MINNEAPOLIS—Recently in federal court, a
20-year-old Minneapolis felon was indicted for possessing a 9mm pistol and a
.44-caliber revolver. Deandre Franklin was specifically charged with one count
of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment, which was filed on
July 23, 2012, was unsealed yesterday.
The indictment alleges that on January
2, 2012, police found Franklin in possession of a Glock 9mm pistol and a
Charter Arms .44-caliber revolver. Because he is a felon, Franklin is
prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms at any time. He was
previously convicted of second-degree drug possession in Hennepin County in
2011.
Franklin was arrested on August 1, 2012,
in Illinois, on unrelated gun charges. At this time, he remains in custody in
Chicago. If convicted of the federal charge now levied against him in the
District of Minnesota, Franklin will face a potential maximum penalty of 10
years in prison. All sentences, of course, are ultimately determined by a
federal district court judge.
This case is the result of an
investigation conducted by the Safe Streets Task Force. Safe Streets is a
FBI-sponsored task force that focuses on combating violent street crime as well
as gang and drug trafficking offenses. The case is being prosecuted by
Assistant U.S. Attorney LeeAnn K. Bell.
An indictment is a determination by a
grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been
committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he
or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment