ST. PAUL, Minn. – Howard Ozell Crenshaw, a Minneapolis man, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing stolen firearms that he then attempted to sell, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on December 2, 2022, an undercover (UC) law enforcement officer called Howard Ozell Crenshaw, 34, to express interest in purchasing firearms. Crenshaw informed the undercover law enforcement officer that he had an AR-15 rifle and two Berretta handguns available for sale, which the UC officer agreed to purchase for $2,600. The pair agreed to meet on December 13, 2022, to complete the transaction.
On the day of their meeting, the UC officer agreed to purchase an addition shotgun from Crenshaw for $500. They met as planned on December 13, 2022, and Crenshaw entered the UC officer’s vehicle, abruptly exited and called the UC officer, directing him to drive to a different location one block away. Crenshaw explained that he had placed the firearms in a residential trash can in a nearby alley. The UC officer retrieved the four firearms and tossed Crenshaw a roll of cash totaling $2,600. Shortly thereafter, the UC agent called Crenshaw and explained that he had placed the additional $500 in the same trash can the defendant had used for the firearms. Crenshaw later returned to the trash can and collected the additional $500…