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Shawn Johnson's stalker convicted

Olympic gold medal winner Shawn Johnson makes an appearance during the Visa Championships at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on August 15, 2009. Johnson won the balance beam competition last year in Beijing, and three more silver medals. UPI Photo/Robert Hughes
1 of 2 | Olympic gold medal winner Shawn Johnson makes an appearance during the Visa Championships at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on August 15, 2009. Johnson won the balance beam competition last year in Beijing, and three more silver medals. UPI Photo/Robert Hughes | License Photo

LOS ANGELES, June 12 (UPI) -- A Florida man has been convicted in Los Angeles of stalking Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast Shawn Johnson, officials said.

Robert M. O'Ryan, 36, had been charged with felony stalking and commercial burglary of the 18-year-old Johnson, but had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The Los Angeles Times said officials alleged he traveled from Florida to Los Angeles to find Johnson.

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Officials said he scaled a fence at CBS Television City in Los Angeles in 2009 as Johnson was taping "Dancing With the Stars."

Johnson testified she was so afraid of O'Ryan she thought about quitting the popular TV dancing competition that she eventually won.

"He was a stranger to me. To see somebody had that much kind of obsession, it made me really scared," she said.

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