Man Who Received Stayed Sentence Following 2016 “Crime Spree” Now in Custody on Probation Violation

A man involved in a police-described crime spree that ended with an 81-year-old New Brighton homeowner fighting off several daytime home invaders was subsequently charged and convicted on first-degree burglary. But a Ramsey County judge stayed his felony sentence.

Abshir Abdulkadir Ali, (Photo: Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

A man involved in a police-described crime spree that ended with an 81-year-old New Brighton homeowner fighting off several daytime home invaders was subsequently charged and convicted on first-degree burglary. But a Ramsey County judge stayed his felony sentence.

That holiday-time crime spree spanned from northeast Minneapolis and into New Brighton over at least two weeks in November 2016, and had area residents on edge and police searching for suspects following reports of package thefts and burglary. 

Police started putting the pieces together following a social media post that showed pictures of the vehicle suspected in the northeast Minneapolis package thefts, according to a report.

Abshir Ali Abdulkadir, now 29, and two others were captured by police and charged following the New Brighton burglary and physical altercation that ensued when the burglary was stumbled upon by the elderly homeowner and his wife.

Ali pleaded guilty to the first-degree burglary charge about a month later, but due to a plea agreement in the case his felony sentence was stayed by Ramsey County Judge Elena L. Ostby. He was instead placed on probation after a short stint in local jail, despite his lengthy arrest and conviction history prior to that.

Judge Elena Ostby

At the time of the burglary conviction, Ali had over 25 prior criminal cases with convictions that included felony prohibited person in possession of a firearm, aid/abet robbery, and financial card fraud. 

Since then, Ali has been arrested several times and convicted in at least four more cases including theft, trespassing and gross misdemeanor false information to police. His recent arrests appear to have triggered a violation of probation conditions on the felony burglary conviction, and Ali has been sentenced to serve 120 days at the Ramsey County Correctional Facility, a term that began on June 14. 

Ali, who listed a New Brighton home address on a recent booking, will receive credit for 27 days previously served and is also ordered to meet with an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and obtain a work permit, and to continue paying restitution related to the original burglary case.

###

Minnesota Crime Watch & Information offers citizen-powered crime, public safety and livability news, information and commentary.

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.