Man who labored in homeless outreach arrested on fentanyl cost – NBC Los Angeles
A Culver Metropolis man who previously labored for a nonprofit group devoted to serving to the homeless was arrested Thursday on a federal cost of possessing fentanyl throughout a police cease close to MacArthur Park earlier this month.
Christopher Barret Johnson, 42, is charged in Los Angeles federal court docket with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Johnson labored till final September for Folks Aiding the Homeless, a statewide nonprofit that gives companies to homeless folks together with road outreach, interim and everlasting housing, in response to PATH spokesman Tyler Renner.
Though the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned in a press launch that PATH serves “as a vendor distributing syringes” in MacArthur Park, Renner mentioned in a press release that the group doesn’t present syringes or any companies in that space of the town.
Johnson is anticipated to make his preliminary look Friday within the downtown Los Angeles courthouse.
It was not instantly identified if he had retained authorized counsel.
PATH “is outraged and deeply disturbed that a person would falsely signify themselves as a present worker,” Renner mentioned.
In keeping with an affidavit, in the course of the late night of Might 5, Los Angeles law enforcement officials patrolled the MacArthur Park space, which is infamous for the use and sale unlawful medicine, together with methamphetamine and fentanyl, in open-air markets.
About 10:20 p.m., the officers noticed a white BMW missing a entrance license plate abruptly conduct a U-turn in entrance of them. The officers then performed a visitors cease on the BMW, in response to the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace.
The automobile’s sole occupant was Johnson, who “appeared very nervous,” the affidavit states. Whereas talking with Johnson, one of many officers allegedly noticed in plain view on the BMW’s middle console a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine, prosecutors mentioned.
The officer additionally noticed Johnson carrying two knives in his waistband, paperwork allege, and Johnson was ordered out of the automotive.
Federal prosecutors contend a pat-down search resulted in a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine in Johnson’s left entrance trouser pocket. A search of the BMW resulted in {a partially} opened backpack that contained extra plastic baggies containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, a digital scale that had fentanyl residue on it, empty plastic baggies and money, in response to the affidavit.
Prosecutors additionally contend that further plastic baggies containing fentanyl had been recovered within the automotive, together with money and a considerable amount of plastic baggies within the middle console.
Subsequent laboratory evaluation confirmed that the medicine seized from Johnson’s BMW and particular person included a minimum of 142 grams of a substance that contained fentanyl and almost 46 grams of methamphetamine, in response to the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace.
If convicted, Johnson would face between 5 and 40 years in federal jail, prosecutors famous.
“PATH will absolutely cooperate in any additional authorized proceedings and stays hopeful that the justice system will appropriately tackle any hurt precipitated to the unhoused people we’re devoted to serving,” Renner mentioned.
Renner mentioned the group’s workers “work diligently to attach people with substance use remedy, psychological well being care and bodily well being companies that assist long-term stability and self-sufficiency.”
Whereas not presently servicing MacArthur Park, the group does have a restricted hurt discount contract within the jap a part of the county that gives clear syringes and containers, Narcan, fentanyl testing strips and connections to substance abuse remedy packages, Renner mentioned.
