Minneapolis man convicted in federal gang crackdown sentenced to 8 years

A man found guilty of charges connected to a federal gang crackdown in Minneapolis has been sentenced to nearly eight years in prison.

According to court documents, Ernest Ketter received a sentence of 95 months in prison and three years of supervised release on Thursday.

Ketter was convicted last summer of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He was among dozens of people charged in 2023 as part of a widespread initiative to address crime in Minneapolis, which marked the first time the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act was used in the city since the law was established in the 1970s. 

Most of those charged have been convicted, and several have already been sentenced.

Federal officials identified Ketter as a member of the Minneapolis Highs gang.