Desmon Johnson Admits to Illegal Firearm Possession

Desmon Johnson, 35, of Parkville, Maryland, has admitted to unlawfully possessing five firearms in Preston County, West Virginia, in September 2016 — a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine.

Johnson pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in federal court, confirming he held the weapons despite having a prior felony conviction. Federal law bars felons from owning or possessing any firearm, a rule Johnson violated with a stockpile of five guns discovered during the investigation.

U.S. Attorney Bill Powell confirmed the plea, underscoring the seriousness of illegal firearm possession by individuals with criminal histories. “This prosecution sends a clear message: felons with guns will be pursued and punished,” Powell said. “Public safety demands no less.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) alongside the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force — a HIDTA-funded operation targeting high-risk offenders in the region.

This prosecution emerged from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to slash violent crime through targeted enforcement, community collaboration, and reentry support. PSN prioritizes locking up the most dangerous offenders while working to prevent repeat offenses through local partnerships.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the hearing. Sentencing will be determined under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, weighing the severity of the offense and Johnson’s criminal past. A date for sentencing has not yet been set.