Convicted felon Tameen “Nitty” Johnson, 39, of Schenectady, New York, was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury on charges of illegally possessing and selling a loaded handgun—despite being barred from owning firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions. The verdict, delivered in Albany, marks the latest blow against underground gun trafficking in upstate New York.
Johnson sold a Hi-Point JCP .40 caliber handgun—loaded with seven rounds of ammunition—to an undercover buyer inside a Schenectady convenience store for $200. The weapon’s serial number had been deliberately defaced, a common tactic among traffickers to impede law enforcement tracing. During the exchange, Johnson demonstrated how to operate the firearm and warned the buyer not to lose the “hammer,” according to trial testimony.
Before handing over the weapon, Johnson asked if it would be used “to book somebody,” a street euphemism for committing violence. His actions were captured as part of a coordinated federal sting led by the Capital District Safe Streets Task Force, which has intensified operations targeting repeat violent offenders and illegal gun networks.
Due to Johnson’s criminal history—including prior convictions for firearm offenses, drug crimes, and assault—he qualifies as a prohibited possessor under federal law. As a result, he now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, with a maximum possible penalty of life behind bars. Sentencing is scheduled before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy.
The investigation was a multi-agency effort involving the FBI’s Albany Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the New York State Police, the Schenectady Police Department, the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York Air National Guard.
“This conviction sends a clear message: felons who traffic in illegal firearms will be pursued, prosecuted, and punished,” said United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. Assistant United States Attorney Wayne A. Myers handled the prosecution. Johnson remains in federal custody pending sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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