Paul McCurry, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Minnesota 2013

A 28-year-old Minneapolis felon is facing federal charges for possessing a .38-caliber revolver, according to an indictment unsealed in federal court.

Paul McCurry was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a crime that carries a minimum of 15 years in prison under the federal Armed Career Criminal Act. The indictment alleges that McCurry possessed the handgun on March 26, 2013, and that he is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm at any time due to his previous convictions.

Mccurry’s prior convictions, which include aggravated robbery, fleeing police in a motor vehicle, and domestic assault by strangulation, all occurred in Hennepin County and were committed in 2005, 2005, and 2008, respectively. Those convictions constitute crimes of violence, making McCurry subject to the federal Armed Career Criminal Act.

Project Exile Minneapolis, a city-wide law enforcement initiative launched in 2010, is leading the investigation into McCurry’s case. The initiative aims to reduce gun violence by apprehending serial criminals for violations of gun laws and determining where they will be prosecuted – state or federal court.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan, who has successfully brought charges against over a dozen serious habitual criminals through Project Exile Minneapolis.

An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. McCurry is presumed innocent until he pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.

The investigation into McCurry’s case was a collaborative effort between the Minneapolis Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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