COLUMBIA, S.C. – Fentanyl distribution and gun crimes have landed a Lexington County man behind bars for 11 years. Joseph Anthony Johnson, 34, of Irmo, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl and for two convictions of felon in possession of a firearm.
Johnson’s crime spree was uncovered by law enforcement on Jan. 24, 2022, when officers with the West Columbia Police Department found him in possession of fentanyl and a loaded .380 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number. That firearm was stolen, and Johnson was prohibited from possessing any firearm at the time due to multiple prior felony convictions. His rap sheet includes 19 convictions, including assault and battery 3rd degree, methamphetamine distribution, seven drug possessions, an illegal firearm possession, resisting arrest, failure to stop on police command, and financial transaction card theft.
Johnson’s troubles continued even after he was released on bond. On Feb. 15, 2022, and again on Feb. 24, 2022, while out on bond, Johnson sold heroin and another loaded .380 caliber pistol to an undercover source. Johnson was armed with a firearm in his waistband during one of the drug transactions. His luck ran out on July 22, 2022, when he was arrested for the conduct above, and he was again found with heroin and fentanyl.
Johnson’s crimes have finally caught up with him. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Johnson to 11 years in federal prison with six years of court-ordered supervision to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Columbia Police Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
The sentence sends a strong message that fentanyl distribution and gun crimes will not be tolerated in our community. Johnson’s actions have put countless lives at risk, and he must face the consequences. We hope that his lengthy sentence will serve as a deterrent to others who would engage in similar crimes.
Related Federal Cases
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- Ladson Man Faces Life in Prison on Fentanyl Conspiracy Charge · South Carolina
- Endira Torres, 5 Others Busted in SC Meth, Fentanyl Conspiracy · South Carolina
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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