Minneapolis Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing Four Firearms

MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court in St. Paul, a 47-year-old Minneapolis felon pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm for possessing a .357-caliber revolver, a rifle and two shotguns. Carl Craig Larson, who was indicted on June 18, 2013, entered his plea before United States District Judge Susan Richard Nelson.

In his plea agreement, Larson admitted that on April 21, 2013, law enforcement officers responded to a burglary call at a home in Waseca County, where they found Larson inside the residence. Police went on to discover several pieces of jewelry in Larson’s pockets. They also found a loaded .357 revolver in the house, which Larson had admittedly possessed and had used to shoot at doors in attempting to enter the house.

During the execution of a search warrant on the car Larson drove to the burglary, officers uncovered three other guns. The guns matched the description of firearms that had been reported stolen during a burglary in LeSueur County on April 20, 2013. The guns included a seven-millimeter caliber rifle and two 12-gauge shotguns.

Because he is a felon, Larson is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm at any time. Larson was previously convicted in Hennepin County for second-degree murder (1986), financial transaction card fraud (1997), and burglary (1999 and 2010). Because at least three of those convictions constituted crimes of violence, Larson will now be subject to the federal Armed Career Criminal Act. That act mandates a minimum of 15 years in federal prison for anyone with such a record who is subsequently convicted in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Judge Nelson will determine Larson’s sentence at a future hearing, yet to be scheduled.

This case is the result of an investigation by the LeSueur and Waseca county sheriff’s offices, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie E. Allyn and Sarah E. Hudleston.