FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a single-count indictment against Victor Bernard Johnson, Jr., 31, of Florence, for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited felon.
The indictment alleges that on or about December 25, 2021, Johnson possessed a firearm and ammunition knowing that he had a prior conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.
Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and is currently detained pending trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Florence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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