Shiprock man pleads guilty to illegal possession of firearms

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Kendale Johnson pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Johnson, 34, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.

            In the plea agreement, Johnson admitted to being a passenger of a vehicle and getting into a dispute with the driver of another vehicle. The dispute resulted in Johnson’s arrest, and he was found to have a 9mm rifle and two bullets in his pocket at that time. Johnson also admitted to possessing a stock rifle, night vision scope, and 9mm ammunition magazine which were in the car.

            At the time of the offense, Johnson had a prior conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon. As a convicted felon, Johnson could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

At sentencing, Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison followed by up to 3 years of supervised release.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline D. Wilson is prosecuting the case.

# # #

23-43