SPOKANE, Wash. — A 39-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pointing a gun at two police officers during an arrest attempt in North Spokane.
Jesse S. Johnson was sentenced April 17 in Spokane County Superior Court under Washington’s three-strike law. A jury convicted him on two counts of second-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and two drug possession charges.
The incident occurred at a North Spokane retail outlet where police contacted Johnson on an outstanding warrant, according to officials. When officers approached, Johnson pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at them multiple times during a struggle, officials said.
Officers successfully arrested Johnson and seized the stolen weapon, which was loaded. Police also found approximately 50 fentanyl pills and methamphetamine on Johnson, according to officials.
Prosecutors argued Johnson qualified as a persistent offender under state law, which mandates life sentences for repeat offenders. Johnson has eight prior adult felony convictions, including two “strike offenses,” according to officials. He had served 15 years in prison and was released just one year before committing these crimes.
Judge Rachelle Anderson imposed the life sentence, noting Johnson’s actions represented “not a one-off but a lifestyle.”
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