November 27, 2018
OUR MISSION
We serve justice and public safety through our commitment to ethical prosecution, crime prevention, and through innovative and reasoned client representation.
 A Minneapolis man was sentenced on November 5 to more than 23 years in prison for sex trafficking two 15-year-old girls.
Brendian Kewon Daniels, 38, pleaded guilty on Sept.17 to two counts of promoting prostitution of victims under 18. Judge Martha Holton Dimick sentenced Daniels to 240 months in prison for count one. She also sentenced him to 45 months for count two to be served consecutively. He received 225 days for time already served.
“We are pleased with Judge Holton Dimick’s sentencing. Mr. Daniels was the ring leader of this operation and his behavior was appalling,” said Mike Freeman. “This was a terrible case. It was bad enough that he victimized minors but he also had a 15-year-old girl recruit one of her friends.”
In court, the mother of one of the victims gave an impact statement and said “My daughter was 15, a straight A student… She was vulnerable and [Daniels] took advantage.” Read more.
|
Sometimes, it does us all some good to pause and reflect on positive things that have occurred. Last week brought two notable events in local public safety.
First, the Star Tribune reported that so far this year, crime in Minneapolis is down by more than 10 percent compared to the same time in 2017. Yet, the numbers also show fewer people are being arrested. Compared to last year, arrests are down 22 percent.
In July, the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent back the case of heroin dealer Igor Albantov for resentencing. Ordinarily, we are not happy when a sentence is overturned, but in this case, the judges were simply saying that under the Drug Sentencing Reform Act, Albantov’s 110-month sentence under the old guidelines should be reduced to the new guideline of 85 months. On Monday, a Hennepin County District Court judge made the reduced sentence official.
These two developments are connected and should be celebrated. They indicate that everyone in the public safety realm is getting smarter. Police, prosecutors, citizens, politicians and non-profits have recognized that just arresting and jailing law breakers is not the best way to keep everyone safe. They are working together to find better ways; social programs, diversion programs, community policing, and lobbying the legislature to change drug sentencing laws, as the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office did.
The result is fewer expensive prison beds being stocked with drug offenders, especially low-level ones. Fewer people are being arrested and charged, meaning fewer people are saddled with criminal records. And still, the crime rate is declining.
 An Eagan man who pleaded guilty to multiple thefts at gyms and health clubs around the metro area was recenlty sentenced to 75 months in prison.
Demitriy Alexandrovich Sokolov, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of identity theft, two counts of third-degree burglary, one count of auto theft and one count of possession of burglary tools. The prosecutor had been seeking a longer sentence because Sokolov has multiple convictions for similar offenses dating from 2003.
According to the criminal complaint, on February 2, police responded to a reported burglary at Target Center Lifetime Fitness in downtown Minneapolis. Officers learned that Sokolov had been repeatedly entering gyms and health clubs around the Twin Cities and misrepresenting himself as a member. After using a victim’s gym ID to gain access to a club, Sokolov would break into lockers and steal wallets, cash, credit cards, IDs, jewelry and car keys. Read more.
|
CONTACT INFO
Michael O. Freeman
Hennepin County Attorney
300 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis, MN 55487
612-348-5550 - citizeninfo@hennepin.us
|
