Armed Career Criminal Sentenced for Possessing a .22–Caliber Revolver

Earlier today in St. Paul, a 43–year–old armed career criminal was sentenced for possessing a .22–caliber Rohm revolver. United States District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced Michael James Constantine, of St. Paul, to 215 months in prison on one count of being an armed career criminal in possession of a firearm. Constantine was indicted on June 8, 2010, and was convicted on December 2, 2010, following a four–day trial.

According to evidence presented at trial, Constantine possessed the handgun on November 18, 2008. Because he is a felon, Constantine is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm at any time. He was charged as an armed career criminal because he has been convicted of three of more separate violent felonies. His prior felonies include three convictions in Ramsey County for third–degree attempted burglary (1987, 1989, and 1991) and a third–degree burglary conviction in Dakota County in 1989.

This case was the result of an investigation by the St. Paul Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter.

Note, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative launched by the U.S. Justice Department in 2001 to promote a multi–jurisdictional, comprehensive approach to reducing gun crime in America. PSN provides resources to strengthen law enforcement and crime prevention partnerships that are working to make our streets and communities safer