DALLAS – A 28-year-old Dallas man with a violent criminal history has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Leigha Simonton.
Jaterrian Damon Johnson was arrested last Wednesday and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Monday.
According to the criminal complaint, on Aug. 7, plainclothes officers conducted surveillance at an apartment complex near Walnut Hill Lane and Greenville Avenue.
The increased police presence was in response to a previous incident where Dallas Police officers were involved in a confrontation with suspects who crashed a stolen pickup truck into a patrol vehicle.
During the surveillance, officers observed a black Kia Sorrento leaving the apartment complex, committing multiple traffic violations.
Officers stopped the vehicle, and while checking the driver’s license, they noticed Johnson, who was seated in the passenger seat, acting suspiciously.
According to the officers, Johnson made furtive movements and frequently turned to look back at the officers.
When officers returned to the vehicle, they spotted a high-capacity Glock magazine on the floorboard beneath Johnson’s seat.
As officers searched the vehicle’s glove compartment they found a .40 caliber Glock handgun, loaded with a live round in the chamber, and modified with a Glock switch.
A Glock switch is a device that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic weapon.
A criminal history check showed that Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and had served three years in state prison.
Johnson was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, a federal offense that could result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years if he is convicted.