Bend man with long criminal history sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison on drug, firearm convictions

EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Bend man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison Wednesday for possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.

Dana Lee Johnson, 41, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release, federal prosecutors said.

According to court documents, on March 26, 2021, a deputy from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Tetherow Resort in Bend after a housekeeper found a bag of suspected drugs in a guest room.

Upon arrival, the deputy located a one-gallon plastic bag containing approximately one quarter pound of methamphetamine, two hypodermic needles, and a metal safe. The safe was later found to contain an additional half-pound of methamphetamine.

Hotel records indicated that Johnson, who had a suspended driver’s license and an outstanding felony warrant for failing to register as a sex offender, was the last guest to stay in the room where the drugs were found.

On April 1, 2021, a deputy returned to the resort after learning that Johnson had contacted the hotel to inquire about the safe he had left behind.

A week later, on April 8, 2021, law enforcement officers located and stopped Johnson traveling in a rental vehicle. Investigators searched the vehicle and found more than $7,000 in cash, a rental car agreement in Johnson’s name, and a black backpack belonging to Johnson. Inside the backpack, investigators found and seized an additional half-pound of methamphetamine, nearly a half-pound of heroin, and a loaded semi-automatic pistol.

On November 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a four-count indictment charging Johnson with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

On October 11, 2023, Johnson pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Just over a decade ago, in March 2014, authorities said Johnson, a transient wanted on a parole violation, refused to pull over for Bend police, sparking a pursuit that ended with him running, being Tasered - and swallowing meth, leaving him hospitalized in critical condition.

The more recent case that led to the federal prison sentence was investigated by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE) with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. CODE includes members of the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sunriver, and Black Butte Police Departments; the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department; the Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices; the Oregon State Police; the Oregon National Guard; DEA; and the FBI.