Littleton Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug Trafficking Crimes

DENVER—Jeffery Allan Johnston, age 46, of Parker, Colorado, today pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and one count of possession with intent to distribute MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy), and admitted the forfeiture allegation in the information, United States Attorney John Walsh and FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle announced. At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Brimmer ordered that he be immediately remanded into custody. Johnston is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Brimmer on February 3, 2014.

Johnston was first charged by criminal complaint on July 19, 2013. He was arrested at his Parker home on July 22, 2013. He was charged by information on August 15, 2013, where he waived his right to be indicted by a federal grand jury. He pled guilty today, October 28, 2013.

According to the stipulated facts in the plea agreement, as well as other court documents, in April 2012, a source told law enforcement that he (the source) attended a party at Johnston’s home. While at the party, the source claims he observed behavior consistent with the use of illegal drugs. On July 16, 2013, a source received a message from Johnston. In cooperation with the FBI, the source returned Johnston’s call and had a coded conversation about providing Johnston with MDMA. On July 19, 2013, the source, working with the FBI, traveled to Johnston’s residence. Through monitored and recorded calls before the meeting, the source had agreed to deliver 75 MDMA pills to Johnston. The source and Johnston then met at Johnston’s residence. The exchange of money and MDMA took place in the kitchen of the residence. Johnston received approximately 9.9 grams of MDMA, in the form of 37 pills and 6.3 grams of powder MDMA. Johnston paid the source $1,300 for the drugs. Following the transaction, Johnston was taken into custody and a federal search warrant was executed at the residence.

During the search agents found the MDMA used during the controlled exchange in a kitchen drawer. They also found a stainless steel Colt Officers Model .45 caliber pistol located in a small black bag, loaded with seven rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber located above the kitchen drawer that contained the drugs. Investigators eventually located a small amount of cocaine, steroids, hundreds of prescription pills, additional firearms, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the residence. They also found eight other firearms, including an AR-15 and two 12-gauge shotguns. At all pertinent times, the defendant was employed as a sworn police officer.

Johnston faces not more than 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for being a prohibited person in possession of firearms (specifically an unlawful user of Schedule I controlled substances, MDMA, MDA, and GHB while knowingly possessing multiple firearms). He also faces not more than 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for possession with intent to distribute MDMA (ecstasy).

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Johnston is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Conner and Guy Till.