NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Newton County man has been sentenced to decades in prison after pleading guilty to multiple drug-related offenses tied to separate investigations, according to the Newton County District Attorney’s Office.
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Officials said Walter Brian Johnson, 52, pleaded guilty Monday, just before jury selection was set to begin. Before trial, prosecutors moved to join two separate cases because of the nature of the offenses.
Johnson pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking methamphetamine, one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, one count of possession of marijuana more than an ounce, and one count of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges stem from incidents that began on June 22, 2024, when Newton County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home on Mote Road after receiving a report of a person with a gunshot wound.
According to authorities, Johnson’s mother told deputies that Johnson arrived at her door and said he had been shot. Johnson later told deputies he was exercising down the street when two people dressed in black approached him and shot him without provocation.
Investigators said they found no signs of blood or shell casings in the area where Johnson claimed the shooting occurred. As the investigation continued, law enforcement determined Johnson lived nearby on Highway 162. Deputies reported finding blood, shell casings and a firearm near that home.
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During a search of the home, authorities said they discovered more than a kilogram of methamphetamine, other drugs, items used for distributing drugs, and documents indicating Johnson lived at the home.
A second incident occurred on Sept. 27, 2024, when deputies conducted a traffic stop involving Johnson at a Newton County gas station. Authorities said Johnson was found in possession of multiple ounces of methamphetamine and other drugs.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Johnson’s home on Highway 162. During that search, deputies said they located more than an ounce of methamphetamine, a large amount of cocaine and more than an ounce of marijuana.
Johnson was sentenced to 30 years, with the first 25 years to be served in prison. He was also ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in fines and surcharges and must comply with numerous special conditions, including a Fourth Amendment waiver.
“This case demonstrates the dangers of selling narcotics,” District Attorney Randy McGinley said in a statement. “Johnson, who has a previous conviction for multiple counts of sale of methamphetamine, was distributing dangerous drugs in our community. That not only led to a lengthy prison sentence, but it also put him in danger of losing his life. Thankfully, no one else was harmed by the gun violence that Johnson’s drug peddling brought to our community.”
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