District of Minnesota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
New York Stock Promoter Sentenced to Prison for “Pump and Dump” Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A New York man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in an illegal pump-and-dump stock manipulation scheme. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge David S. Doty sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, Christopher James Rajkaran, 36, of Queens, New York, and Guyana, participated in a scheme to hijack and assume control over dormant public shell companies. Rajkaran and his co-defendants used their control over the companies to fraudulently manipulate and pump up the price of the companies' stock so that they could profit from the sale of stock at inflated prices to unwitting investors.
According to court documents, Rajkaran and his co-defendants carried out the scheme by obtaining hundreds of thousands or even millions of shares of stock in dormant public shell companies that traded over-the-counter at low prices, often for less than a fraction of a penny per share. Rajkaran and his co-defendants then assumed control over the shell companies by creating and filing fake resignation letters and board resolutions purporting to announce the resignation of the existing management team and the appointment of one or more conspirators as new officers and directors of the companies. Rajkaran and his co-defendants used their control over the hijacked shell companies to issue fraudulent press releases and filings designed to fraudulently “pump up” the price of the hijacked companies’ stock. Rajkaran and his co-defendants then “dumped” their stock by selling at the fraudulently inflated prices to reap the fraudulent obtained profits.
On October 7, 2021, Rajkaran pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. On October 14, 2021, co-defendant Mark Allen Miller, 44, of Breezy Point, also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Co-defendant Saeid Jaberian, 60, of Hopkins, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud charges.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance on this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson and Miranda E. Dugi are prosecuting the case.
St. Paul Man Charged in Illegal Gun Buying ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minnesota – A St. Paul man has been arrested and charged for his role in a firearms straw purchasing conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, between May 11, 2021, and October 17, 2021, Gabriel Lee Young-Duncan, 27, and a previously charged co-conspirator participated in a conspiracy to illegally purchase multiple firearms, including one that was used in the Seventh Street Truck Park Bar shooting on October 10, 2021. Young-Duncan and his co-conspirator agreed to work together to illegally acquire firearms by making false statements to Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) throughout the Twin Cities. Specifically, the co-conspirator would purchase the firearms, stating on the ATF Form 4473 that the co-conspirator was the actual buyer, and then transfer the firearms to Young-Duncan, who would keep the firearms, or further transfer them to third parties.
According to court documents, Young-Duncan and his co-conspirator worked together to illegally obtained dozens of firearms, including four Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistols and two Mossberg 9mm semiautomatic pistols.
Young-Duncan is charged with one count of conspiracy to make false statements in the purchases of firearms. He made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cottage Grove Man Charged in Bank Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minnesota – A Cottage Grove man has been charged following a string of Twin Cities bank robberies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, in November 2021, Michael Thomas Prall, 43, used force, violence, and intimidation to steal thousands of dollars from three separate banks. On November 30, 2021, Prall stole approximately $775 from a Wells Fargo bank in Cottage Grove. On November 19, 2021, Prall stole approximately $4,589 from a Bremer Bank in Woodbury. On November 5, 2021, Prall stole approximately $2,558 from a US Bank in Bloomington.
Prall, who is charged with three counts of bank robbery, made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Hildy Bowbeer in U.S. District Court. Prall was detained pending further court proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Cottage Grove Police Department, the Woodbury Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Washington County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Federal Jury Convicts Two Men on Fentanyl Trafficking, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted two Minneapolis men of multiple counts of drug dealing, conspiracy to distribute drugs, and illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
Following an eleven-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Davis, Anthony Akemu Abari, 41, and Kevin Termell Green, 38, were convicted late Friday afternoon of multiple counts related to a fentanyl-laced heroin trafficking conspiracy. Abari was further convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to the evidence presented at trial, since 2018, Abari, Green, and others participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin laced with fentanyl. Between late 2018 and mid-2019, the defendants regularly supplied fentanyl-laced heroin to individuals living in a large homeless encampment along Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis. Abari and co-defendant Relondo Devon Hall, 37, stopped there, on a daily basis at times, to distribute drugs they obtained from Green.
In January 2019, law enforcement received information that there was drug dealing going on at a Minneapolis residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they found Abari with 100 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, a gun, and two phones connecting him to drug dealing. In April 2019, law enforcement received additional information that Abari was in possession of heroin and a firearm. Upon execution of a search warrant, they found Abari in the basement where they also recovered 20 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in July of 2019, upon execution of a search warrant, law enforcement seized 298 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl belonging to Green. Green had been supplying Abari and others with heroin laced with fentanyl from at least December 2018 and continuing into July 2019.
Abari was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of heroin laced with fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of heroin laced with fentanyl, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment. Green was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. Sentencing dates will be scheduled at a later time.
Abari and Green’s co-defendant Relondo Devon Hall, 37, pleaded guilty on July 30, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin A. Wesley and Lindsey E. Middlecamp.
###
Dodge County Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating a Federal Officer and Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Dodge County man has pleaded guilty to impersonating a federal officer and illegally possessing firearms as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2021, the FBI received a tip that Reyel Devon Simmons, 53, was pretending to be federal agent with the United States Department of Homeland Security. As part of his impersonation scheme, Simmons established a TikTok profile, using the false name “Rey Reeves,” and regularly held himself out as a federal agent on social media. Simmons, who had nearly 10,000 followers on TikTok, used a profile photo that showed him wearing law enforcement gear and made several posts displaying law enforcement equipment, badges, and firearms, and referring explicitly and implicitly to himself as a federal agent. At no time has Simmons ever been employed by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Similarly, Simmons has never been a sworn law enforcement officer with any federal, state, or local agency, nor has he ever had the authority to act on behalf of any federal agency or department.
According to court documents, Simmons regularly carried a backpack, which he described as his “go bag.” The bag bore the departmental emblem of the Department of Homeland Security and contained a Glock handgun, fake Department of Homeland Security badge, and other items related to Simmons’s supposed service in law enforcement and the military. Law enforcement seized from Simmons’s residence eight firearms, including assault rifles and sniper rifles, which were discovered in a “safe room” or bunker that could be accessed only through a hidden doorway located in a storage area of the basement. In addition, Simmons admitted to possessing unregistered silencers/suppressors, detonating cord containing the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), a blasting cap, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor with law enforcement emblems affixed to it, and other law enforcement style badges, clothing, bags, and identification documents.
Because Simmons has a prior felony conviction in Colorado, he is prohibited under federal law, from possessing firearms, ammunition, or explosives at any time.
Simmons pleaded guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of impersonating an officer of the United States and one count of possessing firearms as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, ATF, Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, Owatonna Police Department, Kasson Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department Bomb Squad, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine is prosecuting the case.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to 138 Months in Prison for Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 138 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for drug possession with intent to distribute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, during the early morning hours of November 1, 2019, officers with the St. Paul Police Department initiated a traffic stop of John Sheldon Pickens, Jr.’s vehicle. Pickens, 36, initially pulled his vehicle over but then accelerated away and led police on a high-speed chase for several miles through the city of St. Paul. Officers were ultimately able to stop him on the Lafayette Bridge and take him into custody. Officers searched the vehicle and found six packages of cocaine that had a combined weight of approximately six kilograms.
Pickens was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery. He was convicted by a federal jury on June 24, 2021, of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Saint Paul Police Department, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amber M. Brennan and Joseph S. Teirab.
###
Red Lake Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man has pleaded guilty to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on May 5, 2021, Brennon Allen James Sayers, 21, was arguing loudly with his girlfriend in a vehicle outside a residence in the Ponemah area of the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Victim J.L.Z., who lived across the street, came out of his residence and began telling Sayers to stop arguing and fighting with his girlfriend. Victim C.T.G., who was walking down the road, encountered the interaction between Sayers and J.L.Z. As the confrontation between Sayers and J.L.Z. escalated to yelling and assaultive threats, Sayers pulled a firearm from his waistband and began shooting at both J.L.Z. and C.T.G. as they ran back towards J.L.Z.’s house. Both J.L.Z. and C.T.G. were struck by gunfire. After the shooting, Sayers fled the area and was located several hours later at his mother’s residence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
Sayers pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John R. Tunheim to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 13, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad.
###
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to the Armed Robberies of Two Gas Stations and a HotelRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of two Speedway gas stations and a Super 8 Hotel, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on February 4, 2020, Keanu Dewone Ross, 30, entered a Speedway gas station in Columbia Heights, pulled what appeared to be a firearm, and demanded cash from the register and the safe. Ross stole $140 in cash, various tobacco products, and several lottery tickets, before fleeing the scene in a waiting vehicle parked several blocks away with his co-defendant, Antoinette Deniece Mae Dobyne, 30. On February 12, 2020, Ross entered a Speedway in Fridley, pulled what appeared to be a firearm, and demanded cash from the register. Ross ordered the employee to the ground and kicked the employee in the face. Ross left the store with more than $700 in cash, tobacco products, and lottery tickets. On three separate days in February, surveillance camera footage showed Ross and Dobyne cashing some of the stolen lottery tickets at two different gas stations.
According to court documents, on February 14, 2020, Ross and another man were driven to the area of the Super 8 Hotel in Brooklyn Center by Dobyne in her SUV. The men entered the hotel and ordered a hotel employee to the ground at gunpoint. Ross and the other man took the employee’s cell phone and car keys, and over $550 cash from the business. The men then told the employee to run from the scene. As the employee fled on foot, he heard multiple gunshots. Officers recovered a discharged cartridge casing at the scene of the robbery. Surveillance camera footage showed the two men committing the robbery as described by the employee. The footage also showed the two men running from the hotel toward an SUV and then fleeing on foot after the SUV got stuck in a snowbank. BCPD officers located Dobyne in the SUV. A warrant-authorized search of the SUV revealed Ross’s wallet and identification, and a black duffle bag full of various tobacco products.
According to court documents, later that same day, Ross was detained during a traffic stop by officers with the Minneapolis Police Department. Officers confiscated a Taurus Model PT738 .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol that was found on Ross’s person. Subsequent forensic ballistics analysis using the discharged cartridge casing recovered at the scene of the robbery revealed that the confiscated firearm was the same one that was fired at the Super 8 Hotel.
Ross pleaded guilty yesterday before Senior U.S. District Judge David S. Doty to three counts of aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On October 25, 2021, Dobyne pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery. Sentencing hearings for the defendants will be scheduled at a later date.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the Columbia Heights Police Department, and the Fridley Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Arrested at U.S./Canada Border, Charged with Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal criminal complaint has been filed against a Florida man charging him with human smuggling, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, law enforcement agents with Homeland Security Investigations responded to a request for assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) based out of Pembina, North Dakota. USBP initiated a traffic stop on a white-colored, fifteen passenger van less than one mile south of the U.S./Canadian border in a rural area between the official ports of entry located at Lancaster, Minnesota and Pembina, North Dakota. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Steve Shand, 47, a U.S. citizen. Law enforcement asked for identification of the two passengers in the van and determined them to be undocumented Indian nationals.
According to court documents, law enforcement discovered cases of plastic cups, bottled water, bottled juice, and snacks located in the extreme rear of the passenger van. Law enforcement also discovered receipts dated January 18, 2022, for the drinks and snacks, and rental agreement receipts in Shand’s name for the van, with the return date listed for January 20, 2022. USBP arrested Shand for smuggling undocumented foreign nationals. While Shand and the two passengers were being transported to the Pembina Border Patrol Station in North Dakota, law enforcement encountered five additional Indian nationals approximately a quarter mile south of the Canadian border walking in the direction of where Shand was arrested. They appeared to be headed to an unstaffed gas plant located in St. Vincent, Minnesota. The five Indian nationals explained that they had walked across the border expecting to be picked up by someone. The group estimated they had been walking around for over 11 hours. One of the group members was in possession of a backpack that did not belong to him. He stated he was carrying the backpack for a family of four Indian nationals that had earlier walked with his group but had become separated during the night. The backpack contained children’s clothes, a diaper, toys, and some children’s medication.
According to court documents, later during the day on January 19, 2022, USBP received a report from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that four bodies were found frozen just inside the Canadian side of the international border. The dead bodies were tentatively identified as the family of four that was separated. Two of the surviving Indian nationals sustained serious injuries and were transported to a hospital.
Shand is charged with one count of knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien had come to, entered, or remained in the United States in violation of law, having transported, and moved or having attempted to transport and move such aliens. He made his first appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Hildy Bowbeer. Shand was ordered to remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing, currently scheduled for January 24, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. before Magistrate Judge Bowbeer.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Minors on the Bois Forte ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Canadian national pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with two minors at the Fortune Bay Resort and Casino on the Bois Forte Indian Reservation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on June 22, 2018, Brady John Hillis, 32, a citizen of Canada, was at the Fortune Bay Resort and Casino on the Bois Forte Indian Reservation. Hillis was captured on Fortune Bay’s security surveillance video engaging in sexual contact with two minor victims who were under 12 years of age.
Hillis pleaded guilty yesterday before Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim to two counts of abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 years of age. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Bois Forte Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad is prosecuting the case.
Self-Described Member of Booglaoo Bois Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Cloud man was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing two drop-in auto sears, which are devices that convert semi-automatic firearm into fully automatic firearms. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, in November 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into Michael Paul Dahlager, 28, a self-proclaimed member of the “Boogaloo Bois,” a loosely connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. The term “Boogaloo” itself references an impending second civil war in the United States and is associated with violent uprisings against the government. In November 2020, the FBI learned through a confidential human source (“CHS”) that Dahlager was in possession of a 3D-printed “drop in auto sear” and a homemade firearm suppressor. An “auto sear” is a part designed and intended for use in converting a semi-automatic weapon to shoot automatically by a single pull of the trigger and is a machine gun under federal law.
According to court documents, on February 3, 2021, Dahlager delivered two auto sears to the CHS and he demonstrated how the devices should be inserted into a firearm. At the time of his arrest in April 2021, law enforcement recovered six additional auto sears and a silencer from Dahlager’s vehicle and home.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Trial Attorneys George Kraehe and Phil Viti of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
Owatonna Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Owatonna man was sentenced to 31 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing an unregistered firearm. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office received information that Dayton Charles Sauke, 23, was selling narcotics and manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license. Sauke used his Snapchat account to advertise privately made firearms, or “ghost guns,” which he described as “untraceable” and “throwaway murder pieces.” Sauke also posted pictures of a short-barreled shotgun and made several threatening posts about killing law enforcement and politicians.
According to court documents, on January 15, 2021, two undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) met with Sauke and purchased from him a privately made firearm. During the meeting, Sauke had a short-barreled shotgun with him and showed it to the undercover agents. The short-barreled shotgun was later recovered by law enforcement officials and examined by an ATF expert, who determined it was an operable 12-gauge shotgun with a barrel length of approximately 11 inches and a total overall length of 18 inches. Federal law requires shotguns with reduced barrels and overall lengths (often referred to as “sawed-off” or “short-barreled” shotguns) to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The shotgun was not registered to Sauke.
“Sauke’s actions and statements leading up to his arrest were very concerning, which is why law enforcement quickly intervened,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge William J. McCrary, of the St. Paul Field Division. “We are thankful for the investigative work of the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, South Central Drug Investigations Unit, Cannon River Drug Task Force, and our federal partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and U.S. Attorney’s Office. I’m especially proud of our ATF agents who quickly responded to this matter, and whose prompt actions helped to interrupt Sauke’s potential plans for violence. This collaborative work readily demonstrates, at all levels, law enforcement’s on-going commitment to public safety.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigations Unit, and the Cannon River Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley is prosecuting the case.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Arson of Minneapolis Pawn Shop that Resulted in the Death of a ManRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for the arson of a Minneapolis pawn shop that resulted in the death of a man. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Montez Terriel Lee, 26, along with others, broke into the Max It Pawn Shop on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. Surveillance video footage showed Lee pouring a fire accelerant around the pawn shop and lighting the accelerant on fire. The fire destroyed the building. A second video showed Lee standing in front of the burning pawn shop and Lee could be heard saying, “[expletive] this place. We’re gonna burn this [expletive] down.”
According to court documents, on July 20, 2020, authorities located the body of a 30 year old man, O.S., in the rubble of the burned Max It Pawn building. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office attributed O.S.’s death to “probable inhalation of products of combustion and thermal injury (building fire).”
This case was the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Red Lake Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Firearm, Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Red Lake man was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for illegally possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing a firearm as a felon. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on November 21, 2020, Joshua Jon Lussier, 34, was arrested in Hubbard County, Minnesota, pursuant to a federal arrest warrant. In Lussier’s vehicle, law enforcement observed in plain sight a glass smoking device commonly used for methamphetamine and approximately ten grams of methamphetamine. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed 893 grams of methamphetamine, 83 grams of fentanyl, and drug distribution paraphernalia, including common cutting agents used to increase the total weight of controlled substances. Lussier admitted that the drugs in his vehicle belonged to him and were intended for distribution.
In April 2019, Lussier was found in possession of a Remington .243 caliber, Model 770 rifle. Because he has a prior felony conviction in Pennington County, Lussier is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On September 19, 2021, Lussier pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and one count of illegally possession of a firearm as a felon.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Department of Public Safety and the FBI Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Woman Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Role in Violent Twin Cities Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis woman was sentenced to 100 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $13,323.53 in restitution, for her role in a string of violent carjackings throughout the Twin Cities. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.
“The staggering increase in carjackings throughout the Twin Cities metro has not gone unnoticed by federal law enforcement,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats. “In partnership with local and federal law enforcement, we will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who perpetrate this type of violence in our communities. Today’s sentence highlights the seriousness of these crimes and the significant penalties facing those who commit them.”
“The recent spike in carjackings has spread a sense of terror and fear across our communities, and we are pleased that this sentence sends a strong message of deterrence to those seeking to victimize our neighbors,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “The FBI is committed to doing all we can to work with our partners to stop this menace and bring back a sense of peace and calm throughout our metropolitan neighborhoods.”
According to court documents, on August 28, 2020, Krisanne Marie Benjamin, 25, and her co-defendant Jeremiah Lee Ironrope, 25, drove a maroon SUV to a parking lot in Richfield, where they parked near a 2017 Audi. Ironrope approached the driver of the Audi and pointed a Remington 870 l2-gauge shotgun, with a sawed-off barrel, at the driver and demanded the car keys. Benjamin kept watch from the maroon SUV as Ironrope started the Audi and drove away. Benjamin followed in the maroon SUV.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of August 29, 2020, the Minnesota State Patrol used GPS data to track and locate the stolen Audi, which was driven by Ironrope and occupied by Benjamin. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but Ironrope drove away at a high rate of speed, while cutting across multiple lanes of traffic, swerving between cars, and driving through red lights. During the flight from law enforcement, Benjamin got out of the vehicle and fled on foot while Ironrope continued fleeing in the Audi. Law enforcement found the vehicle running and unoccupied in Minneapolis. The vehicle had been partially spray-painted black. Inside officers found a stolen wallet, bottles of spray paint, a hat, gloves, and receipts. Law enforcement also found a used l2-gauge shotgun shell under the driver's seat.
On September 7, 2021, Benjamin pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting carjacking. On September 9, 2021, Co-defendant Ironrope pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
As part of their guilty pleas, Ironrope and Benjamin admitted to two additional carjackings that occurred on July 26, 2020, in Maple Grove and August 7, 2020, in St. Paul. In both instances, the defendants physically assaulted the victims before stealing their vehicles. Ironrope also admitted to two December 2020 carjackings occurring in St. Louis Park and St. Paul. In both instances, Ironrope pointed a handgun at the victims before stealing their vehicles.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Maple Grove Police Department, the Richfield Police Department, the Edina Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson.
Plymouth Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Advertising, Producing, and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Plymouth man was sentenced to 228 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for advertising, producing, and distributing material depicting the sexual abuse of children. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, between November 2019 and March 2021, Derek Gerard Williams, 23, used various online accounts and aliases to advertise, produce, distribute, and obtain child pornography and other data related to the sexual exploitation of children. Williams used Instagram and other online platforms to communicate with and exploit minors in the United States and abroad. Williams also used a virtual private network (VPN) or proxy services and coded language referring to child exploitation and bestiality, to attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement.
On August 16, 2021, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of advertising child pornography, one count of production of child pornography, and one count of distribution of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi.
Brooklyn Park Man Sentenced to Prison for Arson in St. Paul’s Midway AreaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Brooklyn Park man was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release and $33,826.64 in restitution for his role in the arson of the Great Health and Nutrition store in St. Paul. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Samuel Elliott Frey, 20, and co-defendant McKenzy Ann DeGidio Dunn, 21, joined other individuals who had gathered near the Great Health and Nutrition store located at 1360 University Avenue West, in St. Paul. Frey and others arrived together to the Midway area near University Avenue and walked through multiple businesses before they arrived inside the Great Health and Nutrition retail store. While inside the store, Frey poured a bottle of hand sanitizer onto a shelving unit located on the floor. Frey then lit paper on fire and placed the flaming paper where he had poured the hand sanitizer. Frey poured on more hand sanitizer to accelerate the fire. The Great Health and Nutrition store sustained fire damage because of Frey’s conduct.
Dunn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson and, on May 10, 2021, was sentenced to three years of probation and $31,578 in restitution. On July 20, 2021, Frey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the St. Paul Police Department, the St. Paul Fire Department, Brooklyn Park Police Department, the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division, and the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Ebert and Joseph Teirab.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Illegally Straw Purchasing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two defendants have pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with the illegal purchase of multiple firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to their guilty pleas, between May 2020 and May 2021, Sarah Jean Elwood, 34, and Jeffrey Paul Jackson, 31, conspired together and with others to buy dozens of firearms from various Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL) in the State of Minnesota. As part of the straw-purchasing scheme, Elwood and others would go to various FFLs, and she would purchase the firearms on behalf of others who requested the firearms in advance of the purchases. In making the purchases, Elwood knowingly misrepresented to the dealers that she was the actual purchaser of the firearms, when in fact she and her co-defendants knew she was not. Jackson helped arrange the deals with his co-defendants and others, which included a $100 premium for each straw-purchased gun, and obtained cash or other items of value upfront for the firearms. In total, the defendants straw purchased approximately 97 firearms, including approximately 62 firearms in May 2021 alone. To date, approximately 17 firearms have been recovered by local law enforcement at various crime scenes and/or in the possession of persons legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
During recent court hearings, Elwood and Jackson each admitted to their roles in the conspiracy and pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery to one count each of aiding and abetting false statements in connection with the purchase of firearms. Co-conspirator Geryiell Lamont Walker, 22, has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and making false statements in connection with the purchase of firearms.
Straw purchasing typically involves a buyer who can lawfully purchase firearms from an FFL but who then provides them to another person who is legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms, therefore allowing the prohibited person to illegally obtain firearms and avoid the national background check system.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF and the Blaine Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the case.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Arson and Riot During August 2020 Riots in Downtown MinneapolisRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for burning, looting, and damaging stores and businesses in downtown Minneapolis on August 26, 2020. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on the evening of August 26, 2020, Victor Devon Edwards, 32, drove to downtown Minneapolis following a city-wide curfew to join a large crowd that had gathered following false rumors regarding police involvement in the death of a man on Nicollet Mall earlier that evening. Over the course of approximately three hours, Edwards engaged in acts of riot, arson, and other property damage and destruction in downtown Minneapolis. Edwards was captured on video surveillance participating in the rioting and looting at Saks Off Fifth and entering other closed stores and businesses that evening, including Caribou Coffee, Target Headquarters, and Brit’s Pub on Nicollet Mall. Edwards was captured on video surveillance helping to break into the Target Headquarters building and adding fuel to a fire set inside the building, which ultimately caused almost a million dollars in damages to Target. Edwards was then captured on video surveillance entering the nearby Brit’s Pub, which, shortly after he went in, became engulfed in flames.
During and after his criminal activity downtown that evening, Edwards bragged about his participation in the rioting and looting. Edwards also took orders from friends for items to loot. The next morning, Edwards took a video of himself flashing a large amount of cash and saying, “On the looting side. . .” He also admitted that he got “MK purses and money” in text messages with his friends.
On August 12, 2021, Edwards was convicted by a federal jury of one count of riot and one count of arson.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Richfield Police Departments.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Chelsea A. Walcker.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 288 Months in Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Isanti County man has been sentenced to 288 months in prison followed by 25 years of supervised release for producing child pornography.
According to court documents, Russell James Anderson-Baldwin, 39, used Instagram, Snapchat, and other online messaging apps to communicate with a minor victim. Between December 2019 and August 2020, Anderson-Baldwin coerced the minor to create sexually explicit videos. In total, Anderson-Baldwin created approximately 286 sexually explicit videos of the minor. Investigators also found on Anderson-Baldwin’s phone approximately 140 sexually explicit images and videos of other minor victims.
On January 16, 2020, Anderson-Baldwin was convicted in Isanti County of three counts of possession of child pornography. As a result of those convictions, he was required to register as a sex offender and was on probation when he committed the production offense. Anderson-Baldwin pleaded guilty in federal court on June 22, 2021, to one count of production of child pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead.
Two Felons Sentenced to Respectively to 96 and 78 Months in Prison of Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two men have been sentenced for illegal possession of firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
Jarvae Josiah Somerville, 28, of White Bear Lake, and Ronald Donte Finley, Jr., 26, of Minneapolis, were both convicted on August 26, 2021, of one count each of illegal possession of a firearm, following a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson. The defendants were sentenced yesterday to 96 months and 78 months in prison, respectively. Both men were sentenced to three years of supervised release that will begin upon their release from prison.
“The staggering spike in gun violence throughout the Twin Cities must end,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in our commitment to hold accountable individuals who put public safety at risk.”
According to court documents, Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers investigating a shooting followed Somerville and Finley to a restaurant on Lake Street in Minneapolis. While Somerville was inside the restaurant and Finley was outside in an Infinity sedan that the men were driving, officers moved in to make an arrest. When officers approached Finley, Finley ran from the Infinity sedan but was apprehended and arrested. Inside the Infiniti sedan, officers found a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine. When officers entered the restaurant and attempted to arrest Somerville, Somerville ran inside a private bathroom in the back of the restaurant. Two officers chasing Somerville followed Somerville inside, and Somerville reached into his waistband. Concerned that Somerville was reaching for a firearm, an officer grabbed Somerville’s hands, and the three men struggled until other officers arrived to assist. After Somerville was handcuffed and taken into custody, officers recovered from the floor of the bathroom a Glock, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine.
After the arrests, officers executed a search warrant at Somerville’s residence and found a box of .45 caliber ammunition the same model of which was found in the firearm found in the bathroom. Officers also found a gun cleaning kit. Investigators later confirmed that Finley’s fingerprints were present on the magazine of the 9mm pistol found in the Infiniti sedan.
Because Somerville has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County and Finley has prior felony convictions in Cook County, Illinois, they are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez prosecuted the case.
###
Two Minneapolis Felons Sentenced Respectively to 70 and 82 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
St. Paul, Minn. – Two Minneapolis felons were sentenced today for possessing a handgun with a large capacity magazine that could hold 50 rounds of ammunition, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court records, between April 30 and May 5, 2020, Travon Lavelle Blackman, 24, and Michael Eugene Hunter, 23, were in joint possession of a Glock, model 22, .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, with an attached 50-round drum magazine. Both men videotaped themselves and posted several of the recordings on social media of their brandishing the firearm (as well as other firearms) while making threatening gestures and statements. Because Blackman and Hunter both have prior felony convictions, they are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
U.S. District Court Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced Blackman to 70 months in prison and Hunter to 82 months in prison. Both men were sentenced to three years of supervised release that will begin upon their release from prison.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
###
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Possession, Distribution of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 60 months followed by four years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on June 1, 2019, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department seized 351 counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl from Fowzi Abdinasir Elmi, 20. On January 21, 2020, Elmi and two other individuals drove to Arizona with the intent of buying fentanyl pills and then returning to Minnesota to distribute them. Elmi successfully purchased the pills but was stopped by law enforcement in Oklahoma. Approximately 2,100 counterfeit prescription fentanyl pills were seized from Elmi. On September 15, 2020, Elmi, along with two other individuals, got into a single vehicle car crash. When Minneapolis police officers arrived, they found Elmi in possession of 170 counterfeit prescription fentanyl pills. Elmi admitted to purchasing the pills for $15 per pill and selling them for $30-$35 per pill.
Elmi was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Minneapolis Police Department, and the State of Oklahoma District One Narcotics Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David P. Steinkamp and Justin A. Wesley prosecuted the case.
###
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Depriving George Floyd and a Minor Victim of Their Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
St. Paul, Minn. – The Justice Department announced today that Derek Chauvin, 45, pleaded guilty in federal court to two violations of a federal civil rights statute.
First, defendant Chauvin pleaded guilty to willfully depriving, while acting under color of law, George Floyd of his constitutional rights, resulting in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death. Defendant Chauvin also agreed that the appropriate sentencing base offense level for this crime is second-degree murder because he used unreasonable and excessive force that resulted in Mr. Floyd’s death, and he acted willfully and in callous and wanton disregard of the consequences to Mr. Floyd’s life.
Second, defendant Chauvin pleaded guilty to willfully depriving, while acting under color of law, a then 14-year-old juvenile of his constitutional rights, resulting in the juvenile’s bodily injury.
“Defendant Chauvin has pleaded guilty to two federal civil rights violations, one of which led to the tragic loss of George Floyd’s life,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “While recognizing that nothing can repair the harm caused by such acts, the Justice Department is committed to holding accountable those who violate the Constitution, and to safeguarding the civil rights of all Americans.”
In the plea agreement, defendant Chauvin admitted that on May 25, 2020, he willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional right to be free from an officer’s use of unreasonable force. Specifically, defendant Chauvin admitted that he held his left knee across Mr. Floyd’s neck, back and shoulder and his right knee on Mr. Floyd’s back and arm. The plea agreement states that Mr. Floyd remained restrained, prone and handcuffed on the ground for approximately 10 minutes. Defendant Chauvin further admitted that he continued to use force even though he was aware that Mr. Floyd had stopped resisting, talking and moving, and even though he was aware that Mr. Floyd had lost consciousness and a pulse. Defendant Chauvin admitted that Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) policy and training requires officers to stop using force when a subject is not resisting and to move an arrestee from the prone position into a side recovery or seated position because the prone position may make it more difficult to breathe. Defendant Chauvin admitted that his willful use of unreasonable force resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death because his actions impaired Mr. Floyd’s ability to obtain and maintain sufficient oxygen to sustain Mr. Floyd’s life.
In the plea agreement, defendant Chauvin also admitted that he willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes an arrestee’s right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. Specifically, defendant Chauvin admitted that he failed to render medical aid to Mr. Floyd, although he saw that Mr. Floyd was lying on the ground, in serious medical need, and although he was aware that MPD policy required him to provide emergency medical aid, including CPR, to an arrestee who needs it. Defendant Chauvin admitted that his failure to render medical aid resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death.
Additionally, according to the plea agreement, defendant Chauvin admitted that on Sept. 4, 2017, he willfully violated a then 14-year-old juvenile’s constitutional right to be free from an officer’s use of unreasonable force. Specifically, defendant Chauvin admitted that he held the juvenile by the throat and struck the juvenile multiple times in the head with a flashlight, resulting in the juvenile’s bodily injury. In the plea agreement, defendant Chauvin also admitted that he held his knee on the juvenile’s neck, shoulders and upper back for between 15 and 16 minutes, even though the juvenile was face-down on the floor, handcuffed and not resisting. Defendant Chauvin admitted that these actions resulted in the juvenile’s bodily injury.
Defendant Chauvin pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson. Defendant Chauvin will be sentenced at a hearing to be scheduled at a later date. According to the plea agreement, defendant Chauvin faces a sentence of between 20- and 25-years imprisonment. Under the terms of the plea agreement, defendant Chauvin will serve his sentence in federal custody and will not be eligible to work in any law enforcement capacity following his release.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, W. Anders Folk, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich and Allen Slaughter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
###
St. Paul Felon Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on February 5, 2019, officers with the St. Paul Police Department observed Michael Antonio Miller, 38, and his girlfriend leave a residence and drive away together in a vehicle. At the time, there was an active Domestic Abuse No Contact Order in place between Miller and his girlfriend. The officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. As officers approached the driver’s side of the vehicle where the girlfriend was seated, she opened the center console and moved some papers out of the way to reveal a loaded Smith and Wesson, .40 caliber pistol. In an interview following his arrest, Miller admitted that the firearm was his. Because of his prior felony convictions in Ransey and Hennepin Counties, Miller is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time.
Miller was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis, Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after he was sentenced.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha H. Bates and Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.
###
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for cyberstalking, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, from 2014 through 2021, Jeffrey Colin Purdy, 30 harassed, intimidated, and threatened Victim A after she declined his romantic advances and asked him to stop contacting her. Specifically, on September 15, 2017, the Mankato Department of Public Safety received a complaint from an individual stating that she had been receiving harassing emails from Purdy, a former classmate from Minnesota State University, Mankato (“Mankato State”). While attending Mankato State, the victim declined repeated romantic advances from Purdy and eventually blocked Purdy from her cellular telephone and social media accounts. From August 30, 2017, through February 21, 2020, Purdy used Mankato State’s Silent Witness Report, an anonymous incident reporting tool, to make frequent and violent threats against the victim. An IP address used to make one of the Silent Witness Reports was traced back to Purdy.
Purdy pleaded guilty on August 24, 2020, to one count of cyberstalking. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Mankato Department of Public Safety, with assistance from the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek prosecuted the case.
###
Canadian Citizen Sentenced to 68 Months in Prison for Aiding and Abetting Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Minneapolis – A Canadian man was sentenced to 68 months in prison for aiding and abetting unlawful possession of firearms, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on January 10, 2021, Muzamil Aden Addow, 30, and co-defendant Dayne Adrian Sitladeen, 29, were stopped by a Minnesota State Patrol Trooper near Fergus Falls, Minnesota. The defendants were traveling between 95-100 miles per hour in a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with Texas license plates. When the Trooper approached the vehicle, Muzamil Aden Addow, the driver, provided an Ontario, Canada, driver’s license with a false name.
According to court documents, after detecting the odor of marijuana in the vehicle and receiving suspicious and inconsistent statements from Addow and Sitladeen, the Trooper searched the vehicle. As a result of the search, law enforcement officers recovered a total of 67 firearms and numerous pistol magazines, including 15 high-capacity pistol magazines, from four bags in the truck—one pistol magazine was partially loaded with live ammunition rounds.
Addow, who pleaded guilty on July 27, 2021, to one count of aiding and abetting firearm possession by aliens unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy E. Brasel. On December 8, 2021, his co-defendant Dayne Adrian Sitladeen was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bates.
###
Two Women Charged in 2019 Murder and Assault on the Red Lake Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two women have been arrested and charged with one count of second-degree murder, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Kovats.
According to court documents, on August 12, 2019, Alexia Gah Gi Gay Mary Cutbank, 20, and Mia Faye Sumner, 20, while aided and abetted by others, murdered victim “D.A.J.” Additionally, Cutbank and Sumner shot and injured victim “T.B.S.”
Cutbank and Sumner both made their initial appearances today before Magistrate Judge Katherine M. Menendez. Cutbank and Sumner were ordered detained pending a formal detention hearing scheduled for 10:00 am on December 15, 2021.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Duluth Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), and the Minnesota Department of Corrections, in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty for Violent Robbery of a Minneapolis BusinessRead the Press Release
St. Paul, Minn. – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty today to a Hobbs Act robbery that resulted in the shooting death of a store clerk, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on April 27, 2021, Marlow Ramsey Carson, 30, robbed Blue Sky Wireless and West Bend Furniture located in Minneapolis. During the robbery the defendant stuck a handgun under a barrier on the counter and demanded money from the store clerk. Carson shot the store clerk in the chest before running out of the store and entering the passenger side of his vehicle, which quickly sped away. The store clerk was transported by ambulance to the emergency room where he was later pronounced dead.
Carson plead guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of possession of ammunition as a felon. Carson has prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Samantha H. Bates are prosecuting the case.
###
Justice Department Awards More Than $17.5 Million to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
St. Paul – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Justice Programs was awarded $233,742 to continue to administer PSN grant funds in Minnesota.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”
“Communities throughout the state have been plagued by increasing levels of gun violence, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Reducing it requires a collaborative approach between law enforcement and the people we serve,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Kovats. “Project Safe Neighborhood funds in the District of Minnesota will be invested in community-based efforts to address local violent crime issues throughout the state, with a special emphasis on programs aimed at providing at-risk youth and young adults with the supports and assistance necessary to prevent them from becoming involved in - or victimized by - violent crime.”
Grant funds will support violence prevention and reduction strategies that are rooted in addressing the needs of communities throughout the Twin Cities metro and in Indian Country. With approval from BJA, the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Justice Programs will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.
“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.
PSN Programs are led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.
For a list of all grantees, please visit: FY21-Project-Safe-Neighborhoods-Awards.pdf (ojp.gov)
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
###
Rochester Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, from February 2020, through March 2020, Tyler Benjamin Batson, 36, was a part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Rochester and surrounding southeastern Minnesotan communities. On March 4, 2020, a Minnesota State Trooper stopped Batson and his passenger who were traveling in a rented vehicle back to Rochester. Batson was returning from the Twin Cities area after meeting with his source of methamphetamine supply. After a canine sniff of the vehicle, officers found a small black bag on the rear passenger side floorboard. Inside the bag, the State Trooper recovered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine. Agents arrested both Batson and his passenger. On September 18, 2020, Batson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Baston was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Rochester Police Department, the Southeast Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter Jr.
###
Canadian Citizen Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Canadian man was sentenced to 78 months for possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully in the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on January 10, 2021, Dayne Adrian Sitladeen, 29, and co-defendant Muzamil Aden Addow, 29, were stopped by a Minnesota State Patrol Trooper near Fergus Falls, Minnesota. The defendants were traveling between 95-100 miles per hour in a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with Texas license plates. When the Trooper approached the vehicle, Muzamil Aden Addow, the driver, provided an Ontario, Canada, driver’s license with a false name.
According to court documents, after detecting the odor of marijuana in the vehicle and receiving suspicious and inconsistent statements from Sitladeen, the Trooper searched the vehicle. As a result of the search, law enforcement officers recovered a total of 67 firearms and numerous magazines, including 15 high-capacity magazines, from four bags in the truck—one magazine was partially loaded with live ammunition rounds. Law enforcement later discovered a provisional federal arrest warrant from the United States Marshals Service for Sitladeen, which was based on a 2019 Canadian arrest warrant for first degree homicide, fentanyl distribution, and possession of proceeds of crime.
Sitladeen, who pleaded guilty on June 23, 2021 to one count of aiding and abetting firearm possession by aliens unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy E. Brasel.
Co-defendant, Muzamil Aden Addow, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14, 2021 at 10:00 am.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bates.
###
Brooklyn Park Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Brooklyn Park man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on March 6, 2020, Tyaireon Martez West-Porter, 24, was found to be in possession of a .40 caliber Glock 22 Gen 4 semi-automatic pistol. Because West-Porter has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Acting United States Attorney Charles Kovats made the announcement after West-Porter was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley prosecuted the case.
###
Minneapolis Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty to illegal possession of an unregistered firearm announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, in July 2021, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for a Minneapolis residence associated with Nicholas Robert Briski-Smith, 25, who had “probable cause pickup” warrants for two recent alleged felony assaults, one of which involved a shooting, and multiple outstanding warrants. While conducting surveillance in preparation for the execution of the search warrant, officers observed Briski-Smith exit his residence and drive away in a vehicle. Officers followed Briski-Smith to a nearby corner store where they took him into custody. Following the arrest, officers recovered a loaded Stevens Arms 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun that was concealed and affixed to Briski-Smith's chest. The short-barreled shotgun was modified with a cut stock and barrel, both covered with electrical tape. During the search of Briski-Smith’s residence, officers located a Marlin, semiautomatic, .22-caliber rifle, an empty magazine for a semiautomatic firearm, a .45-caliber muzzle loader, and 17 rounds of various ammunition.
Briski-Smith pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of unlawfully possessing an unregistered firearm. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the case.
###
U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Law Enforcement Partners in Third Annual “Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice” Award CeremonyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats today announced the recipients of the third annual U.S. Attorney’s Office “Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice” Awards. Law enforcement officials from five agencies are being honored for their outstanding work and exceptional contributions in the pursuit of truth and justice.
“I am honored to present the “Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice” awards in recognition of the exceptional work, courage, and character demonstrated by these professionals. As we continue to navigate through unprecedented challenges of this past year, these partners remain unwavering in their dedication to the pursuit of justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats. “On behalf of the entire office, I extend my sincere gratitude and commendation on a job well done.”
The honorees at today’s virtual ceremony are members of the following agencies:
- U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – St. Paul Field Division
- Chisago County Sheriff’s Office
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations
Bois Forte Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Violent AssaultRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Bois Forte man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for violently assaulting a man on the Bois Forte Reservation.
According to court documents, on May 31, 2020, Marshall Wayne Boshey, 20, assaulted a man outside of the defendant’s residence by repeatedly hitting him with a baseball bat on the top of his head and across his upper body. Boshey also cut the man with a small pocket knife. The victim was hospitalized for his injuries and required 11 staples to his scalp, 20 sutures on his left ear, 3 sutures on his left elbow, and 6 sutures on his left hand.
On July 9, 2021, Boshey pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Deidre Y. Aanstad.
Pequot Lakes Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Multiple Firearms, Ammunition, Methamphetamine on Eve of TrialRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Pequot Lakes felon has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and over 400 grams of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, in the spring of 2019, the FBI learned that Nicholas Ronald Wynn, 35, was purchasing large quantities of firearms parts and accessories, body armor and other tactical gear, and chemicals and lab equipment used to manufacture narcotics, explosives, and firearms. On May 9, 2019, a team of law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Wynn’s residence and discovered numerous parts and tools designed for building semiautomatic rifles and handguns; firearms accessories, multiple high-capacity magazines; several boxes of ammunition; and tactical gear, including a bullet-proof vest, ballistic plates, a bullet-proof helmet, and a bullet-proof facemask. The agents also located large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, packaging materials for selling drugs, recipes and chemicals for manufacturing methamphetamine, and more than 400 grams of methamphetamine. Wynn admitted at the sentencing hearing that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
According to court documents, after agents took Wynn into custody, he admitted that he had multiple firearms and ammunition stored in an off-site storage unit in Brainerd. Agents obtained a warrant for the storage facility and recovered five firearms, including semiautomatic handguns and an assault rifle, and multiple boxes and magazines of ammunition. Agents also searched Wynn’s rental property in Brainerd, which was occupied by renters. The renters advised the agents that they had been renting the house for approximately 10 months but did not have access to the garage. The renters indicated that Wynn accessed the garage multiple times a week, typically in the middle of the night, and had observed Wynn loading and unloading boxes to and from his truck into the garage. Agents executed a search warrant on the garage and recovered two segments of PVC pipe, capped on both ends in the manner used to make pipe bombs.
Because Wynn has multiple prior felony convictions in Crow Wing County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Wynn, who was scheduled to go to trial on December 1, 2021, pleaded guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon, one count of possessing ammunition as a felon, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the FBI and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Rank and Emily A. Polachek are prosecuting the case.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents, on March 2, 2021, Minneapolis police officers, who had a warrant for Theoplus Richmond, 34, conducted a traffic stop on Richmond’s vehicle. Officers recovered from the vehicle a loaded Glock model 19, pistol from a bag in the trunk of the vehicle. The firearm had been converted from a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm with a device commonly referred to as a “glock switch,” or an “auto-sear.”
On July 20, 2021, Richmond pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Because he has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County and Washington County (Mississippi), Richmond is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced the defendant.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha H. Bates and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Paulsen.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for his Role in Gas Station ShootingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing ammunition as a felon during a shooting at a Minneapolis gas station.
According to court documents, on August 5, 2019, Minneapolis police officers responded to a shots-fired call at a gas station near Lowry Avenue and Logan Avenue North in Minneapolis. Upon arrival, officers found 11 discharged cartridge casings on the street in front of the gas station. Video surveillance footage showed Cortez Lamon Shipp, 40, interacting with codefendant Johnnie Lamar Haynes, 33, outside the gas station following a prior confrontation Haynes had with two other men. Minutes later, the two other men involved in the confrontation circled the block in their vehicle and returned to the gas station. The footage showed Shipp pass an object to Haynes just before Haynes began shooting at the vehicle as it drove off. A nearby business was in the line of Haynes’s gunfire and was struck by multiple rounds. Surveillance video footage from the business captured the bullets entering the building, causing employees to duck and take shelter.
On January 8, 2020, Shipp pleaded guilty to one count of possessing ammunition as a felon. Because he has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, Shipp is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. On August 3, 2021, a federal jury convicted Haynes of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Haynes is scheduled to be sentenced on January 28, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Becker Farmer Sentenced for $1.4 Million USDA Farm Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Becker man was sentenced to pay $1,403,578.40 in restitution, serve three years’ probation, and 150 hours of community service for converting collateral that secured loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to court documents, in 2017 and 2018, Robert Waldon John Anderson, 67, used false and fraudulent statements to obtain five Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) loans through a federal farm loan program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As part of the loan terms, Anderson pledged to maintain bushels of corn as collateral, agreeing not to move or dispose of them without prior approval of the CCC.
According to court documents, in late 2018, the FSA conducted a spot check and discovered that the bins of corn Anderson pledged as collateral for three of the loans were almost empty. Anderson had sold the corn under a family member’s name to avoid detection by the CCC. The FSA also learned that Anderson orchestrated two fraudulent loans in the names of family members for which collateral grain never actually existed. In total, Anderson defrauded the USDA of $1,425,718.36.
On May 6, 2021, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of conversion of CCC security.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston.
Texas Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Texas doctor was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $857,127.24 in restitution for failing to pay income taxes for 10 years.
According to court documents, Mark B. Reimer, 69, is a physician who operated his own medical practice in Texas from 2003 through 2007 and then, from 2007 through 2015, worked as a physician for a private employer in Minnesota. From 2003 through 2012, Reimer earned an annual salary of more than $440,000. Reimer and his wife, Ana C. Reimer, 69, filed joint tax returns admitting that he had earned more than $4.3 million during that 10-year period, and that he owed more than $1.2 million in federal income taxes. In addition, Reimer owed a $20,000 personal penalty because he had failed to pay employment taxes arising out of his Texas medical practice between 2005 and 2007.
According to court documents, despite having the ability to pay them in full, Mark and Ana Reimer willfully evaded the payment of their tax liabilities. The defendants withdrew more than $337,000 in cash from bank accounts they controlled for the express purpose of preventing the IRS from collecting it. Instead of paying their tax liabilities, Mark and Ana Reimer transferred more than $353,000 to their four adult children and spent more than $251,000 on airline, furniture, and other retail purchases. In 2013 and again in 2015, the defendants jointly filed for bankruptcy for the sole purpose of evading the IRS. During the bankruptcy proceedings, the defendants falsely testified under oath that they had made no monetary transfers or gifts to their children prior to filing for bankruptcy, when, in fact, they had.
On January 13, 2021, the defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Mark Reimer was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Ana Reimer was sentenced to 24 months of probation. The defendants were jointly ordered to pay $857,127.24 in restitution.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. MacLaughlin.
Chisago County Felon Sentenced to 175 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm, Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Chisago County man was sentenced today to 175 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon and for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on July 12, 2020, Derrick Russell Hoff, 36, was involved in a road rage incident. Hoff, who was driving a pickup truck, ran another vehicle off the road, fired multiple shots at the two occupants, and rammed the vehicle on the side of the road before abandoning his pickup truck on a nearby residential driveway. Chisago County Sheriff’s deputies recovered from Hoff’s abandoned pickup truck spent shell casings and live ammunition, a loaded 9mm magazine, four plastic gallon-size bags containing over 167 grams of actual methamphetamine in crystal shard form, digital scales, baggies, and other drug-sale paraphernalia. Near the truck, buried by some trees, deputies later found a 9mm semiautomatic firearm, loaded with 11 rounds matching those found inside Hoff’s truck.
On June 17, 2021, Hoff pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Because he has prior felony convictions in Anoka, Chisago, and Isanti Counties, Hoff is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar.
Eden Prairie Man Charged with Covid Relief Fraud, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eden Prairie man has been arrested and charged for fraudulently applying for more than $2.1 million in COVID-19 relief funds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, Harold Bennie Kaeding, 72, applied for at least $2,182,625 in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program between April and December 2020. Kaeding used the name of close family members to submit the loan applications in the name of four Minnesota entities, Harbor Holdings Corporation; Harbor Corp; AutoPay Inc.; and Voyager Shipping Company. These entities filed no tax returns and did not report the payment of wages to a single employee for calendar years 2019 and 2020. Kaeding submitted false and fraudulent applications to various lenders that included fabricated supporting records, false statements about the number of employees and the amount of payroll expenses, and false statements about the intended use of the loan proceeds. As a result of his material falsehoods and omissions, Kaeding received approximately $658,490 in fraud proceeds, which he transferred to bank accounts that he controlled and for his personal use, including home mortgage payments and wire transfers to family and friends. Kaeding then fled to Colombia in an apparent attempt to evade prosecution.
Kaeding is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Kaeding was deported from Colombia on November 12, 2021, and ultimately arrested on November 14, 2021 in Miami, Florida. He made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and IRS.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chinese National Arrested and Charged with CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal criminal complaint has been filed against a Chinese national living in Los Angeles for harassing and cyberstalking a Minnesota college student, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, since January 4, 2020, continuing through the present, Ki Cheung Yau, 27, created multiple online accounts on various websites, including social media platforms, dating websites, and pornography websites, using the name, photos, and personally identifying information of the victim. Yau, posing as the victim, used the accounts to communicate with others, seek sexual relationships, and advertise invitations for violent sexual encounters.
According to court documents, on two separate occasions in January 2021, a man went to the victim’s residence and asked for the victim by name, presumably because he believed he was meeting the victim for a sexual encounter. In February 2021, the victim discovered that multiple social media profiles had been created using her name and her likeness, including accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and other dating, and sexually-focused websites. As a result of Yau’s stalking and harassment, the victim has received numerous contacts from men she does not know and has been forced to move to a new residence and change her phone number.
Yau has been charged by complaint in the District of Minnesota with one count of cyberstalking. Yau made his initial appearance yesterday afternoon before Magistrate Judge Gail J. Standish in the Central District of California, who ordered that Yau be detained and removed to Minnesota, where he will make his initial appearance at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minneapolis Felon Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Two Banks and Minneapolis Apparel StoreRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty to multiple armed robberies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on February 4, 2018, Richard Alonzo Woods, 38, and two accomplices entered Project SoZo, an apparel store in Minneapolis, wielding guns and threatening customers and employees. Woods and his accomplices stole jewelry, money, and cell phones from the customers, and approximately $600 in cash from the register and other store merchandise, including $1,900 Nike Air Jordan shoes.
According to court documents, on February 22, 2018, Woods and two accomplices entered Lake Area Bank in White Bear Lake brandishing guns and demanding money from the tellers. Surveillance video footage from the bank showed Woods jump over a counter and take cash from the teller’s drawer. Woods and his accomplices stole approximately $9,816 in cash from the bank.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2018, Woods and an accomplice entered Bremer Bank in Brooklyn Center brandishing guns and demanding money from the tellers. A third accomplice was waiting in a getaway car. Woods and his accomplices stole approximately $88,618 in cash from the bank.
Woods pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), two counts of armed bank robbery, two counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Minneapolis Police Department, the White Bear Lake Police Department, and the Brooklyn Center Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha H. Bates and former Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk prosecuted the case.
Ham Lake Felon Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Ham Lake man pleaded guilty to illegally possessing multiple firearms and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2019, officers with the St. Paul Police Department executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Steven Michael Lincoln, 34. After observing a large bag of marijuana on the front passenger seat, officers asked Lincoln to exit the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered a small baggie containing cocaine, a loaded Ruger .380-caliber pistol, a loaded Kimber .45-caliber pistol, multiple sandwich bags of prepackaged marijuana, a digital scale, $986 in cash, 10 vials containing varying amounts of cocaine, and two additional baggies of cocaine each containing about 3.5 grams.
According to court documents, on January 4, 2020, officers with the St. Paul Police Department observed Lincoln asleep in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck parked in an alleyway. After asking Lincoln to exit the vehicle, officers located under the driver’s seat a loaded Brugger and Thomet, TP9 9mm firearm, with a sling, an attached vertical foregrip, a red-dot attached sight, an inserted 30-round magazine, and one round in the chamber. A further search of the vehicle revealed a bulletproof vest, three Glock 9mm magazines, two loaded TP9 high-capacity magazines, 18 rounds of loose 9mm ammunition, and a .40-caliber barrel for a Glock 23.
Because he has prior felony convictions in Ramsey County, Lincoln is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Lincoln pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to possessing a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of an unregistered firearm. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Bejar and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the case.
Charles J. Kovats Named Acting United States Attorney for the District of MinnesotaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Charles J. Kovats has been named as the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota following the departure of former Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk. Mr. Kovats previously served as the office’s Criminal Division Chief since 2018.
Acting United States Attorney Kovats has served the citizens of the District of Minnesota as a prosecutor since 2010 when he joined the United States Attorney’s Office as the National Security Section Chief. In 2012, Mr. Kovats was selected by former Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta to serve on the Defense Legal Policy Board in Washington, D.C., which was tasked with reviewing the application of military justice in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to moving to the District of Minnesota, Mr. Kovats served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California from 2005 until 2010.
A veteran, Mr. Kovats served for seven years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Mr. Kovats received his B.A. from Santa Clara University in 1992 and, in 1996, earned his law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Former Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk stepped down to take a position with the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, in Washington D.C.
St. Louis County Sex Offender Sentenced to 192 Months in Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Louis County man was sentenced today to 192 months in prison followed by twenty years of supervised release for distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, Michael Patrick Bushey, 32, admitted to the September 20, 2015 distribution of child sexual abuse images. Bushey further admitted that more than 3,900 images and at least 16 videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent minors under the age of 12, were discovered in the cell phone and accounts he possessed.]
Bushey has previous State of Minnesota child pornography convictions and was on probation for those convictions when he committed the distribution offense. He served 33 months for violation of probation on those convictions before being taken into federal custody. Bushey pleaded guilty on June 14, 2021, to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda M. Sertich.
###
Red Lake Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Red Lake man pleaded guilty today to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, Chad Joseph Sumner, Sr., 42, admitted to assaulting victim “Jane Doe,” at her home on June 30, 2019. As a result of the assault, Jane Doe had a laceration above her right eye and blood on her shirt.
Sumner pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Department of Public Safety and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad is prosecuting the case.
###
Maplewood Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Minneapolis, Minn. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against a Maplewood man for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on October 12, 2021, Metro Transit Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a vehicle stuck on the light rail tracks in St. Paul. At the scene they found Deandre Lenier Neal-Hill, 34, unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a maroon Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle, with the engine still reviving, had a flat tire and was stuck in the tracks. Officers extracted an unresponsive Neal-Hill from the vehicle and began preforming life-saving measures until the paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital.
According to court documents, as officers extracted Neal-Hill from the vehicle, officers observed a black handgun on the floorboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle, which was later determined to be an FNH USA model 503 9mm semiautomatic pistol. The pistol had a round chambered, and carried a loaded magazine.
Because Neal-Hill has prior felony convictions, including convictions of drive-by shooting, assault, and drug sale, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###