Man Previously Convicted of Murdering Walker Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Another Crime

A Cedar Rapids man who was convicted last year of murdering a Walker man was sentenced to five years in federal prison for a lesser crime on Monday.

35-year old Johnny Blahnik Church, also known as Drew Blahnik, received the prison term after pleading guilty in June to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

At the plea hearing, Church admitted that, in February 2019, he possessed a Glock .40 caliber handgun and multiple rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.  Church also admitted that at the time he possessed this gun and ammunition, he was prohibited from doing so because he was a knowing user of both cocaine and methamphetamine. 

In July 2021, Church, then known as Drew Blahnik, was convicted after a trial of second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, and abuse of a corpse related to the December 2018 death of Chris Bagley. He was previously sentenced to 57 years in state prison for those crimes.

Then in May, while confined in the Linn County Jail awaiting trial on his federal gun charge, Church, along with another inmate, assaulted and seriously injured a third inmate. Church was charged with assault causing serious injury and tampering with a witness.