Des Moines man arrested in drug raid is sentenced to 15 years on federal firearm, state shooting convictions
William MorrisA Des Moines man charged in an October 2020 shooting has been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison, just days after being sentenced to more than four years on federal gun charges.
Jerron Johnson, 31, was initially charged with attempted murder for the Oct. 22 shooting outside the Somerset Apartments in south Des Moines. According to the complaint, he was accused of shooting repeatedly at another man, striking him once in the lower leg.
In May, he reached a plea deal with prosecutors under which he admitted to the lesser charge of willful injury causing serious injury and felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced July 27 to 10 years and 5 years respectively on the two charges, running consecutively.
Johnson was arrested in November as more than 500 law enforcement officers from various state and federal agencies converged to search 45 properties across central Iowa. The raids, which police said at the time represented the largest in total manpower in Des Moines' history, resulted in federal charges against 25 people, including Johnson.
Court records show Johnson was charged in his federal case with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty to the latter charge in March, and was sentenced July 21 to 51 months in prison, which will run concurrently with his state sentence.
In presentence filings, federal prosecutors wrote that "the evidence indisputably shows that (Johnson) was a distributor of cocaine and crack cocaine" and that he presents "an unmitigated and unrelenting danger to the community."
Court records show that at least two other people arrested in the November raids have pleaded guilty and been sentenced, while at least 15 more have entered pleas and are awaiting sentencing.
Multiple police agencies again conducted widespread raids around Des Moines on July 21, searching 13 locations. At least 27 people face charges related to those searches.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com, 715-573-8166 or on Twitter at @DMRMorris.