Man accused of taking gun from FBI vehicle during federal raid in north Minneapolis pleads guilty
A 32-year-old man accused of taking a rifle from an FBI vehicle during a federal operation in north Minneapolis pleaded guilty Friday.
He pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and could face up to 10 years in prison.
He was one of several people who tore through the cars on Jan. 14, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. FBI agents were assisting the Department of Homeland Security during the operation, in which a federal agent shot a Venezuelan national in the leg.
Court records said civil unrest that happened after the arrest forced FBI and DHS personnel to abandon their vehicles.
According to the federal indictment, the 32-year-old man broke into the car and took a bag containing a rifle and silencer, as well as a satchel of ammunition. Police found the bag and rifle in a dumpster outside his home a few days later.
In a post-Miranda interview, the man admitted he was in north Minneapolis the night of the operation and took the bag from the FBI car, the indictment says.
"This case shows that actions which endanger the public and interfere with federal law enforcement operations carry serious consequences," said U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen.
The federal agent accused of shooting the Venezuelan national was charged in May with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. He was arrested in Texas.
