Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun Crimes

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Torriano Arzareus Johnson, 34, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to six years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base, also known as "crack," and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2026, Johnson was a passenger in a vehicle when it was pulled over by law enforcement officers in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted that once the vehicle stopped, he fled from the vehicle with a backpack that he threw over a fence as he ran from officers. Johnson further admitted that officers captured him and found in his pant leg approximately 29 grams of crack in a bag and $3,000 he obtained from selling drugs. Officers executed a search warrant for the backpack and found it contained a loaded Glock 43x 9mm pistol. Johnson admitted that he possessed the firearm to protect himself, the drugs, and the cash.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.

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.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACERLinks 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. by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-41.

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