Minneapolis Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

According to court documents, in July 2021, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for a Minneapolis residence belonging to Nicholas Robert Briski-Smith, 25, who had “probable cause pickup” warrants for two recent alleged felony assaults, one of which involved a shooting, and multiple outstanding warrants. While conducting surveillance in preparation for the execution of the search warrant, officers observed Briski-Smith exit his residence and drive away in a stolen vehicle. Officers followed Briski-Smith to a nearby corner store where they took him into custody. Following the arrest, officers recovered a loaded Stevens Arms 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun that was affixed to Briski-Smith’s chest. During the search of Briski-Smith’s residence, officers recovered a Marlin, semiautomatic, .22-caliber rifle with a modified barrel and additional rounds of ammunition. Because Briski-Smith has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.