An off-duty city Department of Correction officer found himself in hot water this week when he was arrested for driving around with a cache of weapons in his car, including an assault rifle, a shotgun, and a machete, according to prosecutors.
Johnathan Williams, 40, was stopped by police after making an improper left turn in his Honda at 161st Place and Baisley Boulevard in Rochdale around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, as per a complaint filed in Queens Criminal Court.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered a gravity knife in the front driver’s side door. But the real shock came when they opened the trunk and found more weapons.
Williams was allegedly in possession of a machete with a blade longer than four inches, a Remington 870 shotgun, and an Anderson .556 assault rifle equipped with a detachable magazine, pistol grip, and telescoping stock, according to court documents.
Further search yielded three shotgun shells in the front driver’s side door and 20 rounds of .556 ammunition in a container inside the center console.
Williams, who had been working at the city’s jails for less than a year, was taken into custody and now faces multiple charges related to the possession of weapons and ammunition, prosecutors confirmed.
Joining the Department of Correction on May 30, 2025, Williams was assigned to the Robert N. Davoren Complex on Rikers Island, the agency revealed.
Following his arrest, Williams has been suspended without pay indefinitely by the DOC as the investigation unfolds. It remains to be seen what consequences he will face for his alleged possession of such a dangerous arsenal.
