Christopher J. Johnson
Christopher J. Johnson, 44, of Montfort, was sentenced Friday, August 21, 2026, in Iowa County Court by Judge Matthew Allen to four years in Wisconsin State Prison for his fourth OWI while operating with a restricted controlled substance. Other charges stemming from this March 6, 2023, arrest will run concurrently.
On Friday, Johnson appeared in court, in custody, in three separate cases and was represented by two attorneys. He is the same Christopher Johnson arrested Wednesday, August 19, 2026, during a drug raid at a Montfort home on allegations of possessing narcotic drugs and cocaine, though formal charges have not yet been filed. The home is also where 17-year-old Addison Colomer was found dead last October, but officials said Friday’s proceedings were unrelated to that cold case.
The August 19, 2026, raid at the Montfort home stemmed from a separate search warrant for 21-year-old Christian Jarrett, who was found there and arrested on allegations of sending sexually explicit photos to a child under 16 through social media. After illegal drugs were found during the search, authorities obtained a second warrant. Ashton Johnson, 19, and Linda Johnson, 72, were also arrested.
Before Friday’s plea and sentencing hearing, Johnson appeared with attorney Nils Wyosnick for a status conference related to his February 18, 2026, arrest on several felony drug charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Wyosnick requested a one-day jury trial, now scheduled for February 8, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. Johnson faces six counts in that case: felony possession with intent to deliver heroin, felony possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, felony maintaining a drug trafficking place, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and two felony bail-jumping charges. The four drugrelated counts are charged as second or subsequent offenses and as party to a crime offenses; the bail-jumping charges include a repeater allegation.
In Friday’s sentencing, he was represented by his other attorney Charlotte Wynes. Iowa County Assistant District Attorney Curtis Johnson was in court for the State of Wisconsin on all cases. Attorney Johnson told Judge Allen that Defendant Johnson has a long criminal record, and that this fourth OWI is a high gravity offense because that is what the Wisconsin Legislature has stated it is, and that Defendant Johnson is a danger to the public, in which he has had 19 prior convictions since 2016, with multiple convictions, state prison, and jail incarcerations prior to 2016.
“He was driving while revoked. He was driving in violation of his bond. Mr. Johnson has deep rehabilitative needs. This court system has tried for 25 years to get him rehabilitated,” Attorney Johnson told the court. “He’s been on probation, he’s been in prison, he’s been convicted of numerous restricted controlled substances (RCS), and nothing works. Supervision and free society just aren’t working for Mr. Johnson. He violates court orders. He shows no signs of remorse. He’s had four OWI’s in four years. It continues to perpetuate to no end. Mr. Johnson absolutely needs to be separated from society. If he can get treatment and somehow gains traction in the prison system, great, but the State’s recommendation is to protect the public from Mr. Johnson,” he said. Defense attorney Charlotte Wynes agreed that Johnson has significant rehabilitation needs but told the court incarceration was the wrong approach and would do more harm than good. She argued for an imposed-and-stayed prison sentence with probation, credit for time served in jail, and a stay of any incarceration pending appeal.
After hearing from Johnson and both attorneys, Judge Allen imposed a four-year state prison sentence for operating with a restricted controlled substance, fourth offense, consisting of 30 months of initial confinement and 18 months of extended supervision. For Johnson’s fourth OWI conviction, Allen ordered a four-year prison sentence, with two years of initial confinement and two years of extended supervision, consecutive to any other sentences. Johnson also received jail and probation time for felony bail jumping and operating while revoked, all to run concurrently. Allen ordered AODA counseling and compliance with all follow-up recommendations from the Department of Corrections.
The court temporarily stayed the sentence, and Johnson was remanded into custody pending arguments on appeal. Wynes has until August 31 to file an appeal, with the State’s response due September 4. A motion hearing is scheduled for September 11, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
