Trenton, NJ, man finds out what happens when you shoot at a federal agent

A Trenton man is headed to prison for assaulting a federal agent with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, and firing a gun during a crime.

News snapshot

• Trenton man sentenced to over a decade in prison
• During a gun deal in 2021, a federal agent exchanged gunfire with the suspect
• Federal, state, county, and local law enforcement agencies all worked on this case

Jabree Johnson of Trenton, NJ, sentenced

30-year-old Jabree Johnson previously pleaded guilty to a three-count indictment charging him with assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon of an individual with custody of federal property, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence, in which the firearm was discharged.

On Friday, he was sentenced to 168 months, or 14 years, behind bars.

Shots fired during gun deal gone bad

On March 22nd, 2021, federal law enforcement officers were investigating gun trafficking and other crimes in and around Trenton.

As part of their work, an undercover federal law enforcement agent arranged to buy multiple guns from an individual, later identified as Johnson.

After arriving at an agreed-upon location for the firearms transaction, Johnson entered the undercover federal agent’s vehicle, and handed the agent a black, semi-automatic firearm. The undercover federal agent inspected the firearm and then returned it to Johnson and requested to see the other firearms that Johnson had agreed to sell. Instead, Johnson pointed the loaded firearm directly at the undercover federal agent and demanded money from the agent.

Johnson then ordered the agent out of the vehicle at gunpoint. From there, the agent immediately drew his service weapon and fired at Johnson, hitting him in the shoulder. Johnson also fired multiple times at the agent, who was not hurt.

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Johnson fled the area with the money from the gun transaction but was later found at a local hospital and arrested.

U.S. Attorney Alina Habba thanked the numerous agencies that worked on this case, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Newark; the FBI; the Trenton and Hamilton Township Police Departments; New Jersey State Police; and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.