Wasatch County’s Republican Party chair is facing felony child abuse charges for allegedly “waterboarding” a 16-year-old relative.
County prosecutors have charged 54-year-old David Nephi Johnson with a first-degree felony count of aggravated child abuse for the alleged incident in early January.
The allegations stem from a Division of Child and Family Services report detailed in an affidavit filed in support of the Heber resident’s arrest.
Johnson was elected chairman of the Wasatch County Republican Party in May 2025. As of Wednesday, the county party had removed his photograph from its website.
According to the report, Johnson’s relative told a DCFS investigator they were taken into a bathroom and had their head pushed into a sink of running water. The relative says Johnson repeatedly dunked their head under the open tap and felt they “couldn’t breathe for about 20 to 30 seconds.”
According to the report, the alleged victim said, “there was no breathing … you try to breathe in once but it all goes in your nose. So you just have to hold your breath.”
It also says the teen described two other incidents in which Johnson used his backhand to strike their torso causing bruising that lasted about a week and left a “big red mark where his hand was.”
The report said the teen also told DCFS about other similar incidents of alleged abuse by Johnson involving other younger relatives.
The alleged victim told the investigator they “don’t feel safe” in Johnson’s presence because they “always feel like something is going to happen.”
The report says a DCFS investigator suspects abuse has been an “ongoing” situation and that the 16-year-old is no longer in contact with Johnson.
Johnson was scheduled to make an initial appearance in the Wasatch County’s 4th District Court early Wednesday.
He remained in the Wasatch County jail as of Feb. 11.
Court records do not indicate whether Johnson has an attorney at this time.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is confirmed.