SUNDERLAND AND ENGLAND winger Johnson has been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 and one of grooming.
The 27-year-old England international attended a police station to answer his bail, where he was charged, Durham Police said.
He was initially arrested on 2 March, and will appear at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court in County Durham, north-east England, next month.
Johnson was initially suspended by Sunderland pending the outcome of a police investigation but, after consultations with the Professional Footballers’ Association, he was allowed to resume training and has been a regular for Premier League strugglers Sunderland this season.
Johnson, capped 12 times by England, began his career with Middlesbrough and returned to his native north-east in 2012 when he joined Sunderland from Manchester City in a £10 million (€13 million) deal.
Sunderland, just a point above the relegation zone, are away to Stoke on Saturday.