Maple Grove Man Found Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking

A federal jury found a Maple Grove man guilty of trafficking fentanyl pills and possessing a machine gun.

Derrick Scott, 34, was convicted of multiple felony counts, including one count of carrying a machine gun in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The guilty verdict was announced Tuesday by U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger following a two-day trial.

“Mr. Scott has a long and violent criminal history, including possessing a machine gun, domestic assaults, and fentanyl dealing,” said Luger. “When Mr. Scott was arrested on federal charges, he told law enforcement that when he gets released from prison, he will ‘still be the king and he will get another switch,’ but Mr. Scott’s bravado was badly misplaced, as he is now subject to a mandatory 30-year prison sentence.”

According to court documents, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department arrested Scott after receiving a complaint that he threatened a man at a convenience store while brandishing a firearm. Two days later, police located Scott and arrested him during a traffic stop.

A search of the vehicle Scott was a passenger in turned up 355 fentanyl pills and a gun fully equipped with an auto sear or “switch,” a device that converts a firearm into a fully automatic weapon.

A sentencing date for Scott has not yet been announced.

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