NASHUA – A plea agreement, crafted over the course of months by prosecutors and defense counsel in the cases of Nashua resident Paul Johnson, was accepted by a Superior Court judge Monday, settling more than a dozen outstanding charges pending since last fall.

Johnson, 33, last known address of 8 Copp St., either pleaded guilty to, or was found guilty by the court of, nine felony and four misdemeanor charges, and pleaded true to violation of probation, in exchange for a combination of stand committed and suspended terms in State Prison and the House of Corrections, according to the stack of sentencing sheets read in court Monday.

The net result of the agreement is a stand-committed sentence of 2-1/2-6 years in State Prison. Johnson was credited for the 175 days of time served in jail, which brings his minimum sentence to just under 2 years.

Conditions attached to one or more of the sentences include his meaningful participation in, and completion of, any counseling, treatment or educational programs recommended by prison officials, and that he make restitution in the amount of $400 to the owner of the car Johnson is accused of crashing into in Hudson in October, then fleeing the scene.

He is also ordered to have no contact with the car owner or her then 9-year-old daughter, who was in the car at the time of the crash and reportedly sustained minor injuries.

That incident, which accounted for Johnson’s most recent arrest, occurred Oct. 17, when police said he rear-ended the woman’s car, causing a chain-reaction crash involving four vehicles at Derry and Elm streets in Hudson.

Johnson, who was driving a Ford van, left the scene, and abandoned the van a short distance away.

When police identified him as a suspect in the crash and reached him by phone, Johnson agreed to meet officers at police headquarters, they said at the time.

But he never showed up, nor did he respond to numerous attempts by police to reach him by phone.

A warrant was issued for Johnson’s arrest, and in mid-November, about a month after the crash, Nashua police located him, took him into custody and held onto him for Hudson police.

Johnson was subsequently jailed, based on what a prosecutor at the time called “a lengthy criminal history” that includes several stints in prison and jail on a variety of offenses.

As for Monday’s plea and sentencing hearing, the charges and the agreed-upon sentencing orders follow.

Three counts, sale of a controlled drug, felonies, on Dec. 12 and 17, 2018, and Jan. 3, 2019: Three, 5-10-year terms in State Prison, to be served concurrently, but consecutively with three other prison sentences if imposed, all suspended for five years, plus a $500 fine, also suspended for five years.

Three counts, operating a motor vehicle as a habitual offender, felonies, on Feb. 28, March 8 and Oct. 17, 2019: Three, 2-1/2-5-year terms in State Prison, stand committed, to be served concurrently; 175 days credit for time already served.

Two counts, conduct after an accident, death or injury resulting, felonies, on Oct. 17, 2019: Two 3-1/2 7 year terms in State Prison, all suspended for 7 years, to be served consecutively if imposed.

One count, reckless conduct, felony, on March 8, 2019: One 2-1/2-6-year term in State Prison, stand committed, to be served concurrently with two similar sentences.

One count, violation of probation, plea of true entered: One 2-1/2-5-year term in State Prison, all suspended for two years, to be served consecutively with two similar sentences if imposed.

Two counts, resisting arrest or detention; one count each, disobeying an officer and driving without giving proof, all Class A misdemeanors, on March 8, 2019: Four 12-month sentences in House of Correction, stand committed; to be served concurrently with each other and concurrent with State Prison sentences.

Newsletter