MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Dejavareah Marquise Brown, 26, of Minneapolis, is facing over nine years behind bars after a high-speed chase and subsequent raid revealed a dangerous combination of illegal firearms and a significant drug operation. Brown was sentenced to 117 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple federal charges, including being a felon in possession of firearms and using one in connection with drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced.
The trouble began on January 11, 2020, when officers spotted Brown tearing down I-394 in Golden Valley at a dangerous rate of speed. Rather than comply with a traffic stop, Brown launched into a reckless pursuit, clocking over 100 mph, leaping a median, briefly going airborne, and blowing out a tire. Twice, officers attempted to box him in with a PIT maneuver before finally disabling the vehicle. Brown didn’t stick around to explain himself, instead bolting on foot across the busy highway. He was eventually found hiding behind a pillar near a store, reeking of alcohol.
A search of the wrecked vehicle yielded a loaded 9mm pistol with an extended high-capacity magazine containing 31 rounds, along with an additional 15 rounds of .380-caliber ammunition stashed in the trunk. This wasn’t a one-time lapse in judgment. In March 2022, law enforcement received intel suggesting Brown was running a narcotics operation out of his Minneapolis apartment. A subsequent search warrant uncovered a cache of illegal goods – a loaded .45-caliber pistol, a box of ammunition, a staggering 3,500 M30 fentanyl pills, over 18 pounds of marijuana, and more than $650 in cash, alongside various drug paraphernalia.
Brown’s criminal history sealed his fate. As a convicted felon, he’s legally barred from possessing firearms or ammunition. The evidence presented in court clearly demonstrated a pattern of disregard for the law and a willingness to arm himself while engaged in illegal activity. He pleaded guilty on January 16, 2024, to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz handed down the 117-month sentence in U.S. District Court. The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Golden Valley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case, bringing a clear message that illegal gun possession and drug trafficking will not be tolerated in Minneapolis.
This case underscores the dangerous intersection of firearms and drug distribution, highlighting the ATF’s commitment to removing armed criminals from our streets. The significant quantity of fentanyl seized – 3,500 pills – is particularly alarming, given the opioid crisis gripping the nation and the lethal potency of the drug. Brown’s sentence sends a strong signal that those who endanger our communities with such behavior will face serious consequences.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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