WOODBURY, MN – A violent confrontation with law enforcement culminated in the guilty plea of Jason Steven Kearns, a Cottage Grove man with a history of violent crime, to possessing a firearm as a felon. The incident, which occurred November 14, 2022, saw Kearns attempt to ram two Woodbury police squad cars before fleeing on foot, a loaded 9mm pistol clutched in his hand.
According to court documents, officers encountered Kearns behind the wheel of a truck outside a Woodbury restaurant. Knowing Kearns and his affiliation with the Aryan Brotherhood gang, officers initiated a traffic stop. Instead of complying, Kearns accelerated, slamming his truck head-on into one of the police vehicles. Trapped between the two squad cars after reversing into a curb, Kearns bailed from the truck and took off running towards a nearby parking lot.
It was in that parking lot that the situation escalated. Officers observed Kearns with his hand on what appeared to be a semiautomatic pistol and repeatedly ordered him to drop it. Kearns ignored the commands, continuing to walk before finally kneeling, still refusing to relinquish the weapon. He eventually dropped the Smith & Wesson 9mm – loaded with a round in the chamber and 11 more in the magazine – and surrendered. A large knife was also found on his person.
The brazen act isn’t a first for Kearns, who already has felony convictions in Chisago, St. Croix, and Pierce Counties, including convictions for assault and armed robbery. These prior convictions legally prohibit him from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Disturbingly, Kearns reportedly later expressed regret that he hadn’t opened fire on the officers attempting to arrest him, a chilling detail revealed in court documents.
Kearns pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis in U.S. District Court. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. The case was a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Woodbury Police Department, and the Cottage Grove Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing when it is announced. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement and the prevalence of illegal firearms in the hands of convicted felons.
Related Federal Cases
- Guy George Parenteau, Firearms Burglary, MT, 2013 · Montana
- Jordan Alexander, Illegal Gun Possession, Washington DC, 2024 · Maryland
- Geraldo Dilworth, Illegal Firearm, St. Paul MN, 2023 · Washington
- Delonta Phillips, High-Speed Pursuit, DC 2017 · Maryland
- Randall Dean Jones, Sawed-Off Shotgun Possession, MN 2023 · North Dakota
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