley High School after his junior year, said Tuesday all his incidents with Johnson occurred at school.

The other student, a Seneca Valley graduate who is 22 now, testified Monday that when he was 15, Johnson sexually assaulted him multiple times.

Johnson testified Wednesday that none of the students' claims were true.