The day after a rural Bloomfield man was sentenced for illegal possession of a syringe, another criminal case was filed against him for criminal mischief. In the new case, he’s accused of causing around $1,000 worth of damage to the Greene County Jail when he allegedly ripped foam padding off a cell door and tried to eat some of it and stuffed the rest in his shirt.

Brandon T. Johnson, 33, Bloomfield, was arrested by Deputy Camron Frye of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on December 14.

At that time, there was a warrant out for his arrest in Monroe County but when he was taken into custody here, he was found to be in possession of a syringe and a criminal case was filed against him. Since then, he’s been to court, entered into a negotiated plea agreement and was sentenced. But now he’s facing another criminal case that’s been filed against him and he’s still wanted in Monroe County.

Back on December 14, due to the Monroe County warrant, three deputies, including Deputy Frye, Sgt. Jordan Allor and Deputy Logan Milligan, were looking for Johnson in the Lawrence Hollow area where Johnson lived when another incident occurred that resulted in a traffic stop on another driver who ended up in jail.

While Sgt. Allor was working on the unexpected traffic stop, a pickup truck, similar to what Johnson was known to drive, approached the location of the deputies and they were able to confirm Johnson was the driver. A traffic stop on Johnson’s truck was initiated and the truck pulled over on North McCutchen Lane.

The stop was treated as a high risk stop and Johnson was ordered to step out of the vehicle. Johnson followed each command, then was handcuffed. During a pat-down for weapons, Johnson admitted he had a “sharp” on him and the syringe was located in a chest pocket of Johnson’s overalls. The “sharp” contained a small amount of liquid and Johnson allegedly said it was “speed.”

A female passenger who was in the truck during the stop was released from the scene. When the truck was searched prior to towing, no other evidence was found.

Johnson was booked into the Greene County Jail at 1:22 a.m. with bond set on the new charge at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed, but he was held without bond for Monroe County and has remained in jail since his arrest.

By this Monday, January 10, a negotiated plea agreement was filed with the court and during a change of plea sentencing on Wednesday, January 12, Johnson admitted guilt and was convicted of unlawful possession of syringe, a Level 6 felony.

Johnson was sentenced to one year and 180 days in the county jail with one year and 90 days suspended. He was given credit for 29 days already served.

But that was not the end of his trouble in Greene County because the very next day, which was yesterday, Thursday, January 13, another criminal case was filed against Johnson.

In the new case, Johnson is facing a charge of criminal mischief involving damage totaling between $750 and $50,000, a Class A misdemeanor.

GCSD Detective Shawn Cullison investigated an incident that occurred in the jail on December 16. Jail officers reported to Det. Cullison that they moved Johnson from one cell to another for one of those cells to be cleaned. The jail officers said after moving Johnson, he ripped off the foam from the door to the cell. The foam is attached to the walls and doors of these cells to protect inmates that strike the doors or walls from injury. The jailers reported that after Johnson ripped off the foam, he tried to eat the foam. The jailers retrieved a couple of large pieces of foam from Jonson and medical personnel were called in to check on him.

Det. Cullison said when he reviewed video from the surveillance system, the video showed Johnson picking at the foam, just under the window in the door, then peeling off chunks of the foam then placing the foam into his shirt before he laid down.

The jail provided Det. Cullison with a copy of the quote to repair the damage – it was around $1,000.

Now Johnson is scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court again for another initial hearing, on January 18.

And he’s still wanted on the warrant in Monroe County. In that case, he failed to appear at several status hearings in a case in which he was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, a Level 6 felony, and driving while suspended where operation of the vehicle resulted in bodily injury, a Level 6 felony.