Violent Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense

Pensacola, Florida - Michael Stephen Johnson, 59, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Operation Take Back America continues to deliver wins for the citizens of the Northern District of Florida, and this successful prosecution demonstrates my office's firm commitment to aggressively pursuing the violent criminals who have threatened the safety of our streets for far too long."

Court documents reflect that on July 16, 2025, Escambia County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a shooting at a residence located on Wilson Avenue, in Pensacola, Florida. Once there, deputies detained the defendant and transported him to the Sheriff's Office for an interview. During the interview, the defendant admitted to possessing a firearm, which he described as a .22-caliber assault rifle, and stated that he purchased the firearm from the victim within the past few months for approximately $150.00. Investigators obtained a residential search warrant for the Wilson Avenue residence and found a black Mossberg Intl Model 702 Plinkster, semi-automatic .22 LR caliber rifle with a magazine inside one of the bedrooms. At the time of the arrest, the defendant was a convicted felon and could not legally possess a firearm based upon his multiple prior convictions for aggravated assault and bank robbery.

Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years' imprisonment up to a maximum of life imprisonment.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker is prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is to be scheduled after the resolution of Johnson's related state case and will be held at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.