MINNEAPOLIS (trfnews.i234.me) – A Bemidji man will serve a prison sentence of just over eight years after pleading guilty to a pair of violent carjacking incidents in the Twin Cities metro.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) says 22-year-old Justin Lee Brun was sentenced to 99 months Monday after pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree aggravated robbery in connection with the incidents, which occurred in February and March of 2021.
A news release from the HCAO says the cases were charged as armed robberies because the legislature did not create the carjacking statute until 2023, two years after the crimes took place.
Brun will be credited for 1,167 days already served.
Court documents outline the allegations against Brun in both cases. The first incident occurred on Feb. 15, 2021, where a group of males surrounded a woman’s SUV and pointed guns at her before stealing the vehicle after she was forced to hand over the keys.
The second incident took place on March 23, 2021, where Brun and an accomplice approached a man in his car and demanded his keys. When he refused, Brun allegedly shot him multiple times before taking the car.
Prosecutors say prints recovered from inside the stolen Nissan identified Brun as the assailant.
Brun pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree aggravated robbery related to these incidents. He was sentenced to 99 months (approximately 8 years) for his crimes.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office stated that the cases were charged as armed robberies because Minnesota did not have a specific statute for carjacking until 2023, two years after the crimes took place. Brun will be credited with time already served and will spend approximately 7-8 years in prison before being eligible for parole.