A man and woman from Houston have been sentenced for federal firearm and drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Christopher Jay Johnson, Jr., 35, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. Lissette Elvira Guevara, 37, also from Houston, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced by Judge Crone to serve 113 months in prison.
According to court information, on March 6, 2022, Bridge City police officers investigated a report of a suspicious vehicle parked at a business on Texas Avenue. They found Johnson in the passenger seat with a fully loaded pistol on his lap. The strong odor of marijuana led to a search of the vehicle, where 40 grams of methamphetamine were found in Guevara’s belongings. Further investigation revealed Johnson's previous convictions, making him prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. A federal grand jury indicted Johnson and Guevara on April 5, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs emphasized the danger of guns and drugs, commending local law enforcement for their efforts in cases like this one and urging citizens to report suspicious activity. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.
The investigation was conducted by the Bridge City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
