Donell Deon Flowers, Gun Possession by Felon, Minnesota 2020

Guilty Plea in Tre Tre Crips Gun Case

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Donell Deon Flowers, a 26-year-old Minneapolis man and member of the Tre Tre Crips gang, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk.

According to court documents, on July 6, 2020, Flowers knowingly possessed a loaded Ruger LCP .380 semi-automatic pistol, with an obliterated serial number. The firearm was equipped with a large capacity magazine, capable of accepting more than 15 rounds of ammunition.

Flowers is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. He has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin County and one prior federal conviction for possession of a firearm as a felon.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the federal government’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.

Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson is prosecuting the case.

The guilty plea is a significant victory in the fight against violent crime in Minneapolis. The Tre Tre Crips gang has been linked to numerous violent crimes in the area, and this conviction sends a strong message that those involved in gang activity will be held accountable for their actions.

Flowers is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2024. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty is 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, but the judge may impose a different sentence.

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