2 men indicted in Minneapolis gang crackdown plead guilty to federal weapons charges

Two men who were indicted as part of a federal crackdown on Minneapolis street gangs have pleaded guilty to weapons charges, court documents show.

Dennis Augustus Mobley and Deon Necole Williams each entered plea agreements for one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Charging documents state Mobley and Williams were both members of the “Highs” street gang that operated out of north Minneapolis. Each defendant had multiple prior felony convictions before being caught with handguns.

The defendants now face up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. But their plea petitions indicate they could be in for much less time as long as they cooperate with the prosecution.

Based on the severity of their prior offenses, Williams faces a guideline sentence ranging from 77-96 months in prison, while Mobley faces between 41 and 51 months.

Their sentencing dates have not been scheduled as of Monday.

Mobley and Williams were charged in April along with 43 other associates of the Highs and Bloods street gangs.

A multi-agency operation from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office yielded racketeering charges for 30 gang members and drug and gun charges for another 15.