United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of MICHAEL MATTHEWS, 58, to 180 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. MATTHEWS, who was charged on January 4, 2019, was sentenced yesterday before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, on January 3, 2019, officers from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Violent Offender Task Force (“VOTF”) observed MATTHEWS place an object into the trunk of a Cadillac sedan that was parked in front of his residence before getting into the vehicle and driving away. Officers conducted a traffic stop and recovered 7.6 grams of cocaine from his person and a loaded Glock, model 26, 9 mm handgun from the trunk. Because he has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, MATTHEWS is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms at any time.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Violent Offender Task Force. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat violent crime. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha H. Bates and Amber M. Brennan prosecuted the case.

Defendant Information:

MICHAEL MATTHEWS, 58

Minneapolis, Minn.

Convicted:

Felon in possession of a firearm - armed career criminal, 1 count

Sentenced:

180 months in prison

Five years of supervised release

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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600