Bend Meth Kingpin Dana Lee Johnson Gets 12+ Years for Gun and Drug Hoard

Bend, Oregon – Dana Lee Johnson, a 41-year-old repeat offender, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.

Johnson’s lengthy criminal history and recent arrest left law enforcement with little choice but to seek maximum penalties. ‘This case is a prime example of the devastating impact of methamphetamine on our communities,’ said Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam E. Delph. ‘We will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt the flow of these deadly substances.’

According to court documents, on March 26, 2021, a deputy from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Tetherow Resort in Bend after a housekeeper discovered a bag of suspected drugs in a guest room. Upon arrival, the deputy located a one-gallon plastic bag containing approximately one quarter pound of methamphetamine, two hypodermic needles, and a metal safe. The safe was later found to contain an additional half pound of methamphetamine.

Hotel records indicated that Johnson, who had a suspended driver’s license and an outstanding felony warrant for failing to register as a sex offender, was the last guest to stay in the room where the drugs were found. On April 1, 2021, a deputy returned to the resort after learning that Johnson had contacted the hotel to inquire about the safe he had left behind.

One week later, on April 8, 2021, law enforcement officers located and stopped Johnson traveling in a rental vehicle. Investigators searched the vehicle and found more than $7,000 in cash, a rental car agreement in Johnson’s name, and a black backpack belonging to Johnson. Inside the backpack, investigators found and seized an additional half pound of methamphetamine, nearly a half pound of heroin, and a loaded semi-automatic pistol.

The investigation was spearheaded by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE), a multi-jurisdictional task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam E. Delph. ‘This sentence should serve as a warning to those who would seek to profit from the destruction of our communities,’ said Delph.

The CODE team includes members of the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sunriver, and Black Butte Police Departments; the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department; the Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices; the Oregon State Police; the Oregon National Guard; DEA; and the FBI.