Montgomery man sentenced to federal prison for gun, drug trafficking offenses

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) – A Montgomery man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to having guns as a convicted felon and having guns in a drug trafficking crime.

U.S. Attorney Thomas Govan says 48-year-old Ryan Deleon Johnson has been sentenced to 106 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to Johnson’s plea agreement and other court records, on June 13, 2025, agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) tried to stop a vehicle that Johnson was driving. He had outstanding arrest warrants dating back to December 2024. As agents approached the vehicle, they say Johnson drove off, leading them on a high-speed chase.

During the pursuit, Johnson ran several stop signs and repeatedly swerved into oncoming traffic, including driving directly toward pursuing patrol vehicles. Johnson eventually drove onto Interstate 65, where he eventually hit a patrol vehicle. He lost control of his vehicle and came to a stop on the shoulder, where he was arrested.

Court records show that a search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of two guns, ammunition, cocaine and marijuana. During his plea hearing, Johnson admitted that he possessed the cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute and that he knowingly had the guns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.

Because Johnson had previously been convicted of a felony, federal law prohibited him from having guns or ammunition.

— Information from the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Middle District of Alabama