WHITE PLAINS – In May the FBI arrested Monticello resident Dwayne Johnson, a convicted felon, on federal drug and weapons charges and asked the public to call them if they had any information on Johnson’s extensive criminal network throughout New York. With the public’s assistance, Johnson, 44, was arrested again following the opening of a superseding indictment charging Johnson and accomplices with narcotics and firearms crimes said to have occurred in and around Monticello.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said after the new indictments, “As alleged, the sheer number of firearms recovered from Johnson’s residence — which include assault weapons, short-barreled rifles, and an untraceable ‘ghost gun’ — underscores the harsh reality of violence that accompanies drug trafficking and the danger its poses to communities.”
Federal agents recovered body armor, ammunition, and 30 firearms from Johnson’s residence. He is now charged with conspiracy to engage in narcotics trafficking, possession of short-barreled rifles in furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, unlawful possession of body armor, aiding and abetting the unlawful interstate transfer of firearms, and aiding and abetting firearms trafficking.
Williams also announced charges against Monticello resident Jessica Francis, 35, who had previously been arrested in September. Francis is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Scranton, PA resident Lori Cooney, 57, was taken into custody Thursday and is charged with unlawful interstate transfer of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Teresa Santini was arrested Thursday in Milford, PA, and is charged with trafficking firearms to Johnson and the unlawful interstate transfer of firearms to Johnson, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, and unlawful interstate transfer of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Santini and Cooney were presented in federal court Thursday. Johnson and Francis will be arraigned in federal court on March 13.
