Baltimore Felon Exiled to 18 Years in Prison for Possessing a Gun

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg sentenced Kevin J. Johnson, age 33, of Baltimore, today to 18 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Legg enhanced Johnson’s sentence upon finding that he is an armed career criminal based on three previous drug convictions.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III of the Baltimore City Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein.

According to evidence presented at his three day trial, on September 4, 2010 Baltimore Police officers working at a parking garage located at 414 Water Street in Baltimore observed Johnson chasing another individual with a shiny object in his hand. An officer yelled for them to stop. Johnson stumbled and when he stood, he was holding a handgun which he pointed at the individual. Johnson walked over to a window grate and dropped the gun to the street below. The officers cuffed Johnson and recovered the gun, which was loaded with one round in the chamber and six rounds in the magazine.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Baltimore City Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Celeste and Assistant United States Attorney Brooke Carey, who prosecuted the case.