Washington, D.C. – Jonathan Johnson, 35, is facing serious time after a jury convicted him of unlawful possession of a firearm – a firearm that turned out to be far more dangerous than initially suspected. The conviction, handed down July 26th in U.S. District Court, stems from a December 2020 incident where MPD officers found Johnson scrambling near his vehicle with a dropped weapon.
According to court testimony, officers responded to the 13th Street SE area around 6:00 PM on the night of December 29th, 2020. They discovered Johnson crouching behind his car and, crucially, a firearm lying on the curb. It wasn’t just any firearm; investigators quickly determined the weapon had been illegally modified with a “giggle switch” – a cheap and dangerous alteration that transforms a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machine gun.
The loaded weapon contained a high-capacity magazine with 22 rounds, painting a clear picture of intent. Prosecutors argued – and the jury agreed – that Johnson, a convicted felon, had no legal right to possess *any* firearm, let alone one capable of unleashing a rapid stream of bullets. The modification to full-auto status significantly upped the ante, raising the stakes from simple possession to a serious threat to public safety.
The three-day trial, presided over by Judge Florence Y. Pan, presented evidence from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The coordinated effort of these agencies was critical in securing the conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Birney, Lauren Renaud, Janani Iyengar, William G. Hart, Josh A. Gold, and Colin Cloherty built the case and secured the guilty verdict.
Federal prosecutors didn’t shy away from highlighting the danger posed by illegally modified weapons and the risk of recidivism when convicted felons are armed. The jury clearly saw things the same way, returning a unanimous verdict. This isn’t about a simple gun charge; it’s about a dangerous individual with a history of criminal behavior possessing a weapon capable of mass harm.
Johnson is now awaiting sentencing, scheduled for November 15, 2023. While the exact penalty remains to be determined, federal law carries significant penalties for unlawful firearm possession by a convicted felon, particularly when the weapon is a modified machine gun. Grimy Times will be there to report the final outcome. Expect a harsh sentence.
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Key Facts
- Category: Weapons
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