COLUMBIA, S.C. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nathan Johnson, Jr., 45, of Richland County, has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on April 20, 2024, a Richland County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a service call at a residence in Richland County. Upon arrival, the deputy observed a vehicle sitting in the middle of the road with the brake lights on. The deputy approached and found Johnson asleep in the car with the car in drive and Johnson’s foot on the brake. After the deputy woke Johnson up, the deputy told him to put the car in park, but Johnson put the car in reverse and struck the marked unit. After getting Johnson out of the vehicle, the deputy searched him and found more than 100 grams of cocaine in his pocket and a .45 caliber pistol in the glove compartment.
Johnson faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Johnson after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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