Taxpayer-backed nonprofit disputes link to man in fentanyl trafficking case

A California man who claimed to work for a taxpayer-funded nonprofit that, according to court documents, distributed needles to drug users in Los Angeles’ notorious MacArthur Park was busted for allegedly attempting to sell fentanyl, authorities said.

Christopher Johnson was arrested on May 5 after he was found with methamphetamine, fentanyl, empty baggies, a large amount of cash, and a scale in his BMW during a traffic stop conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department near the park.

When questioned about the drugs, Johnson said they belonged to a female named “Red” and that he takes care of the drugs for her. He also told officers that he works for People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a California-based nonprofit focused on ending homelessness.

LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE PLEDGES TO LIVE IN TRAILER OUTSIDE DRUG-INFESTED PARK

Homeless people sleeping in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park. Christopher Johnson, an employee with a homeless nonprofit that distributes needles at the poverty-stricken park, was arrested after he was found with drugs in his car, authorities said. (Getty Images; Justice Department)

Johnson now faces a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

PATH was founded in 1983 and has expanded its operations to more than 150 cities, court documents state. The services it offers include street outreach, housing navigation, interim housing, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing to help people transition from the streets to stable homes, federal prosecutors said.

Federal authorities made arrests on charges related to selling illicit drugs at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles on May 6, 2026. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

PATH also participates in “harm reduction” service programs and serves as a vendor in distributing syringes, including in the MacArthur Park area, according to a federal complaint. 

Johnson worked for PATH as part of its outreach team in “Service Planning Area 7” before his employment with the nonprofit concluded on Sept. 17, 2025, the group told Fox News Digital. A PATH statement said that it was “outraged and deeply disturbed” that someone would falsely represent themselves as a current employee.

“PATH’s policies and procedures ensure that any employee who does not abide by our code of conduct, or who is found to be participating in unethical or illegal activity, can no longer be employed by our statewide organization,” the statement said. “PATH’s policies and procedures ensure that any employee who does not abide by our code of conduct, or who is found to be participating in unethical or illegal activity, can no longer be employed by our statewide organization.”

The group also said it does not provide syringe exchange services in any of its programs, in contrast to what court documents state. Additionally, it doesn’t currently provide services covering the MacArthur Park area, PATH said, noting that the last services provided in the area ended in June 2024. 

Federal agents gather at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles during a large-scale drug enforcement operation targeting fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution on May 6, 2026. (Fox News)

The Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing (HSH) told Fox News Digital that it was “appalled by the alleged exploitation and targeting of the unsheltered individuals we are dedicated to serving and other vulnerable people.”

HSH also noted that PATH doesn’t have syringe exchange services in any of its programs.

“PATH is a key leader in our region’s efforts to end and prevent homelessness and a trusted partner to the County,” the agency said. “Their work has been instrumental in reducing unsheltered homelessness by moving people off the streets and connecting them with housing and support to regain long-term stability.”

MacArthur Park, which sits in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood, has been plagued by high rates of poverty, drug use and gang activity for decades.

“Many of the residents and visitors in the area are drug users, and MacArthur Park is a known location to purchase user-quantities of drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, in open-air markets,” court documents state.

Earlier this month, federal agents swarmed the park as part of a sweeping operation targeting an infamous open-air drug market notorious for peddling fentanyl and methamphetamine. 

The sting, dubbed “Operation Free MacArthur Park,” led to at least 18 arrests and more than $10 million worth of fentanyl seized in a massive joint effort between local and federal authorities, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The 18th Street gang traffics drugs across Los Angeles, operating in MacArthur Park, Skid Row, Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. (@USAttyEssayli)

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PATH’s 2025 financial report on its website states that it receives 94% of its funding from federal and local governments.

In 2025, it identified $63 million in salaries and had $10.4 million in cash. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors for comment.