Defendant Previously Convicted of Manslaughter Indicted for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

           WASHINGTON - Monte Tyree Johnson, 29, of the District of Columbia, has been indicted on a federal gun charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again” public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., that is surging resources and charging more gun crimes in District Court to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia.

         Johnson was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. 

         U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg detained Johnson on charges articulated in a criminal complaint filed on March 20, 2025, charging unlawful possession of a firearm. As outlined in the criminal complaint, Johnson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than one year. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Johnson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on December 10, 2021, and was sentenced to 96 months in prison. 

         According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, United States Marshals arrested Johnson for allegedly violating the terms of his supervised release. Johnson was taken into custody without incident at a residence in Northeast Washington, D.C., where authorities also allegedly recovered a firearm, high-capacity magazine, ammunition, and suspected narcotics.

         On March 18, 2025, it is alleged that U.S. Marshals observed Johnson leaving a residence on Cassell Place NE carrying a black crossbody bag. The next day, investigators returned to the residence with knowledge of the active warrant and arrested Johnson in a third-floor bedroom.

         Upon arrest, it is alleged that investigators observed the same black crossbody bag next to the bed Johnson had been occupying. In plain view, a high-capacity ammunition feeding device was protruding from the bag. A subsequent court-authorized search warrant led to the recovery of a loaded handgun, extended magazine, and controlled substances.

       This case is part of Make DC Safe Again, a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators who are a danger to the community.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.