SPOKANE, Wash. — Jesse S. Johnson, 39, was sentenced in Spokane County Superior Court Friday to life in prison without parole, after a jury found him guilty in a North Spokane case stemming from an incident where he brandished a firearm after being contacted by police.
According to a release from the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (SCPAO), jurors convicted Johnson last month on two counts of second-degree assault, one count of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. Jurors also determined that he was a “persistent offender,” approving of a special verdict.
Court documents and trial testimony revealed that police officers contacted Johnson at a retail outlet in North Spokane due to an outstanding warrant. He reportedly backed away, reached into his waistband and brandished a gun as officers approached…