Melody Felicano Johnson, 40, will not face further incarceration despite her admission to poisoning her husband’s coffee with bleach, a disturbing act that led to her husband’s decision to install surveillance cameras in their home.
Johnson pleaded guilty in April to two counts of adding poison or harmful substances to food or drink, avoiding an attempted murder charge.
Although prosecutors sought up to four years in prison, Johnson was sentenced to probation with specific conditions.
Under the terms of her probation, Johnson must undergo mental health treatment and maintain no contact with her husband, as reported by Tucson NBC affiliate KVOA.
The sentencing took into account the approximately one year Johnson had already served in jail.
Police in Tucson revealed that Johnson had been poisoning her spouse’s coffee since he was stationed in Germany in March 2023.
Her husband, an airman with the U.S. Air Force, began suspecting foul play after his coffee consistently tasted bad for two to three weeks.
He eventually confirmed his suspicions using pool chemical testing strips, which indicated high levels of chlorine in the coffee pot water, despite normal faucet water.
Taking matters into his own hands, the husband set up hidden cameras in their home, capturing footage of Johnson pouring bleach into the coffee maker.
He clandestinely recorded the incidents, showing Johnson’s repeated attempts to poison his coffee even after they relocated to the David Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.
In one video, dated July 16, 2023, Johnson is seen pouring bleach into a small bottle before transferring its contents into the coffee maker.
Another video, from July 5, 2023, shows her pouring a substance into the coffee machine while wearing only a towel.
Multiple videos depict the husband testing the coffee pot water, remarking on its unusual smell and appearance.
Despite the disturbing evidence, Johnson’s sentence does not include jail time, highlighting the complex dynamics of prosecuting cases involving spousal conflict and domestic violence.
