Bend Repeat Offender Dana Lee Johnson Sentenced to 12+ Years for Meth, Gun Possession

EUGENE, Ore.—In a blow to the streets of Bend, Oregon, Dana Lee Johnson, 41, was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine and firearm crime.

Johnson, a repeat offender with a lengthy criminal history, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison, along with five years of supervised release. The harsh sentence comes after a string of incidents, including a discovery of methamphetamine at the Tetherow Resort in Bend.

On March 26, 2021, a Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the Tetherow Resort after a housekeeper found a suspicious bag in a guest room. The bag contained a quarter pound of methamphetamine, two hypodermic needles, and a metal safe. Hotel records revealed that Johnson was the last guest to stay in the room.

One week later, on April 1, 2021, a deputy returned to the resort after learning that Johnson had inquired about the safe he had left behind. A search of the vehicle Johnson was traveling in on April 8, 2021, turned up more than $7,000 in cash, a rental car agreement, and a black backpack belonging to Johnson. Inside the backpack, investigators found an additional half pound of methamphetamine, nearly a half pound of heroin, and a loaded semi-automatic pistol.

The charges against Johnson were laid out in a four-count indictment filed on November 18, 2021. He was charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Johnson pleaded guilty to the charges on October 11, 2023. The case was investigated by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE), with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The team includes members from various law enforcement agencies, including local police departments and county sheriff’s offices.