Robert Johnson, Felon with Firearm, Denver CO, 2022

DENVER, CO – A federal jury delivered a guilty verdict Wednesday to Robert Vandori Johnson, 40, of Aurora, for illegally possessing a firearm. The conviction comes after a February bust that also snared Daevon House, 30, of Denver, who previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. Both men, already convicted felons, were found to be in possession of weapons, adding years to their potential prison time.

The case unfolded on February 1, 2022, when Denver police were actively searching for House due to an outstanding arrest warrant. Officers spotted House and Johnson arriving at a Denver apartment complex. After a brief period inside, both men returned to Johnson’s vehicle. As officers moved to arrest House, he bolted, ditching a firearm in his attempt to escape. He was quickly apprehended.

Johnson wasn’t so lucky. As he exited the car, a semiautomatic pistol tumbled from his waistband, landing at the feet of officers. The discovery sealed his fate. Both men were immediately flagged as prohibited possessors given their prior felony convictions. The Denver Police Department quickly handed the case over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for further investigation.

The two-day trial presided over by Judge Philip A. Brimmer concluded with the jury finding Johnson guilty on November 16, 2022. He now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars, a hefty $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The sentencing date has yet to be announced. House, who pleaded guilty earlier in the year, already received his punishment: 91 months in prison, handed down by Judge Raymond P. Moore on August 9, 2022.

The prosecution, handled by the Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, highlighted the danger posed by repeat offenders illegally armed. This case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and local communities. The Department of Justice launched a renewed focus on PSN in May 2021.

The ATF and Denver Police Department conducted the investigation. Case number 22-cr-00046-RM will remain open until sentencing is complete. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the final outcomes for both Johnson and House, as well as ongoing efforts to curb illegal gun violence in the Denver area.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Weapons

Devon Newsome Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Transfer of Firearms, Albany NY, 2024

Sep 3, 2024

Weapons

Keith R. Hardin, Felony Firearm Possession, Indiana 2023

Dec 11, 2020

Weapons

Keith Bennett Gordon Studhorse II, Body Armor Sales, WA 2024

Dec 13, 2016

Weapons

David Barber, Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone, WI 2024

Jan 30, 2023