School Shooter Convicted on Federal Gun Charges

An Arkansas man, who as a teen was convicted as a juvenile for killing five people at Jonesboro Westside Middle School in 1998, has been found guilty by a federal jury for possessing a firearm while being a drug user. Mitchell Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Johnson was arrested on Jan. 1, 2007 after police stopped his van and found a bag of marijuana in his pocket and a 9 mm pistol and a 20-gauge shotgun in the vehicle. Police said they stopped the van after getting an anonymous tip about drugs in the vehicle.

Johnson told police at the time that he was in the process of moving to California.

In 1998, when Johnson was 13 he and Andrew Golden, who was 11 at the time, pulled a fire alarm at their middle school and opened fire on students and teachers as they left the building. They killed English teacher Shannon Wright and four students ages 11 and 12. They also wounded 10 other people.

Johnson and Golden were sent to a juvenile prison by the state until their 18th birthdays. Federal prosecutors then locked them up until they turned 21.

Johnson will be sentenced within 45 days.

See Also:
Jonesboro Shooter Convicted on Gun Charge

Earlier Articles:
Arkansas School Shooter Back in Court Arkansas School Shooter to Be Released

^{Photo: Mug Shot}