Federal Jury Convicts Minneapolis Felon of Illegally Possessing a Firearm

MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted a Minneapolis man for possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.

Following a four-day trial before Judge Nancy E. Brasel, Gregory Lynn McCoy, 60, was convicted on one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Due to his multiple prior felony convictions, McCoy qualifies for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 23, 2019, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on McCoy’s Dodge Durango and found an MC 1911 .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol in the center console. The vehicle was registered to McCoy and McCoy’s DNA was found on one of the three magazines found adjacent to the gun. Law enforcement also found a box of MagTech .45 caliber ammunition in McCoy’s residence. Because McCoy has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. MacLaughlin and Joseph S. Teirab.