MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, today announced a new federal strategy to address violent crime in the Twin Cities metro area.

“Violent crime is at an all-time high in the Twin Cities. We have before us an urgent task. Every Minnesotan deserves the right to live safely and securely, without fear of shootings, car jackings, and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “This new strategy is designed to bring swift justice to our communities and to the victims of violent crimes. But it is also designed as a signal to violent offenders to stop. This violence cannot continue – it is causing far too much fear, too much pain and too much heartbreak for families and our community.”

The federal violent crime strategy announced today establishes expanded capacity within the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent crime cases. Every federal prosecutor in the office will now take on violent crime cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be hiring additional prosecutors to assist in these efforts. With this expanded capacity, the office will prioritize the intake of all adult federal carjacking cases; cases involving the illegal possession of firearms and/or ammunition; firearms trafficking cases; straw purchasing cases; as well as cases involving the illegal possession of auto sears and ghost guns. Finally, U.S. Attorney Luger has created a new gang prosecution team that will work directly with law enforcement in addressing the gang violence that is plaguing the metro.

ATF Special Agent in Charge William J. McCrary stated, “I can say without a doubt that our agents are ready and enthused about working alongside U.S. Attorney Luger and his team on this violent crime initiative. We have already identified numerous violent offenders throughout the Twin Cities and other key areas in Minnesota. We are hot on the trails of many individuals who have done violence and those who arm them- who deal in the illegal firearms trade.”

“I commend U.S. Attorney Luger for his renewed focus and priority on violent crime. The FBI is specifically leveraging its Violent Crimes Task Force and its Safe Streets Task Force in the fight against violent crimes and criminal gang activity,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “To those who are committing these senseless act of violence, we will find you, we will take you off the street and you will be held accountable.”

U.S. Attorney Luger announced several recently unsealed cases:

• Desmond Durelle Graham, 32, of Minneapolis, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with carjacking and kidnapping. According to court documents, on March 10, 2022, Graham and his co-defendants carjacked and kidnapped a victim who was held, beaten, and brutalized for hours. During the kidnapping Graham set his co-defendant on fire after he became was unresponsive. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department. (graham_complaint.pdf)

• Dovyion Daquay Glass, 31, of Minneapolis, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession of a firearm as a felon. According to court documents, on March 23, 2022, Glass was in possession of a Glock model 42 .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Because of his previous felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time. According to a law enforcement affidavit, Glass was involved in a March 5, 2022, shooting outside a bar in St. Paul. Glass fired multiple rounds at people standing outside the bar. One of the bullets struck a man in the chest. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF and the St. Paul Police Department. (glass_complaint.pdf)

• Nicholas James Bell, 23, of Minneapolis, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, on February 17, 2022, law enforcement agents intercepted a package sent from China that contained pieces of 21 Glock switches or auto sears. Agents also found that Bell had received four previous shipments from the same company in China over a two-month timeframe. Bell was later found in possession of a handgun outfitted with an auto sear, 70 rounds of ammunition, and seven additional auto sears. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, CBP, ATF, and the Blaine Police Department. (bell_complaint.pdf)

• Jay James Olson, 21, of Sauk Rapids, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with manufacturing firearms without a license and possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, law enforcement learned that Olson was manufacturing and selling “ghost guns” as well as selling large quantities of other firearms throughout the Metro area. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized from Olson multiple ghost guns, high-capacity magazines, a silencer, several unserialized gun kits, and other firearms and accessories. This is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, and the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office. (olson_complaint.pdf)