Feds arrest LA homeless 'harm reduction' nonprofit employee for possession and intent to distribute fentanyl: DOJ

A California man who works for a nonprofit organization that distributes syringes to homeless drug users in Los Angeles was arrested Thursday for possession of fentanyl. Christopher Barret Johnson, 42, of Culver City, was pulled over by police earlier this month near MacArthur Park, which was the site of a recent federal drug raid.

Johnson has been charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and faces up to 40 years in federal prison if convicted. The defendant works for People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a nationwide nonprofit that offers a variety of services to homeless people, including the distribution of syringes. PATH often distributes drug paraphernalia to drug addicts in MacArthur Park, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a press release, which is notorious for its open-air methamphetamine and fentanyl drug markets.

On May 5, Johnson was pulled over by Los Angeles Police Officers during a patrol of the MacArthur Park area at 10:20 pm. Officers observed Johnson, driving a white BMW with a missing front license plate, conduct an "abrupt" U-turn in front of them, resulting in officers conducting a traffic stop, according to the affidavit.

Johnson, who appeared "very nervous," was ordered out of the car after officers "observed in plain view on the BMW's center console a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine," the affidavit states. Furthermore, officers conducted a pat-down search of Johnson and discovered a bag of methamphetamine in Johnson's left pant pocket. A backpack containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as a digital scale with fentanyl residue on it, was also located during a search of the vehicle, in addition to cash and empty plastic baggies.

A laboratory analysis confirmed that the seized drugs included at least 142 grams of a substance that contained fentanyl and roughly 46 grams of methamphetamine.

"Residents and businesses in MacArthur Park and elsewhere have long complained about the wisdom of distributing syringes to homeless drug addicts where law-abiding citizens live and work," said First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. "They call these policies 'harm reduction.' I consider them 'harm enabling.' Giving drug-addicted users needles to shoot up meth and fentanyl is never a good idea."

Johnson is scheduled to appear in court at the Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles on Friday.