Are you facing MSP airport criminal charges? If so, this article will get you started in the right direction in understanding how to move forward in defending your case.
Types of MSP Airport Criminal Charges
The Minneapolis St. Paul International (MSP) Airport is unique because of its intersection with local, state, and federal laws. Because of this intersection of the law, there are a variety of law enforcement agencies present at the airport, including the Metropolitan Airports Commission airport police department (APD), the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Transportation and Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The presence of a multitude of law enforcement agencies leads to many different types of criminal charges. The most common types of criminal charges that our criminal defense lawyers handle coming out of the MSP airport include:
- Drug possession
- Drug sale
- Drug trafficking
- Assault
- Theft
- DWI and DUI
- Firearms offenses
- Presence in a restricted area and prohibited items offenses
- Disorderly conduct
- Obstruction of legal process
- MSP ordinance violations
Differences in Local, State, and Federal MSP Airport Cases
Due to the various law enforcement agencies located at MSP, and the different types of offenses that can arise from the airport, the cases proceed in different manners depending upon what has been charged.
MSP Ordinance violations and Petty Misdemeanor, Misdemeanor, and Gross Misdemeanor State Crimes
When a defendant is charged with a violation of local law, that is, MSP ordinances, the cases are prosecuted by a municipal prosecutor in state district court. Additionally, the municipal prosecutor is also responsible for prosecuting petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor, and gross misdemeanor state crimes. Examples of such offenses are presenting a prohibited item at a security checkpoint, DWI and DUI, theft, disorderly conduct, and obstruction of legal process.
At the moment, the municipal prosecutor for MSP is a private law firm located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The cases are heard in Hennepin County District Court, with most appearances taking place at the Public Safety Facility and Hennepin County Government Center.
Felony State Crimes
When a defendant is charged with a state felony, the cases are prosecuted by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Examples of felony charges that our defense lawyers see coming out of MSP are serious assaults, drug possession and drug sale cases, repeat DWI offenses (four or more within ten years), criminal vehicular operation and homicide, and thefts over $1,000.00.
Like non-felonies, felony cases are also heard in Hennepin County District Court, with most appearances taking place at the Public Safety Facility and the Hennepin County Government Center.
Federal Crimes at MSP Airport
When a defendant is charged through information or indictment with a federal crime, the cases are prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. Examples of federal crimes include drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, and crimes against federal employees.
Federal crimes are heard in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. There are four locations in Minnesota: Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, and Fergus Falls. Most cases coming out of MSP are heard at the Minneapolis and St. Paul courthouses.
Steps to Take if You’re Facing MSP Airport Criminal Charges
If you’re facing MSP airport criminal charges, the first thing you should do is to obtain a free consultation with a criminal defense lawyer that has experience defending MSP cases. That consultation will help you learn more about the nature and severity of the criminal charges you’re facing, the potential penalties and collateral consequences in the event you’re convicted, whether it would be beneficial or necessary to have the help of a lawyer to defend the case, and if so, whether that lawyer is the right fit for your particular case.
Here are some steps you can take before contacting the lawyer to help you gain as much helpful information as possible during the consultation:
- Have as much of your case information available as possible so the lawyer can find it and pull relevant information from it. The case information may include the citation number, the court file number, the charges you’re facing, the charges you were booked for, the date of offense, and the law enforcement agency involved.
- Be prepared to answer questions about any criminal history that you may have. Your criminal history may impact the case, and the lawyer you speak with will want to know about any prior convictions or arrests you may have.
- Have a short summary of the incident clear in your mind. The lawyer you speak with will understand that you do not have all the relevant information about your case, but he will be interested in learning about what happened from your perspective.
- Be prepared to explain what stage of the proceedings your case is in. As examples, (1) you might not be charged but are under investigation, (2) you may be charged but have not been to court yet, (3) your case might be in warrant status, or (4) you may have been to your first appearance and your next court appearance is a pretrial hearing or omnibus hearing. It will be important for the lawyer to understand what stage of the proceeding you’re in so that he knows whether he is able to take on your case given his other professional obligations.
- If you are charged with a driving offense, be prepared to share information about your driving record, to the extent that you’re able.
- If you are a professional or hold a professional license, be sure to raise this to your attorney’s attention, because criminal charges can impact professional licenses.
Having as much information relevant to the details above will help you gain the most valuable information during your consultation and will help set the stage for a successful defense of your MSP airport case.
Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help if You’re Facing MSP Airport Criminal Charges – Call Today
Our criminal defense lawyers have successfully defended a range of cases and charges originating out the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. It would be their pleasure to help you through your difficult time. Give us a call today to learn more about what our criminal defense lawyers can do for you. You can reach us by phone at (612) 767-9643 or by sending us a message using the form below this article. We are available 24/7, including holidays.
Short Video about MSP Airport Criminal Charges
Interested in learning a little more about the interplay of local, state, and federal laws at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport? Criminal defense lawyer David Lundgren speaks on that topic in the short video below: