LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The leader of the self-proclaimed militia group Not F—ing Around Coalition (NFAC) John Johnson, who goes by Grandmaster Jay, is facing federal assault charges in connection with protests in Louisville on Derby Day in September. The United States Attorney Russell Coleman announced the charges Thursday.
The criminal complaint accuses Johnson of forcibly assaulting "deputized task force officers" while they were doing their jobs on September 4, 2020. Johnson, 57, of West Chester, Ohio, was arrested at his home on December 3, 2020. He appeared before a federal judge in Louisville this afternoon.
Coleman said in a statement, “The FBI respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. Our mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution is dual and simultaneous, not contradictory. Accordingly, we are committed to investigating violent behavior and those who are exploiting legitimate, peaceful protests and engaging in violations of federal law.”
The complaint says Johnson "aimed/brandished" an AR rifle at Louisville Metro Police Officers, Secret Service Agents, and federal task force officers who were on the roof of the Jefferson County Grand Jury building in downtown Louisville.
There were several protest groups in Jefferson Square Park that day protesting the death of Breonna Taylor. Officers were called to look at several heavily armed individuals on Armory Place, a street near the park. The complaint says officers were blinded by a flashlight attached to a rifle which it says Johnson was holding.
The FBI interviewed all of the officers on the roof and they said they recognized Johnson and his group NFAC from an earlier protest that afternoon at G. G. Moore Park. The complaint says a review of surveillance footage of that night and the incident allowed officers to positively identify Johnson.
While being interviewed officers reported they felt threatened by Johnson and the others with him.
Johnson and a local representative identified in the complaint as Lebron Seay had been meeting with Louisville Metro Police before the demonstration. The men were told that officers would be located on rooftops and that weapons should not be pointed at them or it would be "perceived as a threat."
According to the complaint, none of the officers pulled their weapons and only one of them had a rifle with him. The officers said they did not believe Johnson nor NFAC members "perceived a threat from the officers on the roof, because neither Johnson or the other NFAC members moved to cover when they saw the officers on the roof of the Jefferson County Grand Jury Building."
After extensive interviews and reviews of videos available from the day, the FBI found enough evidence to charge Johnson with the crimes he is accused of committing.
If convicted, Johnson could face a maximum sentence is 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI Louisville Division and Louisville Metro Police Department are investigating this case
You can read the full complaint and the charges below.
Deborah Harbsmeier is the executive producer of digital content for Spectrum News 1 Kentucky. The award-winning producer has been in television news for 30 years