OAKLAND — A San Leandro man with a prior conviction for a cocaine-related crime has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing marijuana and firearm charges and for violating his previous release conditions, authorities said.
Laron Jamal Johnson, 31, was sentenced May 24 to 91 months in prison by United States District Judge Jon S. Tigar.
According to a U.S Attorney’s Office release, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charges on March 8. By pleading guilty, Johnson admitted that on Sept. 22, he was traveling in Oakland in possession of 100 grams of marijuana he intended to sell, as well as a .40 caliber Glock pistol loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, the release said.
Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 13, on the gun and marijuana charges and was sentenced by Tigar for those counts as well as for violating terms of his release. In addition to the prison term, Tigar ordered Johnson to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon the conclusion of his prison term. During that time, according to the documents, he can be searched at any time by law enforcement, with or without suspicion, Tigar ordered.
At the time of the 2018 arrest, Johnson was subject to conditions of his release from federal prison after a 2009 federal drug-related firearms conviction and he admitted knowingly violating those conditions, the release said.
According to authorities and federal court records, Johnson was arrested in West Oakland in April 2009 while in possession of crack cocaine and a gun. He was initially charged in federal court with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In a November 2009 plea deal, Johnson pleaded guilty to the carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The other two counts were dismissed and he was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release, the documents say.