Former Calumet Star Johnson Gets Prison Sentence

WINDSOR, Ontario---Former Calumet High School hockey star Ben Johnson has been sentenced to three years in a Canadian prison for a sexual assault conviction. Johnson heard his sentence in an Ontario courtroom on Tuesday. He was found guilty last month of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at a nightclub in Windsor, Ontario, in 2013.

As part of his punishment, Johnson will be listed on Canada’s sex offender registry for 20 years. He is also prohibited from owning a gun ten 10 years.

Johnson's lawyer said an appeal of the conviction will be filed on Wednesday, and he told Canadian media outlets that the sentence may also be appealed.

Johnson is now 22 years old and is recently married. He was drafted in the third round by the New Jersey Devils in the 2012 NHL Draft. He played for the Windsor Spitfires and Albany Devils in the minor leagues. The Devils terminated Johnson's NHL contract after he was convicted last month.

As a junior in high school with Calumet, Johnson shared Michigan’s “Mr. Hockey” award with Gerald Mayhew from Wyandotte Roosevelt. Johnson led the Copper Kings with 77 points in the 2010-11 season. He did not play his senior high school season, instead, going to junior hockey.