MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal
court, a 49-year-old Red Lake man pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to
distribute more than 2.5 kilograms of marijuana as well as possessing a firearm
in support of drug trafficking. Keith Brian Donnell pleaded guilty to one count
of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and one
count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Donnell, who was
indicted on November 22, 2011, entered his plea before United States District
Court Chief Judge Michael J. Davis.
In his plea agreement, Donnell admitted
that on April 14, 2011, he possessed with intent to distribute more than two
kilograms of marijuana. The marijuana was found during the execution of a
search warrant at his residence. Officers found it packaged as five separate
bricks. In addition, police found five firearms in the residence, including a
.22-caliber rifle, and $12,622 in cash. Donnell admitted that he possessed the
firearm for protection because of the inherent danger associated with selling
marijuana.
For his crimes, Donnell faces a
potential maximum penalty of life in prison on the firearm possession count and
five years on the marijuana count. The firearm possession charge carries a
mandatory minimum penalty of five years. Judge Davis will determine his
sentence at a future hearing. This case is the result of an investigation by the
Safe Trails and Paul Bunyan Drug task forces, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, and the U.S. Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant
U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad.
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