Cottage Grove resident Jason S. Kearns pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegal possession of a firearm in Minneapolis U.S. District Court on Tuesday, March 7. A repeat felon, convicted for assault, armed robbery, and burglary in multiple counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Kearns was previously sentenced in 2013 to nine years in prison for robbing Freedom Valu Center in Hudson with a BB gun and fleeing on a stolen motorcycle. He was arrested again on November 14 after a heated incident with police in Woodbury.

Kearns was already a person of interest in relation to a residential drug deal on Oct. 18 outside of his home, in which police recovered a half pound of methamphetamine from his vehicle. As police were later executing a search warrant at his home, Kearns fled on a motorcycle with a package of what appeared to be narcotics. He had evaded police since then.

Kearns’ truck was spotted on Nov. 14 by Woodbury police in the parking lot of Raising Cane’s restaurant at Radio Drive and Tamarack Road. His wife was also in the vehicle.

Multiple squad cars attempted to block his exit, and he responded by ramming the squad car in front of him.  His truck then hit the curb as he attempted to back up and he was successfully blocked in by officer vehicles.

Kearns fled across the street on foot carrying a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol, and was pursued by officers who drew their weapons and ordered him to drop the gun.  After repeatedly refusing to do so, he eventually went to his knees, weapon still in hand. After more refusals, he then dropped the pistol and gave himself up to police.

A knife was found on his person, and the surrendered pistol contained 12 rounds; one in the chamber and 11 in the magazine. His truck was searched by police, recovering crystalline substance testing positive for methamphetamine, paraphernalia, and a scale. Kearns was booked into the Washington County Jail.

Speaking to his wife on the phone from the Washington County Jail, he was recorded telling her, “I don’t know why I didn’t shoot at them last night.”

Kearns awaits a hearing for sentencing after his March 7 guilty plea. U.S. Attorneys Emily Polachek and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez will be prosecuting the case.