Brandon Johnson Gets Over Four-and-a-Half Years for Illegal Firearm in Kids’ Home

CHICAGO — Brandon Johnson, a 37-year-old Chicago resident, was sentenced to more than four and a half years in federal prison for his reckless action of illegally possessing a loaded handgun inside a residence filled with children. The incident occurred on January 25, 2020, when police were called to Johnson’s Near West Side home after a local individual reported that the defendant had brandished the weapon and threatened to shoot.

Johnson, who has an extensive criminal history including multiple felony convictions, was not legally allowed to own or possess firearms. His latest transgression came to light following a confrontation in his own home, where he endangered several young lives with his brazen act of gun possession.

Pleading guilty to federal firearm charges earlier this year, Johnson faced a 55-month sentence from U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey on August 13, 2025. Since December 2020, the defendant has been in law enforcement custody, and he will be credited for time served.

Announcing the sentence, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew S. Boutros echoed concerns over Chicago’s persistent gun violence issue. “The possession of a loaded firearm is a significant contributor to that gun violence,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.

Supporting law enforcement efforts, Christopher C. Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, commended the Chicago Police Department for their valuable assistance in this case. Johnson’s sentence sends a strong message about the serious consequences faced by those who put children and communities at risk through illegal gun possession.

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