PENNINGTON COUNTY (trfnews.i234.me) — Two Thief River Falls residents are facing felony charges after a long-term investigation into alleged child sexual abuse involving multiple victims.
According to court documents, Delwin Guy Johnson, 44, has been charged with five felony counts of criminal sexual conduct involving three children. Denise Jeanette Wallace, 41, faces one felony count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Both cases were filed in Pennington County District Court on October 29, and the defendants are scheduled to appear in court on November 5.
Investigators say Johnson and Wallace previously lived with four children related to Wallace. The pair had already faced prior charges and sentencing for physical abuse of those children, who were later removed from the home. The new criminal complaints stem from additional disclosures of sexual abuse that reportedly occurred between 2019 and 2022.
Authorities say the investigation began in 2022 after reports to social services and the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota. Subsequent interviews with multiple children led to new allegations of repeated sexual abuse by both suspects. Officials say some of the information was newly disclosed as recently as September 2025.
According to the complaint, an adoptive and custodial parent reported that the victims came forward with additional statements about past abuse. The parent also expressed concern that Johnson and Wallace now live near the children’s current home. Both defendants have been summoned to appear in court, and further proceedings are pending.
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, social services, and state investigators continue to work on the case. Additional forensic analysis has been requested by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
