Four guns and illegal drugs were netted in two traffic stops in Minneapolis over the weekend that led to charges against at least three men following a one-day enforcement detail by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF).
HCSO posted photos and information on social media detailing arrests that took place on Saturday to Sunday in north Minneapolis and downtown during the detail.
Albert William Brown, 44, of north Minneapolis was pulled over for running a red light at Plymouth and Penn avenues north. During the traffic stop, law enforcement observed alcohol containers in the vehicle. Brown was removed from the vehicle and proceeded to partially undress even though he was told it wasn’t necessary. After being asked to sit on the curb, Brown sprawled out face down on the road.
A search of the vehicle turned up a Glock handgun, a jar containing 16.47 grams of marijuana, and open containers of alcohol inside the vehicle.
Brown is prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior felony convictions on first-, third- and fifth-degree drug sales and/or possession. The criminal complaint also states that field sobriety tests were performed, and breath samples were taken with a final reading of .12, which is over the legal limit of .08 in Minnesota.
Brown has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and remains in custody on $150,000 bail.
1/4 On Saturday, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF) executed a Focused Enforcement Detail in Minneapolis. As a result of the detail, VOTF made 4 Felony arrests & seized 4 firearms and quantities of marijuana, methamphetamine & cocaine. pic.twitter.com/ASCQEGJIp9
— Hennepin Sheriff (@HennepinSheriff) November 1, 2023
Another traffic stop was conducted just after 1 a.m. Sunday at Hennepin and Washington avenues in downtown Minneapolis during which 28-year-old Markus Jermon Taylor-Knighten and 27-year-old Jeffery Allen Jones, Jr. were subsequently arrested.
Charges against the two state that VOTF observed a vehicle stopped and parked in two lanes on Hennepin Avenue. A check of the license plate revealed that the registered owner had a felony warrant. The vehicle pulled away and eventually stopped in front of the Four Seasons Hotel where police made contact with the three occupants and smelled the odor of fresh marijuana.
The driver was identified as Taylor-Knighten of St. Paul, and under his feet officers observed a one-foot by one-foot green bag. Taylor-Knighten became uncooperative in answering questions and was removed from the vehicle.
Inside the green bag, officers found a large jar of marijuana and a Ziploc bag containing a hard, purple crystal substance. The marijuana was later found to weigh 228.6 grams and the crystal substance field tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 28.1 grams. Inside of the same green bag officers found many, small one by one-inch baggies.
Upon further search of the vehicle, officers found a Draco style AR Pistol under the front passenger seat of the vehicle where Jones was seated, and the magazine for the pistol was found next to it. Two additional firearms were found in a backpack in the backseat area; one was a P80 .40 caliber handgun with no serial number and the other was 5.7mm Palmetto State handgun. The P80 handgun was found to have an aftermarket accessory on the rear of the slide believed to be an auto sear, or switch, which modifies a firearm to fire automatically.
3/4 VOTF also conducted a traffic stop at Hennepin & Washington. A search of the vehicle in this incident resulted in the finding of a Drako style pistol, a p80 with an extended magazine, a 5.7mm handgun & a quantity of marijuana. pic.twitter.com/4peMDIzVX8
— Hennepin Sheriff (@HennepinSheriff) November 1, 2023
Taylor-Knighten has been charged with first-degree drug sales and possession of a machine gun. Records show he posted $750 cash bail and was released from custody on Tuesday. His next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19.
Jones has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and also had active felony warrants for theft and narcotics in separate cases at the time of his arrest. Jones has a prior felony narcotics conviction which prohibits him from possessing firearms. Jones remains in custody on $100,000 bail on the new gun charge.
The third male in the vehicle wasn’t named and does not appear to have been booked into jail at the time.
DNA was collected from all three males in the vehicle, and the complaints indicated that further charges could potentially be added pending the results.
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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.
