St. Paul Felon Indicted for Possessing a 12-Gauge Shotgun
MINNEAPOLIS – Earlier today in federal court, a 24-year-old felon from St. Paul was indicted for possessing an unregistered 12-gauge shotgun. The indictment charges Michael Romeo Geraci with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
The indictment alleges that on April 10, 2012, Geraci possessed the gun, which was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Furthermore, because he is a felon, Geraci is prohibited under federal law from possessing any type of firearm at any time. His prior Ramsey County convictions include fleeing from a police officer in a motor vehicle (2007), and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon (2009).
According to a law enforcement affidavit filed in the case, police observed a stolen van in the parking lot of the Uni/Dale Mall in St. Paul. Officers stopped the van, confirmed that it had been reported stolen, and found Geraci to be the driver and the vehicle’s lone occupant. Police found the shotgun inside of a black bag found between the front driver and passenger seats.
If convicted, Geraci faces a potential maximum penalty of ten years in prison on each charge. All sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the St. Paul Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Surya Saxena and LeeAnn K. Bell.
Note, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN
), a comprehensive, strategic approach to reducing gun crime in America. PSN, launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001, encourages cooperative, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement and crime prevention efforts.
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An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.