Houston lawyer allegedly smuggled drugs to clients

HOUSTON – A Houston attorney who typically defends indicted criminals was in a Harris County courtroom Wednesday morning to face three criminal charges filed against him.

Jason Terrell Johnson, 42, was arrested Monday at a Houston courthouse on a felony charge accused of smuggling synthetic marijuana to a client earlier this month with the help of his fiancée.

According to court documents, Johnson and his client used coded language in monitored phone calls from prison to coordinate the fiancé's pickup of drug-laced papers disguised as powers of attorney.

Prosecutors said Johnson received an additional $2,000 for delivering the drugs.

“This lawyer is making money by risking a life, namely the death of an inmate in the Harris County Jail. Inmates die. That's a fact. We all know it,” said prosecutor Kimberly Smith after Wednesday's hearing.

Johnson is accused of organized crime, sale of controlled substances in a correctional facility and witness tampering.

“It was shocking. I think some things are just blatantly untrue. I stood next to Jason and you all saw that he was upset that these things were being said about him,” said defense attorney Vikram Vij.

No charges will be brought against the client and his fiancée in this case because they cooperated with the investigation.

Johnson's arrest comes a year after Sheriff Ed Gonzalez created the Criminal Investigation and Security Division to prevent drugs and other contraband from entering the prison. Gonzalez made the decision after several inmates died of fentanyl overdoses. The new division features drug-sniffing dogs, increased patrols and other measures.

Following Johnson’s arrest, the Texas State Bar issued the following statement:

“The State Bar cannot comment on a specific attorney disciplinary matter — even to confirm whether a case has been opened — unless it results in a public sanction or the case is being heard in district court.”

Johnson is the second Houston lawyer to be charged with smuggling drugs into prison. Last November, 77-year-old Ronald Lewis was charged with supplying drugs to inmates.

Former prison guard Robert Robertson, 24, was also arrested last November on organized crime charges. The sheriff said Robertson smuggled papers laced with marijuana and synthetic marijuana K-2 into the prison and sold them for up to $1,500.

Last month, a murder suspect in the Harris County Jail was charged with laundering profits he made from selling drugs to other inmates, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.

Joshua Sinclair Owens, 35, was arrested for murder and five other crimes.

Ogg said Owens sold drug-laced papers to other inmates and then had family members transfer the money from his CashApp account to his cafeteria account.

“Since he's been in prison, nearly $30,000 has flowed through this inmate's account,” Ogg said at a press conference.