Knoxville, Tennessee – On February 20, 2018, Steven Eugene Johnson, a.k.a. Yahya Johnson, 36, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced to serve 37 months in federal prison by the Honorable Pamela Reeves, U.S. District Court Judge. Upon his release from prison, Johnson will be supervised by the U.S. Probation office for three years.
Johnson previously pleaded guilty to violating the Gun Control Act for being a felon in possession of a firearm and the National Firearms Act for possessing an unregistered silencer. It was illegal for Johnson to possess firearms and/or ammunition due to a 2011 felony conviction in Knox County, Tennessee.
The investigation revealed that from March through July 2017, Johnson spoke with friends about buying and selling firearms and also about acquiring and manufacturing homemade silencers for firearms. He advertised online that he was interested in buying, selling, and trading firearms, and he sought to learn how to obtain firearms without completing a background check. Federal investigators executed a search warrant at Johnson’s home in July 2017 and recovered a .22 caliber handgun, a .22 caliber rifle, over 600 rounds of ammunition, a homemade silencer, and materials believed to be intended for use in assembling a destructive device.
Johnson admitted that he unlawfully possessed the firearms, ammunition, and silencer.
To protect the safety of our citizens and neighborhoods, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute aggressively convicted felons who illegally possess or attempt to gain access to firearms,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
This case was investigated by the FBI and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bart Slabbekorn represented the United States in court proceedings. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons