Anthony Charles Deberry, Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon, Minnesota 2021

ST. PAUL, MN – Anthony Charles Deberry, 42, known on the streets as “Peanut,” is headed to federal prison for nine years after a jury convicted him of illegally possessing a firearm connected to a 2021 shootout near a St. Paul bar. U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced the sentencing today, a rare win for investigators piecing together a chaotic scene of street violence.

The September 18, 2021, incident began with a simple bar argument. Deberry, after a verbal clash inside the establishment, was tossed out and barred from returning. But he didn’t leave. He loitered, waiting for trouble – and found it. Court records detail how Deberry followed a group of men leaving the bar down the sidewalk, brandishing a 9mm handgun equipped with an activated laser sight. Seconds later, gunfire erupted. Deberry himself was struck by multiple bullets.

Surveillance footage proved crucial to the case. Investigators say the video clearly showed Deberry attempting to conceal his firearm under a parked car immediately after the shooting. Responding officers with the St. Paul Police Department quickly recovered both the gun and numerous spent shell casings. Deberry was rushed to Regions Hospital for treatment of his gunshot wounds, but the trail of evidence led directly back to him.

The conviction wasn’t simply about the gun; it was about Deberry’s prior criminal history. As a convicted felon, he was legally prohibited from owning or possessing any firearms or ammunition. This wasn’t a first offense, and the court took note. Judge Eric C. Tostrud didn’t just hand down the standard sentence; he added a two-level enhancement, citing Deberry’s attempts to intimidate witnesses during the trial, a blatant attempt to obstruct justice.

The case was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the St. Paul Police Department, highlighting the ongoing collaboration between federal and local agencies battling gun violence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Craig R. Baune successfully prosecuted the case, securing the conviction and a substantial prison sentence for Deberry.

Deberry, 42, will serve 108 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence sends a clear message: those who choose violence and illegally possess firearms in St. Paul will face the full weight of federal law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the fallout from this dangerous encounter.

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