Charles Dana Johnson II, a 36-year-old resident of Cairo, West Virginia, has entered a guilty plea to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea was made today in Charleston.
The incident leading to Johnson's arrest occurred on November 17, 2024, when law enforcement stopped his vehicle in Parkersburg. During the traffic stop, Johnson admitted to having a loaded SCCY model DVG-1 9mm pistol and a loaded Walther model P22 .22-caliber pistol concealed in his waistband.
Federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Johnson was aware of this restriction due to previous convictions for possession with intent to deliver heroin in October 2016 and first-degree robbery in January 2012, both adjudicated in Wood County Circuit Court.
Johnson is scheduled for sentencing on October 2, 2025. He could face up to 15 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a fine amounting to $250,000.
The announcement came from Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, who praised the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) alongside the Wood County Sheriff's Office.
Presiding over the hearing was United States District Judge Irene C. Berger. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is handling the prosecution.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which unites various law enforcement levels with communities to curb violent crime and gun violence while enhancing neighborhood safety. In May 2021, the Department launched an updated strategy for reducing violent crime under PSN focusing on community trust and legitimacy, strategic enforcement priorities, supporting violence prevention organizations, and result measurement.
Additionally, this case is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice targeting illegal immigration eradication and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). This operation combines resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
For more information regarding this case or related documents, interested parties can visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia or search PACER using Case No. 2:25-cr-27.
