Convicted Felon Who Threatened Rochester Woman with Gun Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

MINNEAPOLIS – Divaunte Kartrell Young, age 24, has been sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release following a federal jury trial in which Young was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

“Career criminals are not in charge of Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.  “Young threatened this victim with a gun and then tried to bribe his way out of accountability.  Acts of violence and corruption like this will always end the same way—with years in federal prison.”

In Spring of 2023, Young spent the day running errands with the victim, who had recently met Young.  The victim kindly chauffeured Young around Rochester, Minnesota, in her car.  At the end of the day, Young told the victim he wanted her to drive him from Rochester to the Twin Cities (a four-plus hour roundtrip for the victim).  The victim repeatedly said no.  Young then unzipped a crossbody bag he was wearing and showed the victim that he had a gun in his bag.  Young threatened to shoot the victim, making statements like, “what if I shot your brain” and saying he could shoot up the car.  The victim was badly frightened, and ultimately fled, leaving Young with her car.  Alone on the road, in freezing mid-March temperatures, the victim hyperventilated and became sick, which the Court observed was “an intense physical reaction to an intensely frightening situation.”

The victim called the police, and officers soon responded to the location the victim left her car and found Young asleep in the front passenger seat.  Officers arrested Young and searched the car.  They found Young’s cross-body bag in the glove compartment.  Inside was a black and silver Taurus nine-millimeter handgun.

Young was detained pending his trial.  From jail, Young attempted to obstruct justice.  He called the victim, telling her to lie to the police and court about what happened.  When the victim refused to lie, Young attempted to bribe her with money.

Young has a long and violent criminal history.  Young’s history includes felony convictions for domestic assault, aggravated robbery, burglary, and assault of a corrections officer.  Before he committed his crime, Young was on probation in four separate cases, but had absconded from supervision. 

On March 26, 2025, following a trial, a federal jury found Young guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Young was sentenced today by United States District Judge Eric C. Tostrud.  In handing down his sentence Judge Tostrud noted that defendant’s history and characteristics were “deeply troubling” to the Court and demonstrated the defendant “was, in fact, a lifelong criminal” with five prior adult felonies.  Judge Tostrud explained that “Reasonable people fear for their lives when they are threatened with a firearm.  There is no question the victim’s fears were justified.  The defendant was in a prime position to act on his threats.”  In handing down the maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, Judge Tostrud concluded that the defendant was “a great danger to the public” who had “no respect for the law.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends the bravery of the victim in this case. 

The case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Rochester Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan B. Gilead, David B. Green, and Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.