Huntington Man Sentenced for Federal Meth and Gun Charges

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who previously pled guilty to drug and gun charges was sentenced today to 131 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Jonathan Forest Johnson, 31, entered guilty pleas to distribution of methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in October 2018 in federal court in Huntington.  Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.

“Almost 11 years in prison,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Yet another gun-toting drug dealer taken off the streets of Huntington.”

On January 29, 2018, a confidential informant contacted Johnson to arrange the purchase of methamphetamine.  After negotiating the transaction, Johnson directed the informant to meet him in the parking lot of a department store located in the 3000 block of U.S. Route 60 in Huntington.  The informant met with Johnson at that location and Johnson sold the informant 15 grams of crystal methamphetamine in exchange for $330.

On February 2, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence located at 3405 5th Avenue in Huntington. During the search, investigators seized a number of items including 17 grams of heroin, 4.5 grams of meth, two 9mm pistols, a .40 caliber pistol, a .22 caliber rifle, a 12 gauge shotgun, and a 16 gauge shotgun.  Johnson was arrested during the search and Johnson admitted that he intended to sell the heroin and meth found in his residence.  Johnson further admitted that he possessed the firearms to serve as protection based on his involvement in distributing heroin and meth.

Johnson also admitted to selling an additional 15 grams of meth to an informant on January 31, 2018, and that he was prohibited from possessing the firearms seized based on multiple prior felony convictions in the Cabell County Circuit Court for First Degree Robbery and Malicious Wounding.   Johnson also admitted that he had been selling heroin and meth for the two-month period prior to the February 2 search of  his residence.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.  United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.