Mahnomen woman sentenced to prison for charges related to pursuit, police shooting

A Mahnomen woman who entered guilty pleas earlier this year to three of the seven charges filed against her will serve prison time.

As previously reported, 20-year-old Shequoya Deanne Basswood pleaded guilty to one count each of first-degree assault against a peace officer, receiving stolen property and being a felon in possession of a firearm in October.

Tuesday, Judge Darlene Rivera-Spalla sentenced Basswood to 120 months (10 years) in the Shakopee prison and allowed 256 days of credit for time already served. She must also pay $135 in fines.

The charges were filed after she raised a handgun at a sheriff’s deputy in March of 2022, who then shot her as he stumbled away.

According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Deputy Dakota Czerny tried to stop a speeding vehicle on eastbound Highway 200 at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 20. When the vehicle fled, Czerny pursued. At one point, the squad slid into a ditch and Czerny picked up the pursuit, before a PIT maneuver was used to stop the vehicle near County Road 4 and Church Street in Naytahwaush.

BCA: Mahnomen County deputy shot woman after pursuit, investigation ongoing

When the vehicle came to a stop, two of the six occupants ran away. The BCA says Czerny tried to detain the remaining four occupants but one of them — a 20-year-old woman — had a gun. The BCA didn’t provide any details about what happened at that point but, eventually, Czerny fired a shot that struck the woman, who was later identified as Basswood. She was hospitalized for her injuries.

A criminal complaint states, due to previous criminal activity as a juvenile, Basswood isn’t allowed to possess a gun or ammunition.

The shooting was shown by dash camera footage, which was released by the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office because a Twin Cities-based group had made a “wanted” poster accusing Czerny of attempted murder that raised “serious questions about Deputy Czerny’s safety.” CLICK HERE to watch that video.

Czerny was placed on administrative leave after the shooting but was back on duty within a month.

The sentence, according to court records, will run concurrently with a sentence for a charge of first-degree assault in a separate case. Basswood was sentenced to 86 months in the Shakopee prison for that charge.