Alleged Gang Member Arrested After Stealing Rifle From FBI Vehicle
A federal criminal complaint was filed Friday charging a Minneapolis man accused of breaking into an FBI vehicle and stealing a government-issued rifle during violent unrest earlier this month, underscoring renewed concerns over lawlessness and public safety failures in Democrat-run cities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota announced that Raul Gutierrez, 33, of Minneapolis, has been charged in federal court with being a felon in possession of a firearm and theft of government property. Gutierrez is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court in the coming days.
According to federal authorities, Gutierrez is a known member of the Latin Kings gang with a documented criminal history tied to fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking. Investigators say Drug Enforcement Administration officials identified Gutierrez in publicly available video footage showing the suspect removing a rifle from an FBI vehicle that had been left behind during the chaos.
“Gutierrez is known at DEA as a violent criminal with a history involving fentanyl and methamphetamine drug trafficking and distribution,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said.
“In support of this investigation, DEA identified him as the individual seen breaking into an FBI vehicle on January 14. The combined efforts of federal law enforcement agencies and the Violent Offender Task Force led to the swift arrest and removal of a Latin King member that instilled fear and pushed poisons into our communities,” Gillespie added.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen placed the blame squarely on political leadership that has consistently undermined law enforcement.
“Despite the incitement of violence against federal law enforcement by local officials, which resulted here in the theft of a firearm from an FBI vehicle and the destruction of government property, this United States Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice will always put the public safety of Americans first. This alleged gang member, who is a previously convicted felon, is a danger to the community and this case is an indictment of the weak-on-crime policies promoted by the Mayor and Governor,” Rosen stated.
Federal officials said the incident occurred on January 14, as FBI personnel were assisting the Department of Homeland Security during an operation in Minneapolis that involved the use of force in an attempted arrest. As agents were temporarily forced to abandon vehicles and equipment amid the unrest, individuals in the crowd broke into at least one unmarked FBI vehicle and stole federal property, including a Colt M16A1 rifle and related accessories.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarrad Smith of FBI Minneapolis emphasized the danger posed by the escalation from protest to criminal violence.
“There is a clear, bright line between peaceful protest and lawless destruction,” Smith said. “Stealing, damaging, and destroying federal property endangers the community and jeopardizes the safe and peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights. The FBI will never tolerate interference in law enforcement activities. Together with ATF, DEA, and the invaluable partnership of all our federal, state, and local law enforcement allies, FBI Minneapolis will ensure public safety and that those engaging in violent and destructive behavior will be identified and will face justice.”
Authorities said video evidence of the theft triggered a multi-agency investigation involving the FBI, DEA, Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force. Surveillance ultimately led to Gutierrez’s arrest after he and an accomplice fled from a tow truck during an attempted traffic stop.
The case unfolds as federal immigration enforcement operations continue across Minnesota, even as left-wing activists and local officials intensify protests and political resistance to ICE operations under President Donald J. Trump’s administration.
The latest wave of enforcement follows the January 7 killing of Renée Good by an ICE agent in north Minneapolis and has sparked sustained opposition from activist groups and progressive leaders. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has since indicated that arrests are forthcoming related to a protest at a St. Paul church over the weekend, where demonstrators disrupted religious services to condemn the pastor’s alleged cooperation with ICE.