Johnny's Bar & Grill Owner Arrested On Drug, Assault Charges

PUYALLUP, WA — One week after Johnny's Bar & Grill owner John Chong-Hun Choe was arrested on federal charges related to the alleged dealing of various drugs out of his restaurant, Choe was arrested again for assaulting his wife.

According to a statement released Wednesday by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB), Choe was arrested April 17 following the execution of a search warrant at his restaurant, located at 1100 N. Meridian in Puyallup. Court documents obtained by Patch show Choe was arrested again on April 24 after Choe's son stopped him from assaulting his wife at their Puyallup home.

The WSLCB on June 18 issued a 180-day emergency liquor license suspension for Choe's bar and grill while the agency seeks to permanently revoke Choe's license. A pre-trial conference related to the assault charge was held the same day, according to Pierce County's Legal Information Network Exchange (LINX).

The investigation into Choe's alleged drug activity began Sept. 28, 2018, after the joint Puyallup Police Department and Federal Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force (TNET) received information from a confidential source that appeared to show Choe was dealing drugs out of Johnny's Bar & Grill.

Over the next several months, TNET conducted four undercover drug deals and purchased nearly 45 grams of cocaine at the restaurant, the WSLCB said. On April 17, TNET and Puyallup police executed a search warrant and seized various quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, synthetic cannabis products, and Oxycodone, the WSLCB reported.

Choe now faces federal charges for unlawful delivery and possession of a controlled substance, as well as intent to deliver. The case is reportedly being handled by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

A week later, Pierce County Sheriff's deputies were called to Choe's residence for "unknown trouble," a Probable Cause affidavit states.

Upon the deputies' arrival, Choe's son said he came home from the gym to find his father holding down his mother on their bedroom floor. After pulling Choe off his mother, the son said "his father threatened to kill him as he ran to the nightstand located on the right side of the bed and began digging through the top drawer," the affidavit states.

Believing Choe was trying to get a gun to use against him, the son grabbed Choe and put him in a headlock until deputies arrived.

Following a brief investigation, Choe was taken to Pierce County jail. Later, a deputy returned to the home to speak with Choe's wife and son. During that conversation, the deputy learned Choe did in fact have a loaded 9mm handgun in the drawer he was trying to get to when his son restrained him.

Choe's son told the deputy "he might have been killed if his father was able to remove the gun from the drawer," the affidavit states.

Additionally, Choe's wife revealed she'd found in Choe's coat pocket two baggies of meth weighing about 16 grams. Her discovery is what initiated the confrontation with her husband, she said.

Both Choe's wife and son shared their concern that Choe would try to harm or even kill them if he returned to the home, the affidavit states.

An omnibus hearing related to the assault charge is set for July 22, and a jury trial is currently scheduled to begin in September. Choe's license suspension is effective through Dec. 15.