Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing Ammunition

ST. PAUL, Minn. –  A federal jury found a St. Paul man guilty of possessing ammunition as an armed career criminal, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on July 12, 2022, law enforcement located Markhel D’John Harris-Franklin, 28 at a supermarket and placed him under arrest. Inside his vehicle, officers found a loaded 9mm privately made handgun with an extended magazine on the floor behind the driver’s seat.

Because Harris-Franklin has multiple prior felony convictions in Ramsey, Dakota, and Anoka Counties, including aggravated robbery, theft, assault, and domestic violence, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

Following a three-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, Harris-Franklin was found guilty yesterday on one count of possession of ammunition as an armed career criminal. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the United States Marshal Service. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys LeeAnn K. Bell and Emily A. Polachek tried the case.