Derkwon Johnson, a 26-year-old resident of the District of Columbia, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon, reported the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Johnson, already on probation for a series of crimes including armed robberies and assault, was caught with a loaded Glock 23 pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed that in addition to his prison sentence, Johnson will also be subject to three years of supervised release.
The investigation that led to Johnson's arrest started after Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) investigators found posts on Johnson's Instagram account in December 2023. These posts included images of what appeared to be marijuana, a firearm, and ammunition. On January 4, 2024, officers with the Sixth District Crime Suppression Team executed a search warrant at Johnson’s home on Minnesota Ave. SE., where they seized the weapon, over 300 grams of marijuana, oxycodone pills, cash, and other drug paraphernalia.
In an early morning raid, police discovered the incriminating items in Johnson's apartment, which he shared with his half-sister and her four children. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the children and several adults were present in the second bedroom when officers carried out the search. In another bedroom, the officers found the Glock 23 on a piece of bedroom furniture.
Johnson’s legal troubles date back to prior convictions in 2018 for armed robbery and other charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office notes that at the time of his arrest in January 2024, Johnson was under probation for conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of armed robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, possession with intent to distribute PCP, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
This latest case against Johnson was a collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin leading the prosecution.
