A Mtn. View resident charged in November with receiving stolen property has now been charged with four felonies after a search warrant was executed at his home and drugs and weapons, including a homemade shotgun, were allegedly found.
Johnson C. Burks, 35, is facing one count each of possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon by possessing a weapon and a felony controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession transport, manufacture, repair, or sale of an illegal weapon.
Howell County Sheriff's Department Deputy James Wardrip, in a statement to prosecutors, reported on Jan. 12 Burks and three others were detained as Burks' home was searched.
Burks had a bag of a white crystalline substance on him that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, Wardrip alleged.
In the home, a firearm made of metal tubing and wood was reportedly found, and when tested for functionality using a 12-gauge shotgun shell, it struck the primer and ignited the powder, showing it was capable of lethal use, Wardrip said. The deputy noted it had a barrel length of less than 10 inches, violating the federal minimum regulation size of 18 inches.
Burks also has prior felony convictions, which prohibits him from possessing a firearm, Wardip pointed out. They include a Lawrence County conviction of stealing a motor vehicle in 2016, a Phelps County conviction of delivery of a controlled substance in 2021, and a Howell County conviction of felony resisting arrest in 2021.
He is held on $75,000 bail, according to court records, was scheduled to make an initial appearance Monday before Associate 37th Circuit Judge R. David Ray. Court records show he entered a not-guilty plea on Thursday, and is represented by Assistant Public Defender Micah Jones.
The charge of receiving stolen property was filed Nov. 28, 2023, after Burks allegedly paid $500 for a vehicle that had reportedly been stolen by Kyla N. Pribble, 33, Dixon. When the owner of the vehicle went to Burks' property to get it back, Burks reportedly told the victim he had to reimburse him the $500 despite being the rightful owner, and told deputies the same thing when they arrived to investigate, and after being told by law enforcement the vehicle had been stolen. At the time, the victim told law enforcement he was reluctant to confront Burks about the vehicle because he saw firearms on the property.
Burks was released on $5,000 bond on that charge and is scheduled to appear for a counsel status hearing Feb. 13 before Ray, according to court records, which also show that Jones is representing him in that case, as of Monday. The cases are being prosecuted by Howell County Prosecutor Mike Hutchings and Assistant Prosecutor Heath Hardman.
