Lindsey Johnson, Carjacking, Mississippi 2016

A federal appeals court has upheld the carjacking and firearms convictions of Lindsey Johnson, a Jackson man who was sentenced to 180 months in prison.

Johnson, 30, was convicted in May 2016 of carjacking, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was accused of stealing a car at gunpoint on August 2, 2015.

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Johnson, charging him with the crimes.

Johnson’s defense team had argued that the trial court had erred in denying the admission of evidence during trial and penalizing Johnson during sentencing. They also argued that the prosecutor had violated the law by cross-examining Johnson about his prior convictions.

However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld Johnson’s conviction and sentence, ruling that the trial court had not erred in denying the admission of evidence and that the prosecutor had not violated the law.

The court also upheld the district court’s finding that Johnson had lied on the stand and thus qualified for a higher sentence. In addition, the court sustained the trial court’s finding that Johnson’s two prior state convictions for carjacking qualified for an increased sentence as a crime of violence.

The case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted at trial by Assistant United States Attorneys Abe McGlothin and Darren LaMarca. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gaines Cleveland handled the appeal.

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