Press Release
St. Paul Felon Indicted For Possessing A .45-caliber Pistol
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court in St. Paul, a 30-year-old man was indicted for possessing a .45-caliber pistol. Chandan Prentiss Hurd, of St. Paul, was specifically charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on March 23, 2013, Hurd possessed the pistol. Because he is a felon, Hurd is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time. His prior convictions include fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle in Ramsey County (2007), forgery in Dakota County (2006), and in Hennepin County, he was convicted of first-degree assault and attempted second-degree murder (2006) and first-degree damage to property (2004).
A law enforcement affidavit filed in the current case states that on March 23, police noticed a car stopped in the middle of Buchanan Street in northeast Minneapolis. Hurd was allegedly standing next to the vehicle. As the squad car pulled closer, Hurd allegedly approached it with his hands in his pockets. Officers reportedly ordered him to take his hands out of his pockets, but he failed to do so. Suspecting that Hurd may have a weapon, officers attempted to remove his hands from his pockets. During the struggle that ensued, officers reportedly discovered a pistol and magazine in Hurd’s right pocket. He was immediately arrested.
If convicted of the current offense, Hurd faces a potential maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. Any sentence would be determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda M. Sertich.
The case was charged under 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. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office then 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 almost two 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.
Updated April 30, 2015
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