A St. Paul man's history of felony convictions has landed him back behind bars. A federal jury convicted Markhel D’John Harris-Franklin, 28, on charges of being an armed career criminal after officers found a loaded handgun and ammunition in his vehicle during his July 2022 arrest, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced.
During a stop at a local supermarket last summer, police nabbed Harris-Franklin and made a troubling discovery in his vehicle—a loaded 9mm unregistered handgun with an extended mag tucked behind the driver’s seat. Given his rap sheet, which includes aggravated robbery, theft, assault, and domestic violence, federal law dictates a clear ban on Harris-Franklin possessing firearms or ammunition.
Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing Ammunition https://t.co/VRn0QMPx95 @ATFStPaul @sppdmn @MnDPS_BCA @USMarshalsHQ
— U.S. Attorney MN (@DMNnews) March 1, 2024
The conviction came after a three-day trial, presided over by Judge Katherine M. Menendez in the U.S. District Court. "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," the Department of Justice reported. The decision has set the stage for a subsequent sentencing hearing, the date of which remains undecided.
Behind the scenes of this case is a concerted effort 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 steered the prosecution, which has now culminated in Harris-Franklin's latest guilty verdict.
