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Brandt Williams
Minneapolis

Despite vow to stay clean, Mpls. man found guilty of illegal gun possesion

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Gun offender
Jiyaad Copeland in 2011.
Jeffrey Thompson/MPR News, File

After a jury found Jiyaad Copeland guilty of illegal gun possession on Thursday, he was sentenced to five years in prison.

Copeland, 22, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for the same offense in 2011. At the time, he spoke to MPR News from Lino Lakes prison and said when he was released, he would stay away from guns. Copeland is prohibited from possessing guns because of his prior criminal record.

His attorney asked Judge Tamara Garcia to let him out before sentencing so he could see his daughter one last time before he goes away for a long while. The judge said no.

Minneapolis police officers arrested Copeland on May 22, 2013, after they found him in a black Dodge Durango with four other young men and two handguns. Minneapolis police officer David Ligneel, who for several years has investigated gangs and gun offenders with an FBI task force, testified in court Wednesday he saw the outline of a semi-automatic handgun in the front pocket of Copeland's sweatshirt as he stood next to the SUV.

Ligneel was conducting surveillance near 25th Avenue and 4th Street North, and said he observed Copeland and the others through a pair of binoculars from about a quarter of a block away.

"He appeared to be nervous -- looking up and down the street," Ligneel said.

The Durango drove away and Ligneel radioed for assistance from a "takedown vehicle" -- a squad car used to perform a traffic stop.

Ligneel said the officers pulled the Durango over in a parking lot in front of the Dollar Store on West Broadway Ave. One of the officers involved in the stop, Kenneth Tidgwell, said he saw the occupants of the SUV making "furtive movements." Because they were told one of the men in the vehicle had a gun, Tidgwell said he and his partner approached with weapons drawn.

Police found a 9mm Sig Sauer pistol under the front passenger seat -- inches from the back seat where Copeland had been sitting. They also found a 45 cal. Springfield Arms handgun beneath the driver's seat.

BCA forensic scientist Katherine Kingsland said DNA from at least four people was found on each gun. However, Kingsland said the only occupant of the SUV who could not be ruled out as touching the 9mm pistol was Copeland. A man sitting next to Copeland was tied to the other gun.

Defense attorney Michael Holland pointed out in his closing argument that the DNA evidence is far from conclusive. He said according to Kingsland's testimony, it is possible someone else in the car touched the gun and didn't leave any DNA behind.

"Maybe the front seat passenger put it there," Holland told the jury. "Maybe it was under the seat before he [Copeland] got in."