BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Shawndell Johnson, a 32-year-old resident of Melbourne, has found himself entangled in a web of drug-related charges and firearms offenses, putting him on a collision course with the law.
Johnson’s criminal record paints a troubling picture. Prior to the recent charges, he had already been convicted of multiple felonies, including murder in the third degree without design and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
These previous convictions had already stripped him of the legal right to possess firearms or ammunition, yet Johnson continued to disregard the law.
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The investigation into Johnson’s criminal activities began in September 2022, when he was caught distributing fentanyl to a confidential source on two separate occasions. Fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, has become a scourge in communities across the United States, contributing to a surge in overdose deaths. Johnson’s involvement in the distribution of this deadly substance only exacerbated the crisis.
In March 2023, Johnson’s luck finally ran out. He was arrested on state charges stemming from his fentanyl distribution activities. The subsequent search of his residence uncovered a trove of illicit substances, including hundreds of grams of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Additionally, law enforcement discovered digital scales, drug processing materials, and over $30,000 in cash – all telltale signs of a thriving drug trafficking operation.
The search of Johnson’s residence also revealed the presence of two firearms and accompanying ammunition. As a convicted felon, his possession of these weapons was a blatant violation of federal law. The discovery of the firearms further highlighted the dangerous nature of Johnson’s criminal enterprise, as he had seemingly integrated firearms into his drug trafficking activities.
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Shawndell Johnson has now pleaded guilty to a litany of charges, including distribution of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The gravity of these offenses carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, with the potential for a life sentence in federal prison.
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