A man with a violent past is now facing federal charges for unlawful gun possession. Johnny Blahnik Church, 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of second-degree murder in state court in July 2021 for the December 2018 death of Chris Bagley.
But Church’s troubles didn’t end there. In a shocking turn of events, he pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine and cocaine in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
The crime took place in February 2019, when Church possessed a Glock .40 caliber handgun and multiple rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. At the time, he was prohibited from doing so because he was a knowing user of both cocaine and methamphetamine.
Church’s prior convictions have earned him a stiff sentence. In December 2021, he was sentenced to 57 years in Iowa state prison for second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, and abuse of a corpse.
Now, Church faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Sentencing will be set after a presentence report is prepared.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Church remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.
Related Federal Cases
- Cory Allen More, Gun Possession by Unlawful User, Iowa 2023 · Alabama
- Marveon Williams, Gun Possession by Felon, Iowa 2022 · Iowa
- Kyler Goettsch, Illegal Gun Possession, Iowa 2023 · Indiana
- Kendan Fonville, Unlawful Drug User in Possession of Firearms, Ceda… · Massachusetts
- Billy Douglas Thorne Sentenced to 21 Years for Unlawful Possession … · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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