District Attorney General Russell Johnson announced LaQueena Brown entered a guilty plea before Loudon County Criminal Court Judge Jeff Wicks today (September 16, 2020). She admitting her responsibility in facilitating the murder of 53-year-old James Johnson, Jr. in Loudon on May 10, 2017. Three people were charged in the death of Johnson. The other two co-defendants, Christopher Orr and Clarence Porter have their trials set on May 11, 2021 and June 1, 2021. Brown admitted in her plea that she called Porter and Orr to assist her in getting property and money from Johnson that she claimed Johnson owed her. Brown was not the shooter in the murder, but she waited outside.

Brown was sentenced by Judge Wicks to a 22 year sentence to serve in prison in exchange for the felony-murder, aggravated burglary and robbery charges against her being dismissed.

Janey Johnson and Ashley Martin, the sister and daughter of Jim Johnson testified at the end of the plea about the impact that Johnson’s murder has had on them, his children and grandchildren. Janey Johnson blamed Brown for basically ‘orchestrating’ the events that led to the murder. Martin gave a moving statement about her father that even brought tears to the defendant who sat listening to the statements.

Brown has been in custody for approximately three years since her arrest. She will receive credit for her time served against her prison sentence.