Heroin dealer nets 33 to life in prison

By Ben Fox
STAFF WRITER

A convicted Oakland heroin dealer and reputed leader of a notorious
California prison gang was sentenced Friday to 33 years to life in
prison.

Richard "Razor" Johnson, 46, must serve a minimum of 26 years before he
is eligible for parole for his April 4 conviction on charges of
possession and transportation of heroin for sale.

In imposing the sentence, Alameda County Snperior Court Judge Richard
Haugner rejected arguments by Johnson's attorney that the conviction was
tainted by inconsistent prosecution testimony and a possibly biased
jury.

Haugner also took into account Johnson's extensive criminal past, which
includes 13 prior felony convictions for robbery, burglary, drug

offenses and other crimes.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Russell Giuntini described Johnson as
"one of the highest ranking members" of the Black Guerrilla Family, a
prison gang linked to drug dealing and extortion.

"It's well documented who Mr. Johnson is, and his affiliation allowed
him to deal heroin with impunity in West Oakland," Giuntini said.

In a letter from jail, Johnson called the case against him "pure
fabrication and lies" and claimed he was being targeted unfairly because
of his alleged ties to the Black Guerrilla Family.

"The truth was, I was a black small business owner of a beauty supply
store in the heart of the ghetto, a father and husband who wasn't on
neither probation or parole, and hadn't been in any trouble for over
three years," he wrote in the letter.

Johnson's arrest in the summer of 1995 resulted from a tip by a
confidential informant, Traci Lowery, who was found shot to death six
months later in West Oakland, Giuntini said. No one was charged with her
killing.

Police were told Johnson and another Oakland man, Michael Denham, were
coming to a Park Boulevard residence to pick up heroin. Officers waited
outside the home and then stopped their car as they drove away.

The men were arrested with 525 balloons filled with $10 quantities of
heroin.

Denham pleaded guilty and testified against Johnson in exchange for a
10year maximum sentence and the placement in the witness protection
program.