CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Virginia man was sentenced Friday to 19 years in federal prison after being convicted for his role in a conspiracy to commit armed home invasions of drug dealers.
Jamaa I. Johnson, 36, of Wytheville, Virginia, is connected to armed robberies dating back to the fall of 2011. Darrell E. Gillespie and others traveled to Pittsburgh to rob a drug dealer. Afterward, the men came to Charleston to split up the marijuana that was stolen.
Johnson, Gillespie and their co-conspirators participated in six more robberies in West Virginia and Virginia, all of which involved firearms. During a Jan. 18, 2012, robbery in Charleston, a victim was shot in the leg and stabbed.
Johnson was convicted in January 2015 for his role. He and Gillespie were both found guilty of conspiracies to commit armed robbery and to use firearms in crimes of violence.
Johnson was also found guilty of witness tampering for attempting to use his ex-girlfriend to craft a false alibi for the Jan. 18, 2012, robbery.
Gillespie is still awaiting sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and up to life in prison.