District of Minnesota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Dodge County Man Arrested, Charged with Impersonating a Federal AgentRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal criminal complaint has been filed against a Dodge County man for impersonating a federal law enforcement officer, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2021, the FBI received a tip that Reyel Devon Simmons, 52, of Dodge Center, was impersonating a federal agent with the United States Department of Homeland Security. The investigation revealed that Simmons used 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.
According to court documents, Simmons is not, and has never been, employed by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
Anyone who has had an interaction with Simmons is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dodge County Sheriff’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.
Ham Lake Man Indicted for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Ham Lake man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for an armed carjacking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on June 5, 2021, Jerome Lee Swanson, 20, armed with a Ruger, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, used force, violence, and intimidation to steal a gray 2005 Buick La Crosse from the vehicle’s owner.
Swanson is charged with one count of carjacking and one count of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Swanson, who is currently in state custody in Wright County, will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp 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.
Four Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Red Lake Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Four defendants have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a robbery occurring at a residence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, on October 1, 2019, Alexander Keith Blue, 30, Dustin Lee Jourdain, 32, Shaleigha Kate Strong, 22, and Delores Silverrain Robinson, 29, traveled in Robinson’s vehicle to a residence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Robinson remained in the vehicle while Blue, Jourdain, and Strong forced open the front door using a hammer or pry tool. Once inside, the three defendants stole various items, including a .22 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, an Xbox gaming system, and a container of change. The defendants fled the scene with the stolen items in Robinson’s vehicle. A minor was present in the house at the time of the robbery. Jourdain later sold the stolen firearms, one of which was recovered by law enforcement during an unrelated narcotics operation in Bemidji, Minnesota.
Blue, Jourdain, and Strong, who each pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting robbery, were sentenced to 66 months, 27 months, and 24 months in prison, respectively. Robinson, who pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting first-degree burglary, was sentenced to six months in prison. As part of their sentence, all four defendants received three years of supervised release and were ordered to pay $1,150 in restitution to the victims.
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 defendants.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine.
Dar al-Farooq Mosque Bomber Sentenced to 53 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Emily Claire Hari, 50, f/k/a Michael Hari, was sentenced to 53 years in prison for the August 5, 2017, bombing of the Dar al-Farooq (DAF) Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota.
On December 9, 2020, following a five-week trial, Hari was convicted by a federal jury on all five counts of the indictment, including intentionally defacing, damaging, and destroying religious property because of the religious character of that property; intentionally obstructing, and attempting to obstruct, by force and the threat of force, the free exercise of religious beliefs; conspiracy to commit federal felonies by means of fire and explosives; carrying and using a destructive device during and in relation to crimes of violence; and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
In handing down the sentence, United States District Judge Donovan W. Frank described the attack orchestrated by Hari as a highly sophisticated and premeditated act of domestic terrorism.
“Hari sought to terrorize an entire faith community. Today’s sentence makes clear that such acts of hate-fueled terror will not be tolerated,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The Dar al-Farooq community has shown powerful strength and resolve during this case. As demonstrated by this verdict and sentence against Hari, the Justice Department will prosecute hate crimes to the full extent of the law, including those that target places of worship and other religious sites.”
“Today, the person responsible for the 2017 bombing of the Dar al-Farooq mosque has been sentenced to 53 years in prison. Through our system of justice, the Minnesota community has collectively condemned this hate-fueled attack and decisively upheld every individual’s Constitutional right to live and worship free from violence and intimidation,” said Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk. “As we mark the closing of a painful chapter, it is my hope that the members of Dar al-Farooq and the broader faith community impacted by this attack will continue to heal and regain a sense of safety and security.”
“Acts of violence, motivated by hatred toward individuals simply based on their faith, will not be tolerated by the FBI or our Minnesota law enforcement partners,” said Michael Paul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Minneapolis division. “Violent criminals such as those responsible for this cowardly act, will be held accountable for their hate crimes and disgraceful attempts at intimidation. This sentence demonstrates our continued commitment to the FBI’s core mission – to defend all communities and to protect the rights of all Americans.”
As proven at trial, during the summer of 2017, Hari established a terrorist militia group called “The White Rabbits” in Clarence, Illinois. Hari recruited co-defendants Michael McWhorter and Joe Morris to join the militia, which Hari outfitted with paramilitary equipment and assault rifles. On August 4 and 5, 2017, Hari, McWhorter, and Morris drove in a rented pickup truck from Illinois to Bloomington, Minnesota, to bomb the DAF Islamic Center. Hari targeted DAF specifically to terrorize Muslims into believing they are not welcome in the United States and should leave the country.
As proven at trial, Hari, McWhorter, and Morris arrived at DAF on August 5, 2017, at approximately 5:00 a.m. At Hari’s direction, Morris used a sledgehammer to break the window of the Imam’s office at DAF and threw a plastic container with a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline into the office. Then, also at Hari’s direction, McWhorter lit the fuse on a 20-pound black powder pipe bomb and threw it through the broken window. McWhorter and Morris ran back to the truck where Hari was waiting in the driver’s seat. The three men sped away from the building and drove back to Illinois. When the pipe bomb exploded, the blast caused extensive damage to the Imam’s office. It also ignited the gasoline and diesel mixture, causing extensive fire and smoke damage. At the time of the bombing, several worshipers were gathered in the mosque for morning prayers.
On January 24, 2019, McWhorter and Morris pleaded guilty to their roles in the bombing. Their sentencing hearings are yet to be scheduled.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Acting United States Attorney Folk thanks Assistant United States Attorneys Allison Ethen and Timothy Rank, Justice Department Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Timothy Visser, Lead Paralegal Specialist Lynette Simser, Community Affairs Director Angie LaTour, Witness Specialist Selina Kolsrud, former Assistant United States Attorneys John Docherty and Julie Allyn, Assistant United States Attorney Eugene Miller, of the Central District of Illinois, and the special agents of the FBI’s Minneapolis and Springfield Divisions, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Bloomington Fire Department for their hard work and commitment to the pursuit of justice. Acting United States Attorney Folk further thanks the Justice Department’s Civil Rights and National Security Divisions, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, and the FBI’s Springfield Field Office for their collaboration and partnership.
Red Lake Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Red Lake man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
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 amount 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.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the Red Lake Department of Public Safety and the FBI Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead is prosecuting the case.
Minneapolis Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Violent Twin Cities CarjackingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man and woman pleaded guilty to their roles in an armed carjacking that occurred last summer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on August 28, 2020, Jeremiah Lee Ironrope, 24, and Krisanne Marie Benjamin, 25, drove a maroon SUV to a parking lot in Richfield, Minnesota, and parked next to a 2017 Audi A4. Ironrope exited the SUV and pointed a Remington 870 l2-gauge sawed-off shotgun at the driver of the Audi. Ironrope demanded the car keys and then drove off in the Audi while Benjamin followed in the SUV. The following day when law enforcement attempted to stop the solen Audi, Ironrope sped away, driving erratically through traffic. Officers lost sight of the vehicle but later found it after the defendants abandoned it. The vehicle had been partially spray-painted black and inside officers found a variety of property including a stolen wallet, bottles of spray paint, a hat, gloves, and a used 12-gauge shotgun shell under the driver’s seat.
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.
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. Benjamin pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting carjacking.
“Twin Cities motorists are safer with these two off the streets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Over the past year we have witnessed a spike in carjackings throughout the metro area. Federal law enforcement will not tolerate this type of crime on our streets and will continue to investigate and prosecute violent perpetrators such as this.”
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.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threats Against U.S. RepresentativeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man pleaded guilty today to one count of interstate communication of a threat against a U.S. Representative, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on January 11, 2021, Jason Robert Burham Karimi, 32, left a voicemail on the office telephone of a U.S. Representative located in California. The voicemail contained graphic threats of violence directed at the U.S. Representative. The U.S. Capitol Police reviewed the voicemail and traced the telephone number to Karimi. On January 12, 2021, agents arranged to meet with Karimi near his St. Paul residence. Karimi told agents that he works as a lobbyist for the marijuana industry and the voicemail was meant to cause “political pain” to the U.S. Representative’s political career. Karimi admitted that he knew the voicemail he left would be perceived as a threat.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography via SnapchatRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man pleaded guilty today to producing sexually explicit images and videos of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, between November 8, 2020, and January 8, 2021, Arkady Pavlovich Pichurin, 26, sexually exploited a minor who was between the ages of nine and 10 years old at the time. Pichurin, who contacted the minor using a variety of instant messaging and texting services, including Snapchat, lied about his age and identity to carry out his sexual exploitation of the minor. Pichurin admitted to using similar tactics to sexually exploit and produce pornographic images and videos of more than twenty minors.
Pichurin is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2022.
“This is a particularly egregious case involving an adult using popular social media apps to prey on and exploit dozens of children,” said Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk. “I commend the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office and the investigators with the Rochester Police Department and the FBI for aggressively pursuing this sexual predator and holding him accountable for the harm he caused. We continue to urge parents, teachers, caregivers, and young people alike to be vigilant in reporting these types of crimes to law enforcement.”
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.
If you know of any child who may have been a victim of exploitation, please call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit NCMEC’s web site at www.missingkids.com.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Rochester Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine is prosecuting the case.
Rochester Woman Pleads Guilty to Accessory After the Fact to St. Paul ArsonsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester woman pleaded guilty today to being an accessory after the fact to arson of multiple St. Paul businesses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Mena Dhaya Yousif, 23, and her husband, co-defendant Jose Angel Felan Jr., 35, went to several businesses located on University Avenue in St. Paul. Felan allegedly set fire to the Goodwill retail store, the Gordon Parks High School, and the 7 Mile Sportswear store. Over the course of the following week, Yousif aided and abetted Felan as he fled from Minnesota to Texas, before crossing the border into Mexico. Yousif traveled with Felan and assisted his escape by destroying evidence and providing false information to law enforcement.
In February 2021, Felan and Yousif were arrested by Mexican law enforcement authorities and returned to the United States to face prosecution.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the St. Paul Police Department, the St. Paul Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division. The fugitive apprehension efforts were led by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Emily Polachek are prosecuting the case.
Native Mob Gang Members Sentenced to Prison for Assault in Aid of Racketeering, Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Three Native Mob gang members have been sentenced to prison for methamphetamine distribution and assault.
According to court documents, Robin Lee Lussier, a/k/a Ratchet, 32, Willard Duane Reed, III, a/k/a Left, a/k/a Leftfield, 26, and Joshua Adam Hanks, a/k/a Souless, 25, were active members of the Native Mob gang, a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engage in and have engaged in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, robbery, and assault. Between December 1, 2015 and January 1, 2019, Lussier and Reed conspired with each other and others to traffic pound-quantities of methamphetamine throughout northern Minnesota, including but not limited to Cass Lake, Bemidji, and the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
According to court documents, in November 2018, after receiving information about another fellow gang member’s failure to abide by the rules of the Native Mob, Lussier directed Hanks to carry out an assault against the individual. Hanks admitted that on December 5, 2018, he intentionally assaulted the individual, in part, to maintain or increase his own position within the Native Mob.
Lussier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering activity and was sentenced to 192 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Reed pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Hanks pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering activity and was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis sentenced the defendant.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Red Lake Tribal Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew R. Winter and Bradley M. Endicott.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Possession, Distribution of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
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, 19. 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.
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 are prosecuting the case.
Burnsville Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Burnsville 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 July 13, 2019, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Hashim Salah Haji, 25, was riding in the front passenger seat. When officers ordered Haji to step out of the vehicle, a stolen 9mm Springfield Armory model XD9 pistol fell out of the defendant’s shorts. Officers also found a 50-round large capacity magazine and a 9mm Intratec "Tec 9" model AB10 pistol inside a backpack that was on the floor of the front passenger seat between the defendant's legs. Haji has previous felony convictions in Dakota County, and therefore is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On September 1, 2020, Haji pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
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 Minneapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin A. Wesley and David P. Steinkamp.
Red Lake Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Red Lake man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing an unregistered firearm.
According to court documents, on September 27, 2019, following a 911 call, officers responded to a Red Lake residence and found Keith Wayne Lussier, Jr., 36, in possession of a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun. Lussier initially refused the officers’ commands to surrender, but ultimately put down the shotgun and was taken into custody.
On November 6, 2020, Lussier pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an unregistered firearm.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Red Lake Department of Public Safety.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine.
Faribault Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Faribault man was sentenced today to 75 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents, on June 15, 2020, multiple law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at a Faribault residence belonging to Andrew Albert Comeaux, 38. During the search, law enforcement found a Mossberg 702 Plinkster .22 caliber rifle, a Mosin-Nagant 7.62x54R rifle, several boxes of .223 caliber ammunition, methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Comeaux also admitted to possessing an unserialized AR-15 style pistol with a large capacity magazine and a homemade silencer. Because Comeaux has prior felony convictions in Blue Earth County and in Le Sueur County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On February 3, 2021, Comeaux pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the South Central Drug Task Force, the Cannon River Drug Task Force, Rice and Steel County Sheriff’s Offices, the Faribault and Owatonna Police Departments, Metro SWAT, and the St. Paul Bomb Squad, with coordination from the Rice County Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine.
Federal Jury Convicts Two Men for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found two men guilty of illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a three-day trial before Judge Paul A. Magnuson, a jury found Jarvae Josiah Somerville, 28, of White Bear Lake, and Ronald Donte Finley, Jr., 26, of Minneapolis, guilty of one count each of illegal possession of a firearm.
“The increase in violence, throughout the Twin Cities, often as a result of firearms in the possession of felons, must end. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with our local law enforcement partners to focus on those individuals who put public safety at risk,” said Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Today’s verdict helps reaffirm our collective commitment to reducing the gun violence.”
“When ATF was asked to take part in the U.S. Attorney’s Violent Crime Task Force initiative last summer, we fully committed to investigating the top violent offenders wreaking havoc in Minneapolis,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Reed, of the St. Paul Field Division. “It’s clear with today’s verdict that these two had little regard for the safety of others. We hope this verdict is a warning to those who are illegally possessing and using firearms in the Twin Cities. ATF continues to work alongside the Minneapolis Police Department and our other law enforcement partners to pursue individuals choosing to inflict violence on others using firearms.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers were investigating a shooting, when the officers witnessed Somerville and Finley at a restaurant on Lake Street in Minneapolis. While Somerville was inside the restaurant and Finley was outside near 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 tried the case.
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Owatonna Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Owatonna man pleaded guilty today to possession of an unregistered firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office received information that Dayton Charles Sauke, 22, was selling narcotics and manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license. Law enforcement agents monitored Sauke’s Snapchat account where he made numerous posts consistent with manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license. Sauke also posted pictures of a short-barreled shotgun and made several threatening posts about killing law enforcement and politicians. 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.
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.
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Inver Grove Heights Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Inver Grove Heights man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for producing sexually explicit images of a minor.
According to court documents, Antonio Eric Torres Maldonado, 34, admitted to sexually abusing a minor over a multiple year period. During this time, Maldonado used his cell phone to take sexually explicit photographs of the minor.
On April 21, 2021, Maldonado pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography. Maldonado was also charged and convicted in Dakota County of first degree criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced to 172 months in prison, which will be served concurrent to the federal sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson 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 was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Lakeville Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela M. Munoz.
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Duluth Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Duluth man pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, Jesse William Peterson, 40, admitted to possessing a .38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver with an obliterated serial number. On October 25, 2020, officers with the Duluth Police Department attempted to arrest Peterson at a residence on an outstanding warrant. Peterson refused to exit the residence and comply with officers’ attempts to arrest him. After a two-hour stand-off, Peterson was taken into custody. Officers found the loaded .38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver in the bathroom where Peterson was located during the stand-off. A subsequent analysis revealed Peterson’s DNA on the firearm. Directly adjacent to the firearm, officers found 13.76 grams of methamphetamine, 11.13 grams of cocaine, 38 doses of LSD, $5,826 in cash, and 11 live rounds of .38-caliber ammunition. Because Peterson has prior felony convictions in St. Louis County, he is 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Duluth Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Teirab is prosecuting the case.
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Former CFO Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling More Than $900,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Apple Valley man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for defrauding his employer out of more than $930,000.
According to court documents, in February 2014, Gregg William Johnson, 59, was hired as the Chief Financial Officer for a Minnesota-based manufacturing company. As part of his job duties, Johnson was responsible for overseeing and tracking all cash flow for the company and had signatory authority on the company’s bank accounts. Between 2014 and July 2020, Johnson stole approximately $930,000 in company funds by issuing checks from the company’s bank accounts to cover personal expenses such as credit card payments, mortgage payments, and college tuition for his children. To conceal his theft, Johnson added false entries into the company’s accounting software to make the cashflow appear balanced.
On March 4, 2021, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendant.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Apple Valley Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison K. Ethen and Kimberly A. Svendsen.
Golden Valley Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Prison for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Golden Valley man was sentenced yesterday to 270 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for transporting images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
According to court documents, in February 2020, Robert Lawrence Stace, 37, a registered sex offender, downloaded hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors. Stace accessed the child exploitation files from the computer lab of a community center while on supervised release for his prior child sexual exploitation convictions. This conduct also violated the terms of Stace’s state supervised release and Stace is presently serving a Minnesota Department of Corrections sentence for these violations.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright 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 was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department, with assistance from Hennepin County Probation Officers.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston.
St. Paul Woman Charged in Child Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul woman has been indicted on federal sex trafficking charges for allegedly recruiting six minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, from May 2020 through December 2020, Gisela Castro Medina, 19, and co-defendant Anton Joseph Lazzaro, 30, conspired with each other and others to recruit and solicit six minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Castro Medina, who was arrested on August 12, 2021, in Okaloosa County, Florida, made her initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon, in U.S. District Court in Pensacola, Florida.
The indictment charges Castro Medina with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, five counts of sex trafficking of minors, and one count of obstruction. Castro Medina will be transported to the District of Minnesota and will remain in custody pending further court proceedings. Co-defendant Lazzaro will remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which has been rescheduled for August 24, 2021.
Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call the FBI Minneapolis Division at 763-569-8000.
This case is the result of a joint investigation by the FBI and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension-led Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force, with assistance from the Minneapolis Police Department, the West Hennepin Public Safety Department, and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela M. Munoz, Emily A. Polachek, and Laura M. Provinzino are 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.
Minneapolis Man Charged in Child Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been arrested and indicted on federal sex trafficking charges for allegedly recruiting six minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, from May 2020 through December 2020, Anton Joseph Lazzaro, a/k/a “Tony Lazzaro,” 30, conspired with others to recruit and solicit six minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Lazzaro, who was taken into custody earlier today by FBI agents, made his initial appearance in United States District Court before Magistrate Judge Becky Thorson.
The indictment charges Lazzaro with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, five counts of sex trafficking of minors, one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of obstruction. Lazzaro will remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing on August 16, 2021.
Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call the FBI Minneapolis Division at 763-569-8000.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minneapolis Police Department, the West Hennepin Public Safety Department, and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura M. Provinzino, Angela M. Munoz, and Emily A. Polachek are 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.
Federal Jury Finds Registered Sex Offender Guilty of Possessing of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found a Minneapolis man guilty of possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a four-day trial before Judge Eric C. Tostrud, Gene Paul Schave, 50, was convicted of one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Schave is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2010 in Minnesota state court for possessing child pornography. On October 3, 2019, while on supervised release for his previous conviction, Schave was found to be in possession of an Asus tablet that contained more than 3,000 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miranda E Dugi and Emily A. Polachek.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Paul Man in Target Headquarters ArsonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a St. Paul man guilty of arson and riot after looting, damaging, and burning businesses in downtown Minneapolis, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a four-day trial before Judge Joan N. Ericksen, Victor Devon Edwards, 32, was convicted of one count of riot and one count of arson.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on the evening of August 26, 2020, Edwards joined a large crowd that had gathered in downtown Minneapolis following false rumors regarding police involvement in the death of a man on Nicollet Mall earlier that evening. Throughout the course of the evening, Edwards engaged in acts of rioting, looting, and other property damage. Beginning around 9:00 p.m., Edwards and his co-defendant Shador Tommie Cortez Jackson worked together to steal women’s purses and other items from Saks Off Fifth. Edwards sent text messages to various acquaintances telling them, “I got M[ichael] K[ors] purses.” In response to a text message from one acquaintance asking why he was downtown, Edwards simply replied, “Lootin.”
Shortly before 11:00 p.m., Edwards and Jackson were captured on video surveillance using a construction sign to break into the Target Corporation’s headquarters building. Once inside, Jackson started a fire inside the mailroom while Edwards added a liquid accelerant to fuel the fire.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Richfield Police Departments.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Chelsea A. Walcker.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery Spree of Twin Cities BusinessesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty today to seven violent armed robberies of Twin Cities businesses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on July 28, 2020, Derrick Lee Spillman, 40, robbed three Twin Cities businesses, including a Holiday gas station and two liquor stores. During the robberies, Spillman pointed handguns at employees and ordered them to the ground or physically assaulted them. On July 30, 2020, Spillman continued his crime spree by robbing two additional Holiday gas stations, a Speedway gas station, and a Subway restaurant. During these incidents, Spillman pointed a handgun at employees, racked the slide of the gun, and demanded cash from the registers.
Spillman pleaded guilty to seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Working in tandem with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue, arrest, and prosecute violent, armed criminals such as Mr. Spillman,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
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 FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Fridley Police Department, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the New Hope Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley is prosecuting the case.
Minneapolis Man Indicted for Violent Robbery of a Minneapolis BusinessRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a Hobbs Act robbery that resulted in the shooting death of a store clerk, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
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, Carson, armed with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, used force, threats of force, violence, and injury, resulting in the victim’s death. Carson has prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Carson is charged with one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of possession of a firearm as a felon, and one count of possession of ammunition as a felon. Carson made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illinois Man Sentenced to Prison for Arson of Minneapolis Cell Phone Store During Summer 2020 Civil UnrestRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Illinois man was sentenced today to 105 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for setting fire to a cell phone store in Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Matthew Lee Rupert, 29, a resident of Galesburg, Illinois, posted messages on his Facebook account referencing the public protests occurring in the Twin Cities following the death of George Floyd, including one that stated, “I’m going to Minneapolis tomorrow who coming only goons I’m renting hotel rooms.” On May 29, 2020, Rupert broadcast a Facebook Live video indicating that he was in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rupert announced that he came “to riot,” and is depicted handing out artillery-shell fireworks, encouraging violence against law enforcement officers, actively damaging property, breaking into buildings, and looting businesses.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, the video also depicts Rupert asking for lighter fluid before entering a boarded-up Sprint store located on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. Rupert canvassed the store and eventually entered a backroom while telling others that he had located a store safe. Rupert and others then knocked several boxes into a pile on the ground. Rupert doused the pile of boxes with lighter fluid and then directed another individual—at the time a juvenile—to light the pile on fire. Rupert fled the building and stated, “I lit it on fire!” The store sustained significant damage as a result of the fire.
“Matthew Rupert chose to drive more than 400 miles from his home in Illinois to Minnesota to engage in violence and destruction, all while broadcasting it for the world to see. Peaceful protest was not on his agenda,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Arson, looting, property damage, and the glorification of it, will not be tolerated. Today, justice has caught up with Mr. Rupert as he must now account for his crimes.”
“Today, we count yet another violent offender as held to account for his reckless and deliberate damage to our community,” said Michael Paul, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis field office. “Mr. Rupert made his way to Minneapolis for the express purpose of instigating lawless behavior on our local streets. He demonstrated no purpose other than endangering peaceful protests by actively encouraging violence against law enforcement and personally destroying community businesses. Together with our local partners, FBI Minneapolis and ATF St. Paul continue to hold indifferent criminals like Mr. Rupert accountable for their dangerous and divisive criminal conduct in the Twin Cities.”
“Arson is a dangerous act of violence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jon Ortiz, St. Paul Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). “Arson poses a great threat to public safety. ATF works diligently to secure public safety. The defendant in this case committed a reckless act of violence on unsuspecting members of this community. We are thankful that no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of this crime. This sentencing will send a message to anyone who considers conducting these types of violent acts that they will not be tolerated. ATF will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that this community remains a safe place.”
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the FBI Chicago Field Office, the FBI Springfield Field Office, and the Chicago Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela M. Munoz and Jordan L. Sing.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on May 21, 2020, law enforcement arrested Deshawn Tyrone Braziel, 36, who had an outstanding warrant and was suspected in connection with a shooting that occurred in Minneapolis on April 16, 2020. At the time of his arrest, Braziel was wearing a backpack containing a loaded, Springfield XD 9mm pistol, 94 ecstasy pills, a credit card in his name, and a digital scale. Because Braziel has prior felony convictions, including a previous conviction for a drive-by shooting in 2005, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
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, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Ethen is prosecuting the case.
Blaine Man Pleaded Guilty to Illegal Possession of Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Blaine man pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of eight firearms as an unlawful user of a controlled substance, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on August 15, 2020, a protest took place at the Minneapolis Police Department’s 5th Precinct building. The event became violent and destructive when individuals began throwing rocks and other objects, breaking windows, firing mortar-type fireworks at the building and at officers stationed on the roof, spray painting the building, and using paint to obscure the video surveillance cameras. After reviewing video surveillance footage, investigators were able to identify Thomas Wilder Moseley, 29, as one of the individuals who was spray painting the front windows of the building. The building sustained several thousand dollars of damages a result of the incident.
According to court documents, on October 15, 2020, Moseley was present inside the Hennepin County Government Center where protesters had gathered during a court appearance for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd. Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Moseley on probable cause based on his involvement in the August 15 incident. At the time of his arrest, Moseley was carrying a loaded Glock, model 26 Gen5, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol.
According to court documents, following Moseley’s arrest, Minneapolis Police officers executed a search warrant at Moseley’s residence in Blaine, Minnesota, and recovered two firearms, more than 1,400 rounds of ammunition, 96 grams of marijuana, and other drug paraphernalia. Officers also obtained a search warrant for Moseley’s Toyota Tacoma, which was parked in downtown Minneapolis near the Government Center. Among other things, officers recovered from the vehicle five firearms, a large amount of ammunition, a hatchet, a crowbar, gas masks, and controlled substances, including marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, and cocaine.
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.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.
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Federal Jury Convicts Minneapolis Felon of Illegal Possession of a Firearm, AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a Minneapolis man for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition after a shooting incident that took place in broad daylight, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a four-day trial before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright, Johnnie Lamar Haynes, 33, was convicted of one count of possessing a firearm as a felon and one count of possessing ammunition as a felon.
According to the evidence presented at trial, 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 Haynes interacting with two men inside the gas station. After leaving the gas station the two other men got in a vehicle and drove off. Minutes later, the two men circled the block in their vehicle and returned to the gas station. Haynes then 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.
“This defendant discharged a firearm near a busy intersection in broad daylight, showing total disregard for human life,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “This type of brazen gun violence is unacceptable in our communities and must be stopped.”
Because Haynes has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Haynes faces up to ten years in prison on each count. At sentencing, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence accounting for the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
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 was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Two Ramsey County Men Sentenced to Prison for Twin Cities Postal Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two St. Paul area men involved in a Twin Cities-based mail theft scheme have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the conspiracy.
Sonny Vang Xiong, 32, of Maplewood, and Davis Her, 36, of St. Paul, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of mail. Her also pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The defendants were sentenced to 36 and 78 months in prison, respectively.
According to court documents, from at least August 2020 through November 2020, Xiong and Her conspired with others to steal mail and packages from post offices, apartment complexes, and mailboxes. The defendants broke into apartment buildings and other locations where many mailboxes could be accessed at once to steal personal mail, business mail, packages, and other items. The defendants used stolen postal keys, pry bars, and other burglary tools to steal the mail. The defendants would look for checks, money orders, identification documents, credit and debit cards, and other items of value. Xiong and Her used the stolen checks and money orders to create fraudulent checks and falsified money orders that they gave to others to cash. Xiong and Her also used stolen account numbers, IDs, and personal identifying information to create fake checks and fake identification documents.
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 defendants.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Coon Rapids Police Department, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Croix County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office. United States Secret Service, and the United States Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston prosecuted the case.
Federal Judge Closes Receivership in Petters Ponzi Scheme Case; More Than $722 Million Distributed to Victim InvestorsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States District Judge Ann D. Montgomery has issued an order closing the receivership of Thomas J. Petters and discharging the Receiver in one of the nation’s largest and most complex Ponzi schemes. Through the efforts of the Receiver, the United States, and related bankruptcy trustees more than $722 million was distributed to victims and creditors.
In issuing the order, Judge Montgomery remarked that the receivership was “prompted by one of the largest and most complex Ponzi schemes in U.S. history.” Judge Montgomery went on to state that “the primary objective of the Receivership was to preserve assets for victims and creditors…After more than 120 public [court] hearings and nearly 3,300 [case] docket entries, the work of the Receiver has concluded.”
The United States commenced the receivership case in October of 2008 to enjoin the ongoing fraud by Petters and the other named defendants and to preserve all assets owned by the defendants for ultimate restitution and forfeiture in the criminal investigations of the defendants, which were pending at the time.
The United States immediately moved to freeze the assets of the named defendants, including all assets owned by Petters. On October 14, 2008, the Court issued the injunction against Petters and appointed Douglas A. Kelley as the Receiver of the assets of Petters and the other named defendants. At the time none of the defendants had yet been indicted.
The Receiver immediately began taking control of the assets and property owned by Petters and the other named defendants. Petters and the other defendants had created a vast web of more than 150 entities over the course of thirteen years – entities that were all propped up by fraud. Some of the entities, however, were legitimate businesses that employed innocent persons.
The Receiver placed several of the major entities into bankruptcy, including Sun Country Airlines and Polaroid Corporation, for the protection of innocent employees and creditors. Throughout the receivership, the Receiver also managed real estate, categorized assets, liquidated property, paid employees, commenced claw-back litigation, entered into settlement agreements, and worked in coordination with the bankruptcy and government forfeiture process to achieve an orderly disentanglement of the fraud.
“Following the criminal conviction of Tom Petters in 2009 for orchestrating a $1.9 billion Ponzi scheme, the work of recovering assets on behalf of victim investors and creditors had just begun,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Throughout this case the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to remain transparent, thorough, and persistent in our pursuit of justice. I commend the work of the Receiver and all parties involved in recovering more than $722 million on behalf of victims.”
On December 1, 2008, Petters was indicted on multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy for orchestrating a $1.9 billion Ponzi scheme. On December 2, 2009, a federal jury found Petters guilty of all 20 counts against him, and he was later sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard H. Kyle to 50 years in federal prison. Other defendants were convicted in related criminal proceedings. As part of their sentencing judgments, Petters and other defendants were ordered to forfeit assets obtained through their criminal activity, including real estate, bank, and investment accounts, vehicles, and other assets. Under federal law, the Department of Justice has the authority to distribute the proceeds of forfeited assets through the remission process to victim investors who lost money in connection with the scheme. The proceeds of all forfeited assets are being distributed to victim investors.
Canadian National Charged with Sexual Abuse of MinorsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Canadian national has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to the sexual abuse of minors occurring on the Bois Forte Indian Reservation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on June 22, 2018, Brady John Hillis, 32, of Kenora, Ontario, knowingly engaged in sexual contact with two minor victims who were under 12 years of age.
Hillis is charged with two counts of abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 years of age and one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child under 12 years of age. Hillis made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to Prison for the Assault and Attempted Robbery of a Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for assaulting and attempting to rob a postal employee.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2020, James Wilbert Jackson, Jr., 23, tried to pick up a package from a post office located in Oakdale, Minnesota, but the postal employee was not authorized to give Jackson the package because his name and address did not match the recipient or sender address on the package. Jackson left the post office and returned multiple times that same day, each time trying to convince the postal employee to give him the package. Shortly before the post office closed for the day, Jackson returned and again demanded the package. When the employee walked away, Jackson leapt over the service counter, followed the employee into the back office, and punched the employee repeatedly in the head. The two struggled and fell to the ground before postal employees were able to restrain Jackson. As a result of the assault, the employee suffered scrapes, abrasions, and bruises to his head and knees, as well as a badly broken finger that required surgery to repair. A subsequent search of the package Jackson was trying to retrieve showed that it contained approximately 500 grams of marijuana.
“This defendant attacked an innocent U.S. Postal Service employee, a public servant, who was simply doing his job,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Postal workers are frontline employees who serve the public during challenging times, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and they deserve to be safe and free from violence as they carry out their duties.”
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Oakdale Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine.
Red Lake Man Charged with Murder in the Shooting Death of a Red Lake Tribal Police OfficerRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man has been arrested and charged with one count of second degree murder and four counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection to the shooting death of a Red Lake Tribal Police Officer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on July 27, 2021, officers with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department (“RLTPD”) responded to a call to conduct a welfare check on David Brian Donnell, Jr., 28, at his residence in Redby, Minnesota. Five RLTPD officers responded to Donnell’s residence. Upon arrival, the officers found Donnell standing outside on the porch and attempted to have him walk towards the officers, but Donnell instead went inside the residence. Because Donnell had an active tribal warrant and had refused to comply, the officers breached the door. Gunfire erupted from inside the residence in the direction of the officers. Officer Ryan Bialke was struck by gunfire through the front door. Gunfire continued from inside the house towards the other four officers on the scene. At one point, an RLTPD officer returned fire. Officers then retreated into the woods to escape the continued gunfire. Officer Bialke succumbed to his injuries and died on the scene. Shortly thereafter, officers arrested Donnell at a nearby residence.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams 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.
Maple Grove Man Pleads Guilty to $9.6 Million Scheme to Defraud the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man pleaded guilty today to fraudulently applying for $9,619,046.46 from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, of which he fraudulently obtained and misappropriated more than $1.7 million, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, Aditya Raj Sharma, 47, was the founder, CEO, and president of Crosscode Inc., a cloud-based software development company originally headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota. In November 2019, Sharma was removed as an officer and terminated from the company by Crosscode’s board of directors. Between May 2020 and July 2020, Sharma created three separate technology companies, Kloudgaze Inc., Neoforma LLC, and Mokume LLC.
From April 2020 through August 2020, Sharma applied for 16 loans for $9,619,046.46 through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) from ten different lenders by submitting false and fraudulent applications under the names of his various technology companies. As part of his fraud scheme, Sharma submitted fabricated supporting records, made false statements about the number of employees he had and the amount of payroll expenses he incurred, and made false statements about the relevant corporate entities and intended use of the loan proceeds.
For example, on April 26, 2020, Sharma submitted an application in the name of “Crosscode dba Kloudgaze” seeking a $562,500 PPP loan. On the application Sharma falsely stated that “Crosscode dba Kloudgaze” was in operation on February 15, 2020, even though Sharma did not create Kloudgaze until May 2020. In addition, Sharma falsely stated that he was the 100% owner and CEO of Crosscode, that Crosscode did business under the name of Kloudgaze, and that “Crosscode dba Kloudgaze” had approximately 29 employees on its payroll even though records from the State of Minnesota show Sharma paid no wages to a single Kloudgaze employee. In support of the application, Sharma included fraudulent supporting documentation, including fabricated bank account statements.
As a result of Sharma’s fraud scheme, lenders approved three of his PPP applications and deposited $1,773,600 in PPP funds into bank accounts controlled by Sharma. Rather than using the funds for permissible business expenses, Sharma used the money to pay off unrelated legal debts, fund new business ventures, transfer approximately $14,000 to a financial account in India, and pay for home improvements, including landscaping and the installation of a $64,300 backyard pool at his residence.
During the investigation, law enforcement obtained warrants to seize approximately $674,980.76 in fraudulent proceeds held in multiple bank accounts controlled by Sharma. As part of the plea agreement, these seized funds will be forfeited by Sharma to the Unites States.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Jordan L. Sing.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Eden Prairie Woman Charged with Illegally Straw Purchasing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eden Prairie woman was charged today with illegally straw purchasing 14 firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, between March 23, 2021, and July 10, 2021, Tess Fair, 21, has purchased 14 separate firearms at guns stores in the Twin Cities area. Fair illegally purchased thirteen 9-millimeter semi-automatic handguns and one .22 caliber AR style pistol. Surveillance video footage from one of the gun stores shows Fair purchasing a gun at the direction of another individual who is a documented member of the Minneapolis street gang Young and Thuggin’ (YNT). Two of the guns she purchased have been recovered at crime scenes in the Twin Cities area where one or more victims were shot.
“Buying guns on behalf of someone else who is prohibited from possessing guns is a federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “The straw buying process sets up a dangerous pipeline that too often puts firearms in the hands of criminals. Federal law enforcement is committed to interrupting that process.”
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 Jeffrey S. Paulsen is prosecuting the case.
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.
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 Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been taken into federal custody and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, in July 2021, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for a Minneapolis residence belonging to 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 stolen 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 affixed to Briski-Smith's chest. During the search of Briski-Smith’s residence, officers recovered a Marlin, semiautomatic, .22-caliber rifle with a modified barrel and additional rounds of ammunition. Because Briski-Smith has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
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.
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.
Former Vermillion Township Clerk Sentenced to Prison for $650,000 Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Hastings woman and former elected official was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for misappropriating more than $650,000 in public funds.
According to court documents, from December 2012 through October 2020, Maryann Helen Stoffel, 70, used her elected position as the Clerk of the Township of Vermillion to misappropriate more than $650,000 of Township funds. Although Stoffel had signature authority over the Township’s bank account, Township checks required at least two signatures. As part of the fraud scheme, Stoffel, at times, forged the signatures of the Township’s Treasurer and the Chairman of the Township Board on Township checks. At other times, Stoffel solicited signatures from the Township’s Treasurer and the Chairman of the Township Board on blank Township checks by falsely representing that she would use the checks to pay the Township’s bills. Instead of using the funds to pay the Township’s bills, Stoffel transferred the funds to her personal bank account for her own use and benefit. Stoffel concealed her fraud from the Township and from the State of Minnesota by excluding the unauthorized payments to herself on the Township’s annual report.
On March 16, 2021, Stoffel pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In addition to her prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz ordered Stoffel to serve one year of supervised release and pay $652,674.66 in restitution.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Svendsen.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Arson of Minneapolis Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man pleaded guilty today to arson of a Minneapolis pawn shop, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to his guilty plea, 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.”
This case is 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
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Second Canadian Citizen Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Canadian man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm as an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on January 10, 2021, Muzamil Aden Addow, 30, and his 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, Addow 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.
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 Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Arson in St. Paul’s Midway AreaRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Brooklyn Park man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit arson of the Great Health and Nutrition store in St. Paul, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Samuel Elliot Frey, 20, and his co-conspirators, including co-defendant McKenzy Ann DeGidio Dunn, 20, and Conspirator 1 (who was 17 years old at the time of the arson), joined other individuals who had gathered near the Great Health and Nutrition store located at 1360 University Avenue West, in St. Paul. Frey and his co-conspirators 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 took a bottle of hand sanitizer and poured the contents onto a downed shelving unit located on the floor. Frey then lit paper on fire and placed the flaming paper where he had poured the contents of a hand sanitizer bottle. Frey applied additional hand sanitizer in an attempt to accelerate the fire. The Great Health and Nutrition store sustained fire damage as a result of Frey’s conduct.
According to court documents, after May 28, 2020, Frey spoke with co-defendant Dunn and with Conspirator 1 each on at least one occasion. In Frey’s respective discussions with his co-conspirators, Frey instructed them to be untruthful to law enforcement by falsely reporting that another person had supposedly started the fire at the Great Health and Nutrition store. At the time of Frey’s instructions to his co-conspirators, Frey knew this was a lie.
On October 26, 2020, co-conspirator Dunn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson. On May 10, 2021, United States District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced Dunn to three years of probation and $31,578 in restitution. Frey’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
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 is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Joseph S. Teirab.
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Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty today to possession of a stolen firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2020, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to shots fired at a Taco Bell on Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis. Upon arrival, officers observed several individuals and vehicles fleeing the scene. Officers observed one of the vehicles, a white Chevy Impala driven by Wesley Rayvon Johnson, 29, speed through residential streets before entering the eastbound lanes of I-94, traveling westbound. Johnson exited onto Highway 252, again traveling in the wrong direction, before crashing into another vehicle. Johnson exited the Chevy Impala and threw a firearm into a storm drain. Officers were able to remove the grate from the storm drain and recover a Glock 23 Gen. 4, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, which had previously been reported stolen. Johnson admitted that he knew the firearm was likely stolen because he bought it on the street without filling out any paperwork. Johnson is also a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Minneapolis Police Department and Metro Transit.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.
Self-Described Member of “Boogaloo Bois” Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Cloud man, and self-described member of the Boogaloo Bois, pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing two drop-in auto sears, a device that converts a semi-automatic firearm into an unlawful fully automatic firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to court documents, in November 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into Michael Paul Dahlager, 27, 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 is being 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.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Sexually Abusing a Minor Aboard Flight to MinneapolisRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted a Minneapolis man for engaging in abusive sexual contact on an airplane, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a three-day trial before Judge Nancy E. Brasel, Neeraj Chopra, 40, was convicted on one count of abusive sexual contact.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in April 2019, Chopra knowingly engaged in abusive sexual contact with a 16-year-old victim who was seated next to him aboard a Jet Blue flight from Boston to Minneapolis. During the flight, Chopra retrieved a blanket from his backpack and draped it over his lap, with a portion of the blanket also covering the victim’s right leg. Chopra put his hand under the blanket and began inappropriately touching the victim. Chopra ignored the victim’s multiple requests to stop and continued to inappropriately touch the victim.
Chopra faces up to two years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. At sentencing, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Police.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren O. Roso and Michelle E. Jones.
Federal Jury Convicts California Man of Methamphetamine, Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a California man for participating in a methamphetamine and heroin trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
Following a three-day trial before Judge Eric C. Tostrud, Joel Llamas Garcia, 49, was convicted of a single count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on September 21, 2020, law enforcement received information that three California men, Garcia and two co-conspirators, had traveled to Minnesota for a narcotics transaction and were staying at a motel in Maplewood, Minnesota. Since arriving in Minnesota, the men had taken possession of the narcotics and arranged for another individual, who turned out to be an undercover law enforcement officer, to take possession of the narcotics for safekeeping. Later that same day, the undercover officer arrived at the motel and received from Garcia a duffel bag containing 19.46 pounds of methamphetamine that was divided into 20 small plastic containers, and six bricks of heroin that weighed a total of 13.11 pounds.
The following day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the motel room and the vehicle Garcia and his co-conspirators drove from California. Officers arrested Garcia and found .277 grams of methamphetamine on his person.
Garcia faces up to life in prison. At sentencing, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence accounting for the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, IRS-CI, Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol and the Ramsey County Sherriff’s Office.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys LeeAnn K. Bell and Jordan L. Sing.
Mahnomen County Man Sentenced to 138 Months in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Mahnomen County man was sentenced today to 138 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in December 2019, Augustus Quintrell Light, 40, was engaged in the distribution of controlled substances. On December 7, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Bemidji, Minnesota, where Light was located. Law enforcement recovered more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine, a digital scale, and three rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. That same day, law enforcement searched Light’s primary residence in Naytahwaush, Minnesota. Within a locked safe inside the residence, officers found small quantities of controlled substances, $4,800 in cash, and three rounds of .45 caliber ammunition.
In March 2019, Light was pulled over in Bemidji for having an expired registration. After officers smelled marijuana from inside Light’s vehicle, they ordered him to step out. Light refused to comply and instead rolled up his windows, locked his doors, and drove away from the scene at a high rate of speed. Light led officers on a high-speed chase through Bemidji before he was stopped and arrested.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota 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 Mahnomen County Attorney’s Office, the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office, the Paul Bunyan Task Force, the Bemidji Police Department, and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine and Ruth Shnider prosecuted the case.
Duluth Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Duluth man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection to a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.
According to his guilty plea, from April 2020 through August 2020, Jared John Fiege, 34, devised and executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $250,000 in COVID-19 relief through Unemployment Insurance (UI) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. As part of the scheme, Fiege submitted fraudulent applications for UI benefits and EIDL assistance by using stolen names, birth dates, and social security numbers of at least 20 individuals. In applying for EIDL assistance and advances, Fiege also invented fictional business entities, which he linked to the identities of real persons without their knowledge or consent. Fiege possessed multiple cell phones and registered numerous email addresses which he used to impersonate others. Fiege also impersonated others by using fraudulent passports as a means of identity verification. Fiege established false bank accounts and requested bank cards to be issued by mail to other people’s addresses, which he would then steal from their mailboxes along with other mail allowing him to withdraw significant amounts of cash from those accounts.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Duluth Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
St. Paul Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Saint Paul man was sentenced yesterday to 210 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on January 16, 2019, Saint Paul police officers responded to a shooting incident near Charles Avenue in St. Paul. Four gunshots were fired at a house, which was occupied by two adults and a two-year old child, penetrating the walls and windows. Officers were able to recover the four 9mm shell casings from the scene. The following day, law enforcement located a Buick Lucerne, registered to Curtis AJ Harrell, 30, that was at the scene of the shooting. Following a search of the vehicle and Harrell’s apartment, law enforcement recovered a loaded Glock 26 9mm firearm with a 17-round extended magazine in the center console of the vehicle and a 50-round 9mm extended drum magazine and live 9mm ammunition inside the apartment.
Investigators test fired the recovered Glock firearm and entered the resulting cartridge casing into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which linked the firearm to the discharged casings recovered from the scene of the shooting. NIBIN also linked the firearm to discharged casings from three other incidents, including two occurring within the previous month. In his plea agreement, Harrell admitted to possessing the firearm that was used to shoot at the house.
Because he has multiple prior felony convictions, Harrell is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
“This individual has a long history of carrying guns and committing violent felonies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Thanks to the hard work of investigators and the use of NIBIN technology, this armed career criminal is off the streets.”
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Assault on GuardRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal inmate was sentenced today to an additional 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for assaulting a federal prison guard.
According to court documents, on May 29, 2020, Charles Marquis Mitchell, 28, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sandstone, Minnesota, obtained and ingested a synthetic drug and began shouting and acting erratically. Mitchell struck one inmate with a closed fist and shoved another inmate into a wall. Mitchell did not comply with the prison guards’ orders to lay on the ground and instead lunged towards them, striking one guard in the head and face with a closed fist.
Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced the defendant. The sentence was imposed to run consecutively to the sentence Mitchell is currently serving.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp prosecuted the case.