Minneapolis Felon Indicted For Possessing A .38-caliber Revolver

MINNEAPOLIS—A federal indictment unsealed yesterday charges a 28-year-old Minneapolis felon with possessing a .38-caliber revolver. The indictment, which was filed on April 22, 2013, charges Paul McCurry with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment was unsealed following McCurry’s initial appearance in federal court.

The indictment alleges that on March 26, 2013, McCurry possessed the handgun. Because he is a felon, McCurry is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm at any time. McCurry was previously convicted in Hennepin County for aggravated robbery (2005), fleeing police in a motor vehicle (2005), and domestic assault by strangulation (2008). Because those convictions constituted crimes of violence, McCurry is now subject to the federal Armed Career Criminal Act. That act mandates a minimum of 15 years in federal prison for anyone subsequently convicted in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department, and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.

The case was charged federally through Project Exile Minneapolis. That law enforcement initiative was launched on July 22, 2010, as part of a city-wide effort to reduce gun violence. Through Project Exile, the Minneapolis Police Department and the ATF work together to apprehend serial criminals for violations of gun laws. Then, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office teams up with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to determine where those offenders will most effectively be prosecuted – state or federal court. Those determinations are based on the offenders’ criminal histories and current charges, among other factors. To date, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought charges against more than a dozen serious habitual criminals through Project Exile Minneapolis.

An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.