Defendants Enter Guilty Pleas In Red Lake Heroin Conspiracy That Resulted In The Shooting Deaths Of Two Individuals

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of BRYAN BOARDMAN, a/k/a “Boon,” 25, for his role in a heroin distribution conspiracy that resulted in the shooting deaths of two individuals. FRANKLIN JACKSON, a/k/a “Frankie,” 23, also pleaded guilty on April 18, 2019, to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Both defendants entered their guilty pleas before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

According to the defendants’ guilty pleas and documents filed in court, between October 1, 2018, and October 21, 2018, BOARDMAN, JACKSON, and a third co-defendant KRISTOPHER SULLIVAN, 24, conspired with each other to distribute heroin on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. In the early morning hours of October 21, 2018, BOARDMAN, JACKSON, and SULLIVAN met in a trailer on the Red Lake Indian Reservation belonging to JACKSON’s girlfriend. The three defendants made preparations to sell heroin later that day, including contacting potential customers to let them know that heroin was available for sale at the trailer. The defendants’ drug trafficking activities were interrupted at approximately 6:30 a.m. that morning when three armed, masked men broke into the trailer in an apparent armed robbery. BOARDMAN drew a 9 millimeter pistol and fired eight shots, killing two of the intruders. The third intruder was wounded in the leg by the gunfire and fled from the scene.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey S. Paulsen and Julie E. Allyn are prosecuting the case.

Defendant Information:

BRYAN BOARDMAN, a/k/a “Boon,” 25

Minneapolis, Minn.

Convicted:

    Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count

    Using and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, 1 count

FRANKLIN JACKSON, a/k/a “Frankie,” 23

Unknown

Convicted:

    Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count