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CONVENT — On September 11, Joseph Johnson Jr., 37, of Convent, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Johnson was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Koenig, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Steven Tureau. This guilty plea was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors following a 2021 traffic stop.

On February 16. 2021, an officer with the Gramercy Police Department on routine patrol in the City of Gramercy observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation. A traffic stop was initiated, and the officer made contact with the occupants of the vehicle. Upon the officer having the occupants exit the vehicle and conducting a pat-down of each, one passenger identified as Joseph Johnson possessed a loaded .45 caliber handgun inside his waistband. The firearm was removed for officer safety. A criminal history check indicated that Johnson was listed as a Convicted Felon-Violent Offender. Johnson has a prior felony conviction for Second Degree Battery. Johnson was arrested and transported to the St. James Parish Jail, where he was booked accordingly.

Upon entering a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charge, pursuant to the plea agreement with prosecutors, Johnson was sentenced to 15 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

Submitted by Public Information Officer Tyler Cavalier for 23^rd Judicial District Attorney Ricky L. Babin.