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Federal officials announced that the Baltimore native has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after he admitted to accepting thousands of dollars worth of bribes and kickbacks in exchange for handgun qualifying licenses they never earned.
The 34-year-old pleaded guilty in April to a federal charge of honest services wire fraud for falsely certifying applicants for Maryland handgun qualifying licenses and wear and carry permits without proper training.
In Maryland, in order to purchase, rent, or receive a handgun, one must have a handgun qualifying license, which required at least four hours of instruction by a qualified handgun instructor, which Johnson became months after joining the agency.
Residents are also required to obtain a license to wear and carry a handgun, which requires upwards of 24 hours of instruction, as well as pass a shooting test to “demonstrate their proficiency and use of the firearm.”
According to his guilty plea, between May 2019 and September 2019, Johnson solicited bribes and kickbacks through various cash apps from applicants seeking the licenses in exchange for him falsely certifying to Maryland State Police that instruction was completed.
Johnson charged between $100 and $200 for certification applications without having his co-conspirators take any required classes or instruction.
After receiving payment from the applicants, Johnson sent the applicants a “Certified Qualification Score Sheet” falsely certifying that the applicant completed the required training. Those falsified forms were then submitted as part of their application.
Johnson, who had been with the department since August 2008, pocketed nearly $17,000 during the scheme, according to the Department of Justice.
“We’re taking a hardline on any and all firearms-related violations,” US Attorney Erek Barron previously said. “These requirements are in place for good reasons and we’re trusting law enforcement officials to ensure compliance.”
In addition to his prison term, Johnson was also ordered to pay back $16,804 in restitution.
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