Man flees Minneapolis courthouse after being sentenced in ammo theft case, officials say
A 35-year-old man found guilty of theft and being a felon in possession of a gun is on the run after fleeing a sentencing at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
According to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, a judge sentenced Jarel Valdez Martin to five years in prison on his charges on Tuesday morning. Martin was not in custody at the time of the sentencing and had come into the court from his home.
That's when a woman with Martin handed him his phone, despite being told not to. When deputies asked for his phone, a "physical altercation ensued," and Martin was able to break free and flee out of the courtroom, officials said.
Authorities provided a photo of Martin running down the stairs at the courthouse without a shirt or shoes. Martin is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 135 pounds, with black hair.
Officials filed a warrant for his arrest.
Martin was sentenced after being convicted of stealing ammunition and a firearms magazine from a Mills Fleet Farm in Brooklyn Park last October. He has a prior conviction for first-degree aggravated robbery and federal felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and unlawful transport of firearms, both in 2011.
Anyone who sees Martin or knows his whereabouts is asked to call 911.
