MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – A brazen armed robbery that left a taxicab driver shaken has ended in a guilty plea for the defendant. Mario Luis Jones, 27, of Richfield, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
On November 27, 2017, Jones entered a Red & White taxicab near the 2800 block of Pillsbury Avenue South in Minneapolis. He told the driver to take him to 5773 Bossen Terrace in Minneapolis, but when they arrived, Jones claimed it was the wrong address. Jones then pulled out a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a laser scope and demanded that the driver stop the car and open the trunk.
Jones got out of the taxi and walked to the trunk area, firing the firearm in the process. The driver, fearing for his life, ran off, and Jones drove off in the taxicab. He was eventually located driving southbound on Interstate 35 in the Lakeville area, where he sped off at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour.
After crashing into a swampy ditch, Jones was apprehended and arrested. The case was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Lakeville Police Department.
“Mario Jones is a dangerous criminal who committed a violent armed robbery of a taxicab in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Violent crimes such as this will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory G. Brooker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Hollenhorst is prosecuting the case. Jones faces one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence. He is currently in custody and awaiting sentencing.
Defendant Information:
MARIO LUIS JONES, 27
Richfield, Minn.
Convicted:
Interference with commerce by robbery, 1 count
Using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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