DENVER, CO – A Denver street stop turned into a lengthy prison sentence for Robert Vandori Johnson, 40, of Aurora. Johnson was sentenced to 235 months – over 19.5 years – in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The case highlights the ongoing battle to keep guns out of the hands of those legally prohibited from owning them.
The bust unfolded February 1, 2022, when Denver police were hunting for Daevon House, 30, of Denver, wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant. Officers spotted House and Johnson arriving at a Denver apartment complex. Both men entered the building briefly before returning to Johnson’s car. As officers moved to apprehend House, he bolted, dropping a firearm as he fled. House, also a convicted felon, was quickly taken into custody.
But the trouble didn’t end there. As officers contacted Johnson and asked him to exit the vehicle, a semiautomatic pistol tumbled from his waistband. Johnson, too, was a convicted felon, making possession of the handgun a federal crime. The evidence presented at the two-day trial before Judge Philip A. Brimmer clearly demonstrated Johnson’s unlawful possession of the weapon.
The jury delivered its guilty verdict on November 16, 2022, and on February 17, 2023, Judge Raymond P. Moore handed down the 235-month sentence, followed by five years of supervised release. Co-defendant Daevon House previously pleaded guilty and received a 91-month prison sentence on August 9, 2022. Both men now face extended periods behind bars.
“We are working aggressively with the ATF and the Denver Police Department to take dangerous felons with guns off the streets of Denver,” stated U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “If you are a convicted felon caught with a firearm or ammunition, you can expect to face severe consequences.” Acting ATF Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard added, “The presence of two felons who are unlawfully carrying firearms on our streets is a clear indication of impending violent crime.”
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Denver Police Department, with prosecution handled by the Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through coordinated law enforcement efforts and community engagement. Case Number: 22-cr-00046-RM.
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