Man sentenced to prison for multiple drug cases

A Jefferson City man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for pleading guilty to delivery of a controlled substance in three different cases.

Darren Johnson, 28, pleaded guilty to the charges Wednesday during a hearing before Cole County Presiding Judge Pat Joyce, who sentenced him to five years for the drug charges and added another five years for Johnson's violating parole in another case.

In one case, Johnson was charged with delivery of a controlled substance after the Drug Enforcement Administration in St. Louis and U.S. Post Office intercepted a package destined for Jefferson City in June.

The package was to go to a residence in the 200 block of Scott Station Road and contained 2.2 pounds of methamphetamine, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement.

Authorities decided to attempt to deliver the package, which was modified to contain 80 grams of methamphetamine and rice to give the feel of a kilogram of methamphetamine.

A federal warrant was obtained for the address where the package was to be delivered. A covert agent delivered the package and knocked on the door. No one came to the door and the agent left, but approximately 10 minutes later, authorities keeping surveillance on the residence saw a child come out and take the package inside.

A cooperating source later told investigators a person was to come to the garage door of the residence, go inside and take the package with the drugs as they had done this with similar packages in the past.

The person who was to pick up the package was identified as Johnson, and authorities spotted him Friday afternoon picking up the package. When Johnson saw authorities, he tried to flee but was stopped.

A search of Johnson's vehicle found a cellphone, marijuana and crack cocaine bagged for redistribution. Johnson said he had been told to pick up the drugs and deliver them to another individual.

The other charges Johnson pleaded guilty to involved delivery of drugs in 2015 and 2016 in Jefferson City.

Officers used a confidential informant to purchase the drugs from Johnson in both instances, according to JCPD probable causes statements. The purchases occurred in a parking lot in Jefferson City.

The amounts purchased weighed between 0.5-0.6 grams, and both field tested positive for cocaine.

Johnson had been on probation for four counts of distribution of a controlled substance when he was arrested on these charges.