Albuquerque Felon Jarvis Johnson Cops to Gun Charges

Albuquerque’s Jarvis Johnson, 28, admitted today to dealing guns while barred by law, pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The guilty plea, entered in federal court, locks in a 70-month prison sentence, with a term of supervised release still to be determined. Johnson remains behind bars, awaiting a sentencing date yet to be set.

The charges stem from a December 2015 indictment that originally accused Johnson of five counts, including three separate incidents of unlawful firearm possession on June 1, June 2, and September 16, 2015. He was also charged with distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana on June 2, 2015. A prior conviction for meth distribution barred him from possessing weapons or ammo—rules he chose to ignore.

At the heart of today’s plea: Johnson sold three firearms and multiple rounds of ammunition to an undercover agent on September 16, 2015, in Bernalillo County. He admitted the sale and acknowledged his legal status as a prohibited possessor due to his felony record. The transaction wasn’t just a crime—it was a direct violation of federal law designed to keep deadly weapons out of dangerous hands.

The indictment also included a forfeiture order, requiring Johnson to surrender $6,850 to the United States. Authorities believe the cash is tied to his illegal activities, a reminder that his criminal enterprise stretched beyond just weapons. Every dollar forfeited is a hit to a street-level operator who treated guns and drugs as commodities.

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Albuquerque office and the Las Cruces Police Department, a joint effort targeting repeat offenders exploiting New Mexico’s criminal undercurrents. Their collaboration peeled back layers of illicit activity, leading to today’s admission of guilt.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana B. Long is prosecuting the case, pushing for accountability in a system where too many felons rearm and reoffend. Johnson’s 70-month sentence sends a message: when felons traffic in firearms, federal time follows.