A Shiprock man was sentenced to 44 months in federal prison on a federal firearms charge in connection to an October 2020 confrontation that began in Shiprock, continued in Ojo Amarillo and even went into Farmington.
Kendale Johnson, 34, entered a plea agreement on March 2, 2023 admitting to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. This came after an investigation by the Farmington FBI and the Navajo Police Department into his actions on Oct. 22, 2020.
Johnson and another individual argued on that date at a home in Shiprock. The confrontation escalated into a shootout, and the other person left the area in a car. Johnson pursued the car, finding it in front of a home in Ojo Amarillo, at which time Johnson fired a rifle into the home and then fled in his car, according to court records.
“l was the passenger in a gray-silver vehicle that was following a black vehicle. I had a dispute with the driver of the black vehicle. As the passenger in the gray-silver vehicle, I held the rifle and had two bullets in my pocket when I was arrested,” Johnson said in court.
The other individual’s car malfunctioned and “Johnson pulled his vehicle alongside it, exited and fired into the other vehicle,” court records state. “The occupant escaped the vehicle and fled on foot and was shortly arrested by officers from the Farmington Police Department.”
At this point, Navajo Police began pursuing Johnson, “who drove into oncoming traffic and at speeds upwards of 110 mph while throwing items out of the vehicle,” court records state.
Navajo police utilized tactical ramming maneuvers to stop Johnson, at which time they located two rifles, a night vision scope and 9mm ammunition magazine.
“At the time I possessed these firearms and ammunition, I had previously been convicted of a federal felony offense in the District of Arizona. I knew that I was a convicted felon and not lawfully permitted to possess firearms or ammunition,” Johnson said in his plea.
Upon his release from prison, Johnson will be on parole for three yeas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McGinley prosecuted the case.
