Photo: Confiscated from Johnson
BERKELEY — Sometimes law enforcement work can be as simple as meet-and-greet. Such was the case early Wednesday morning when a police officer spotted a habitual narcotics offender. It ended with the officer giving the man his 11th arrest.
The officer recognized a man who hangs out in Berkeley and frequently gets arrested for illicit possession of controlled substances. He walked near Shattuck and University Avenues shortly after 7 a.m. on May 23.
The officer exercised a police prerogative that the man couldn’t refuse—a probationary search. The search turned up a loaded revolver, along with suspected heroin, cocaine and cannabis.
As if that wasn’t enough already, police said the suspect also possessed ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and misappropriated found property.
Authorities recovered more evidence when they searched Johnson again while booking him in jail. That’s when police found some methamphetamine not discovered during his first search.
The recidivist arrested—again—for allegedly possessing illicit drugs and the firearm is 54-year-old Lamon Johnson. He is a homeless denizen of Berkeley.
Ten felony charges filed against Johnson on May 24 include possession of a concealed firearm and carrying a loaded firearm. Johnson also faces possession of controlled substances, addict in possession of a firearm and other drugs and weapons charges.
Johnson remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail. Bond for his release was at $240,000. He is scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing on May 30 at Alameda County Courthouse.
