Washington D.C. man Damian Johnson, 24, known on social media as "Damien Johnson," is facing 21 months of federal prison time for possessing firearms illegally, an act he boasted about on Instagram. Announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and MPD Chief Pamela Smith, the conviction stems from Johnson's own social media posts where he displayed various weapons, a brazen move considering he was under court-ordered supervision at the time, as per U.S. Attorney's Office.
Already sentenced in October 2022 for carrying a pistol without a license, Johnson will now serve his federal sentence subsequently, stacking up to 37 months behind bars. Officers from the MPD Robbery Suppression Unit, after surveilling his Instagram account, conducted an evening raid on December 26, 2023, where Johnson, with a swift turn, tried to ditch a Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol by throwing it behind a bed. However, the gun was still in plain sight when the officers found it. According to the Department of Justice, while searching Johnson's apartment, a drum magazine and an extended magazine with a total of 61 rounds of ammunition were discovered in a closet.
Johnson had earlier drawn attention to himself by posting images holding firearms, even while outfitted with a court-mandated GPS ankle monitor. Arrested last Thursday by U.S. Marshals and subsequently indicted by a federal Grand Jury, Johnson's online bravado transformed into tangible evidence against him. The case, later prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Cole.
A widely noticed social media post that drew official scrutiny featured Johnson and a pregnant woman holding firearms equipped with extended magazines and scopes. One image, in particular, showed Johnson wearing a court-ordered GPS monitor on his ankle, highlighting a blatant disregard for the legal restrictions imposed on him due to prior offenses.
