United States Attorney D. Michael Hurst, Jr.

Southern District of Mississippi

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: SHEILA WILBANKS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 PHONE: (601) 965-4480
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms

Semiautomatic Rifles, 100-Round Drum Magazine, Handguns

Results in Almost 8 Years in Prison for Convicted Felon
Defendant Wearing Ankle Monitor, on State Parole When Arrested for Illegal Firearms

Jackson, Miss. – Montavious Johnson, 25, of Ridgeland, was sentenced Friday by U.S.
District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 94 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of
supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of multiple firearms and a 100-
round drum magazine announced, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley and Kurt Thielhorn, Special
Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Johnson was arrested on September 11, 2018, as part of a joint operation by the Hinds
County Sheriff’s Office, the Richland Police Department, the DEA and ATF. After arresting
Johnson for the sale of heroin, officers executed a search warrant at the apartment in Jackson
where Johnson was staying. Numerous firearms were recovered, including two AR-15
semiautomatic rifles and four pistols. Johnson also had a 100-round high capacity magazine
loaded in one of the AR-15’s.

Johnson had previously been convicted of state felony offenses in both Madison and
Hinds County, Mississippi. At the time of his arrest, Johnson was on parole from prior state
convictions and was wearing an ankle monitor. Johnson pled guilty before Judge Wingate on
April 26, 2019.

The case was investigated by the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, the Richland
Police Department, the DEA, and the ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorney Dave Fulcher.

This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe
Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing
violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for
"Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law
enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our
neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in
2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S.
Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement
and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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