Secretly recorded conversations, attempts to hide affair revealed in JoCo extortion trial
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Sex, blackmail and local politics: The extortion trial of JoCo school board member Ronald Johnson
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A Johnston County school board member testified Monday he secretly recorded a conversation for a fellow board member who is facing extortion and obstruction charges.
Kevin Donovan took the stand on the third day of Ronald Johnson Jr.’s extortion trial, telling jurors he regretted his decision to record his conversation with a Johnston County District Attorney’s investigator working on the case. Johnson, also a Johnston County school board member, is accused of asking people to secretly record conversations so he could use the information for personal gain.
Donovan said he recorded his interview with the investigator and provided the audio to Johnson at his request. Donovan also testified that he secretly forwarded messages from a teacher who Johnson denied he was having an affair with only to later admit that he was.
Donovan said he felt obligated to help Johnson, the man who helped him get elected to the school board in 2022. Donovan has received an immunity deal from prosecutors in return for testifying against Johnson.
“Looking back in hindsight, I felt it was true manipulation to make us think he was under attack,” Donovan told jurors. “When you learn about really happened, it was just covering his own tail.”
Censured, fired and facing extortion charges
Re-elected to the school board in November, Johnson has been censured by his colleagues for making secret recordings in closed session and was also fired from his job as a Smithfield police detective.
On Monday, some law enforcement officers at the Johnston County Courthouse wished Johnson luck in his trial, which began last week.
Angela Barbour, a Johnston County teacher, testified that she had an extra-marital affair with Johnson. She also testified that Johnson asked her if she could supply information on DeVan Barbour IV, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2022 and 2024.
This came after Angela Barbour testified that she told Johnson that DeVan Barbour, had made a nude FaceTime call to her late at night. Barbour testified Monday that she refused to help Johnson because she considers DeVan Barbour to be a friend.
Angela Barbour and DeVan Barbour are not related.
The extortion charge stems from accusations Johnson met DeVan Barbour in his pickup truck shortly before the May 2022 Republican Primary. DeVan Barbour testified that Johnson said he could make the recording disappear if DeVan Barbour would get the teacher to sign a letter stating she and Johnson did not have an affair.
Incentive to keep affair with Johnson secret
Donovan testified that Angela Barbour, the teacher, had told him she had had sex with both DeVan Barbour and Johnson. Donovan said he let both men know about the allegations.
Donovan said he trusted Johnson’s assurances that he was not having an affair with Angela Barbour. This led to Donovan secretly passing along to Johnson messages that she sent him.
“I trusted the defendant,” Donovan said. “He was helping in my campaign major.”
Donovan said Angela Barbour worked on his school board election campaign at Johnson’s request.
Both Donovan and Angela Barbour testified Monday about why they said Johnson would have wanted to keep the affair secret.
“He pleaded to me it was about his integrity,” Angela Barbour said. “Should he have to testify in court, an affair would make him look like a dishonest person.”
Donovan said Johnson had hoped to become school board chair.
“It would have been bad for the defendant,” Donovan said. “It would have been bad for the candidates he had supported. If it had gotten into the media, it would not have looked good.”
But after the 2022 school board election, Donovan said Johnson admitted to him and newly elected school board member Michelle Antoine that he had an affair with the teacher. Donovan said it made him question everything Johnson had told him before then.
“If she needs a bullet, I’ll donate”
Amos Tyndall, Johnson’s attorney, tried to attack the credibility of Angela Barbour and Donovan during his cross-examination on Monday.
Tyndall questioned Angela Barbour’s decision to ask Johnson to drive her to a friend’s home, where they had more sex, after their first sexual encounter in a car in November 2020. Angela Barbour testified that she was going through a difficult period with her husband, with whom she has since reconciled.
“You made the choice to be involved in a relationship,” Tyndall said.
Tyndall questioned Angela Barbour’s’ decision to call Johnson’s wife in May 2022 to tell her about the affair after their relationship had ended.
“Is it fair to say, Miss Barbour, that when things don’t go your way you get even?” Tyndall said, drawing an objection from prosecutors.
Tyndall questioned Donovan about the “very harsh things” he had said about Angela Barbour in texts, such as “if she needs a bullet, I’ll donate.” He also questioned the agency behind Donovan’s actions, saying as an adult he could make his own decisions.
The trial will resume Tuesday with Donovan’s cross-examination.
Attorneys for both sides said Monday they expect to wrap up the trial this week to send it to the jury.
This story was originally published January 13, 2025 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Secretly recorded conversations, attempts to hide affair revealed in JoCo extortion trial."
