COVINGTON, Kentucky — A case that has plagued investigators from both sides of the Ohio River is one step closer to justice — a decade in the making. 

Jacob Bumpass, 32, was arrested in connection to 17-year-old Paige Johnson’s disappearance in 2010, said Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders at a press conference Tuesday afternoon at the Kenton County Fiscal Courtroom in Covington, Kentucky. 

"I hoped that the people involved or persons involved in the disappearance of Paige Johnson and the mystery that's gone on for almost a decade now would be looking over their shoulder wondering when the next time they looked over that shoulder and saw a police officer there to arrest them. Today, that happened," Sanders said.  

On Tuesday, July 28, a Clermont County grand jury indicted Bumpass on two charges, including one count of abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. Following an extensive joint investigation by the Covington Police Department and the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, Bumpass was arrested just before 1 p.m., by Colerain Police officers. He was taken into custody without incident during a traffic stop in Hamilton County.

Johnson, a mother of a 2-year-old daughter, vanished from Covington, Kentucky on Sept. 23, 2010. Next month, she would have celebrated her 27th birthday. 

"It's been a long, difficult road for a number of different police agencies that have been involved," he continued.

And a long road for Paige’s family. 

"Paige's spirit never died because her family kept it alive," Sanders said pointing to her mother and sister who were in attendance at the press conference. 

For Paige's mother, Donna Johnson, it’s been a “joyful" day for her family. She said she has smiled more today than she has in a decade. 

"I've been waiting for this day for almost 10 years, and it's a very happy day," Donna said with a tear running down her cheek while calling today’s news answered prayers. “There hasn’t been one day I haven’t been sad. Today, I was so happy when they told me he’d be arrested."

She said she always knew Bumpass was somehow involved and that he knew something more about her daughter's disappearance than he told police. 

"I knew from the very first day that he knew where she was, and he wouldn't cooperate with us and he put us through so much, so much pain," Donna said about Bumpass. "I'm so thankful to God that he got the cuffs put on him and got behind those bars.” 

According to officials, Bumpass was the last person seen with Paige, and his phone pinged off of cell phone towers in Clermont County near East Fork State Park the night she disappeared in 2010. 

"We've always suspected that Mr. Bumpass has been at least aware of what happened to Paige, if not responsible for her death. We always knew that he was not being truthful with Covington Police Department the day after she went missing, which is the only time that he has ever made any statements about what happened to Paige," Sanders said. ​

Ten years ago, law enforcement joined forces from several counties spanning two states and searched for weeks in the rural, wooded area, but never found Paige. 

"Until we could prove that Paige Johnson was, in fact, deceased—something we all suspected all along—we couldn't prove that she hadn't just run away from home and not told her family. And we never had any suggestion that that was the case," Sanders said. 

But 10 years later, investigators received a break in the case. 

On March 22, Paige's remains were found just off an access road in Clermont County off of Ohio 32, between Batavia and Williamsburg, Ohio—approximately 25 miles from where she was allegedly last seen. 

"Thank God because I was just so afraid that I would never find her—that I would die without knowing where she was and finding her was. That day was just overwhelming," Donna said about the day Paige was finally recovered. 

And that discovery is what law enforcement and prosecutors needed to move forward with charges. 

"When we found her remains, now we can prove a crime took place,” Sanders said. "And even if it's not a homicide, it's been important to me because I suspected all along that Mr. Bumpass knew a heck of a lot more than he was telling anybody."

"To call it dumb luck, that's what it was," said Clermont County Assistant Prosecutor Scott O’Reilly about the person who happened to find Paige four months ago. "Maybe it was divine intervention.” 

A citizen looking for deer sheds in a wooded area in Williamsburg Township stumbled upon a human skull. 

After an extensive three-day search, investigators uncovered more human remains, and they were sent to the Hamilton County Coroner’s office for examination and identification. With the assistance of a forensic dental consultant, the remains found were positively identified as Paige, said Clermont County Sheriff Chief Deputy Chris Stratton.  

Stratton was among the dozens of investigators, from both Ohio and Kentucky, searching for the young mother back in 2010, amid thousands of heavily wooded acres in Clermont County’s East Fork State Park. 

"It's gratifying, and just for the family, hopefully, it brings some sense of closure to them," Stratton said. "As a father, it's unimaginable.”

As for the case against Bumpass, O’Reilly said they have evidence supporting that he was in Clermont County that September night in 2010. 

"There certainly is evidence that supports putting him out there; her remains were out there, and obviously, if you connect the two of those together, you can see where those two charges, two counts come from," said O'Reilly, who will be prosecuting the case in Clermont County. 

If convicted on both counts, Bumpass could face four years behind bars. 

"(Bumpass) has put this family through so much trauma and so much agony over wondering what happened to Paige for so long," Sanders said. "In the grand scheme of things, compared to the agony that Paige's family has been put through, these are relatively minor charges. Certainly not worth the pain he's caused her family.”  

However, Sanders is not ruling out more charges if the evidence presents itself, including homicide. 

"The investigation is ongoing. It is possible that additional charges could come in the future, and certainly if appropriate and if the evidence ultimately develops, it would be our hope that someday we could pursue a homicide charge. However, at this point in time, pending further investigation, the cause of Paige Johnson's death is still undetermined," Sanders said. "It would be very unlikely that we would ever see an actual homicide charge absent some determination of that cause and manner of death. However, this is a big step today. It's a step I've looked forward to for almost a decade now."

He also said that other suspects in this case are not off the table. But for now, he is satisfied with Bumpass behind bars. 

"I'm certainly satisfied that our main suspect is facing some semblance of justice until somebody convinces me that this was not a homicide, I'll always be a little disappointed that there isn't more justice available for the Johnson family," he continued. 

Paige’s mother agreed. 

"I would love to get more charges, but today, I'm happy with what we have because I didn't know if we would get this far. Now, everyone knows what I’ve known all along, so that brings me some peace," Donna said. 

However, O’Reilly assured this case continues to be an ongoing investigation. 

“This isn't it,” he said. "Just because there's been an indictment, we still reserve the right to go back to the grand jury if we find new evidence.” 

As for Paige, Donna said, she is always with her. 

“We’re going to get your justice. Baby, I miss you. I love you. I can’t wait to see you again,” she said to her daughter. 

“It’s been a long time to wait,” Donna continued. "This year we finally have a lot more answers than we have had. (It’s a) cause for celebration. I don’t have to go to sleep not knowing where she is, and (we will) get justice. We can finally put her to rest properly."

Bumpass was booked into the Clermont County Jail Tuesday just after 2 p.m. and was held without bond. 

He was arraigned at the Clermont County Common Pleas Court Wednesday morning, where he pleaded not guilty to the two felony charges against him. The judge set a $50,000 bond, which was posted and he was released. 

His next court date is set for Aug. 10. 

If you have any further information about Paige Johnson's case, call the Covington Police at (859) 292-2222 or the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office at (513) 732-7500.