Shprock man sentence to three-plus years in federal prison on firearm charge

A Shiprock man has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty earlier this year to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Kendale Johnson, 34, a member of the Navajo Nation, drew a sentence of three years and eight months on the federal charge, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

In his March 2 plea agreement, according to the release, Johnson admitted to possessing a stock rifle, a night vision scope and a 9-millimeter ammunition magazine. Johnson had been convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon in 2018 in Arizona, and it was illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammo.

The case stems from an Oct. 22, 2020, incident in which Johnson and another individual got into a confrontation at a residence in Shiprock, leading to a shootout, the release states. Afterward, the other individual fled the residence in a car while Johnson pursued.

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Johnson later located the other person’s vehicle in front of a residence in Ojo Amarillo and fired on the structure with a rifle, according to the release. He fled the scene, and the other individual began pursuing him, but his vehicle malfunctioned, coming to a stop. At that point, Johnson pulled his vehicle alongside the stopped vehicle, exited and fired into the other vehicle, the release states.

The occupant of the stopped vehicle fled the scene on foot and was arrested shortly thereafter by officers from the Farmington Police Department, according to the release. Johnson was apprehended by officers from the Navajo Police Department after leading them on a high-speed chase through traffic that ended when they rammed it and immobilized it. The release states police found two rifles and a night vision scope near the vehicle.

Johnson will face three years of supervised release once he finishes his prison sentence.