A Chaska man serving a 25-year federal prison term for drug trafficking, weapons, and carjacking in a Utah incident will have an additional five-year state sentence added to his prison time for a Brooklyn Park officer-involved shooting in 2020.
James Howard Klein, now 37, was suspected of shoplifting at a Brooklyn Park Walmart on Lakeland Avenue in March 2020. Klein was reported to be purchasing a large amount of ammunition and was wearing a holster.
When confronted in the parking lot by an officer, he refused to comply and the officer deployed a Taser, which had minimal effect. Klein then fired shots at the officer who also returned fire.
Klein also pointed his gun and tried to carjack a motorist in the parking lot. After the motorist fled, Klein turned toward a second officer with his handgun still drawn; the officer fired, striking Klein in the leg and hand. Neither officer was injured.
After being charged, Klein was released from custody on $150,000 bond about a month later. Court records indicate that Klein’s case was also impacted by pandemic-related delays.
In May 2021, Klein was arrested in Utah with drugs and guns and was eventually charged in federal court with seven counts, including intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, carjacking, two counts of discharging a weapon, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Klein was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison in May 2023 after pleading guilty to three of the counts. The federal sentence will be followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Klein pleaded guilty in Hennepin County District Court in October 2024 to one count of first-degree assault with the use of deadly force against a peace officer in the Brooklyn Park incident, and was sentenced on Thursday to 60 months. Klein will only be required to serve two-thirds of the sentence under state sentencing guidelines, and will receive credit for time served of 386 days.
The state sentence will run consecutive to the federal sentence.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
