Maryland felon sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling ammunition to a felon

GREENBELT, Md. – Phillip Rudolph Johnson Jr., 43, of Bowie, Md., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for selling ammunition to a prohibited person.

The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Washington Field Division and the Maryland State Police.

According to his plea agreement, on Sept. 26, 2011, Johnson, who had previously been convicted of a felony, bought 50 rounds of 9 mm ammunition from a gun dealer in Waldorf, Md. Johnson subsequently sold or disposed of the ammunition to another individual who Johnson knew had previously been convicted of a felony.

On Dec. 8, 2011, ATF agents and Maryland State troopers executed a search warrant at Johnson's home and seized two semi-automatic handguns, two revolvers and 196 rounds of ammunition.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mara Zusman Greenberg and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul K. Nitze.