ROCHESTER, MN – Rayshawn Earl Motley, 32, is headed to federal prison for two years after a loaded handgun was found hidden in his car during a traffic stop. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley handed down the sentence today, citing Motley’s continued involvement in drug activity and the increased risk he poses to the community while armed.
The case began on June 21, 2021, when La Crosse police pulled over the vehicle Motley was driving. The smell of marijuana prompted a search, which uncovered a Smith & Wesson .380 handgun stashed in the center console. Motley initially denied ownership, but forensic analysis proved otherwise – his DNA was found on the weapon.
This wasn’t Motley’s first brush with the law. He was previously convicted of felony drug trafficking in Rochester, Minnesota, back in 2012, landing him behind bars then. Adding to his legal woes, Motley currently faces pending drug trafficking charges in St. Louis County, Minnesota, suggesting a pattern of criminal behavior he hasn’t managed to break.
Judge Conley didn’t mince words at sentencing. He stated Motley had shown no signs of abandoning his history with drugs, and that a convicted felon possessing a firearm – especially one linked to drug trafficking – escalates the danger to the public. Following his two-year prison term, Motley will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The investigation was a joint effort between the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan led the prosecution. This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by strengthening collaboration between law enforcement and communities.
PSN, recently bolstered by a new Department of Justice strategy, focuses on building trust with communities, supporting local violence prevention groups, prioritizing enforcement efforts, and rigorously tracking results. While the program touts community engagement, the outcome for Motley is clear: another career criminal off the streets, and a warning to others who choose to illegally possess firearms.
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