The FBI has brought a federal gun charge against a South Portland man who was arrested last month in what police have called a “road rage” incident in which he is accused of firing a gun from the window of his sport utility vehicle at another car in Scarborough.

Sean Johnson, 32, of 372 Broadway, was charged Tuesday with a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Portland.

The felony charge was brought against Johnson in addition to five charges he already faces in state court following his arrest on May 24 by Scarborough police.

Federal court records do not say whether Johnson has been brought to that court yet to face the new charge or whether any court appearances have been scheduled.

Johnson was brought on May 26 after his arrest to a state court, the Cumberland County Courthouse in Portland, where Judge E. Paul Eggert ordered him held on $100,000 cash bail.

Johnson was not required to enter a plea at his state court appearance to felony charges of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and misdemeanor charges of driving to endanger, refusing to submit to arrest and driving without a license. Johnson has remained in custody since then.

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Johnson was on probation at the time of his arrest, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his felony record. He was convicted in Maine of both trafficking and aggravated trafficking of illegal drugs in 2012 and of aggravated forgery in 2013, according to state court records.

Scarborough police received a 911 call on the day of the shooting around 3:10 p.m. from a witness who reported seeing the driver of a red Jeep Grand Cherokee point a handgun out the window and fire at the other vehicle, a 2015 Dodge Challenger. The caller told police that the shooting happened on Payne Road near the Christmas Tree Shops and that the Jeep went south on Payne Road afterward, according to Scarborough police.

Scarborough police Officer Timothy Dalton spotted the speeding Jeep soon thereafter on Beech Ridge Road and followed it to the end of Johnson Road, where the driver got out and ran into the woods, according to state court records.

Police used a dog to track the man, later identified as Johnson, and chased him in the woods until they captured him. The police dog also drew officers to a Glock 19 handgun buried beneath some leaves, according to court records.

Officers later located the victim and discovered the bullet had traveled through the passenger side window, narrowly missing the driver and passenger before lodging in the driver’s side door.

FBI Agent Patrick Clancy helped Scarborough police execute search warrants on Johnson’s Jeep and the victim’s Dodge in the days after the shooting and helped recover the bullet from the driver’s side door of the Dodge, according to an affidavit he filed in federal court seeking an arrest warrant for Johnson on the new charge.

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The victim, a 26-year-old man from Standish, has not responded to a phone request for an interview about the incident.

If Johnson is convicted of the new federal charge, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine for as much as $250,000.

If convicted of the felony state charges, he faces up to five years in state prison.

Scott Dolan can be reached at 791-6304 or at:

sdolan@pressherald.com

Twitter: @scottddolan


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