NEW ALBANY — A 20-year-old Bedford man will spend the next 14 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to theft from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
According to court documents, Calvin Johnson, 20, broke into a local gun and knife shop in Bedford in January 2022.
Investigation of surrounding security cameras showed Johnson using a hammer to break a display case, remove 16 handguns from the case, and place them inside a backpack. BPD obtained a search warrant for Johnson’s residence where they found four firearms inside a black “Champion” book bag on the floor by his bed. All of the stolen firearms have been located and confiscated by law enforcement.
“Thefts from gun retailers help to arm criminals and drive the violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Identification and prosecution of gun traffickers helps to stem violent crime at its source and is a top priority for federal law enforcement. I commend the ATF, Indiana State Police, and the Bedford Police Department for their efforts to hold this criminal accountable and track down all of the stolen guns to ensure they aren’t in the hands of dangerous, prohibited individuals.”
“Stolen firearms are a significant source of crime guns for violent criminals,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “As the federal agency with both a responsibility to investigate violent firearms crimes and regulatory oversight of the firearms industry, we are committed to finding those responsible for burglaries like this one. We will join with our partners to bring them to justice and disrupt the flow of firearms from lawful commerce to the criminal element.”
Johnson was sentenced after pleading guilty to the crime. He will also serve two years of supervised probation after release from federal prison.
