The Complainant having reviewed the applicable reports believes the following facts to be true: On June 11, 2025, officers with the St. Paul Police Department were working a Toward Zero Deaths detail focused on public safety hazards near Harriet Island Regional Park in the City of St. Paul, Ramsey County. While patrolling the parking lot of Raspberry Island, officers observed a 2023 black Dodge Durango parked in the lot. Officers were able to observe the occupants using a light and noted the driver to match the description of Marius Bennett (“Bennett”), whose driving privileges were revoked.
Officers later observed Bennett driving the vehicle from the park and conducted a traffic stop. As officers were speaking with Bennett during the stop, they could smell the overwhelming odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Officers had Bennett exit the vehicle and conducted a pat down, during which a THC vape was located. Officers then spoke to Bennett about the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Bennett admitted there were packages of cannabis inside the vehicle. Officers went back to the vehicle and made contact with the two passengers, identified as DAVID JA’LEO MOORE [DOB REDACTED] and ANTONIO BRAYON FINLEY ([DOB REDACTED]), Defendant herein.
Defendant admitted he was in possession of cannabis and provided the officer with an unsealed dispensary grade package containing cannabis from the rear pocket of the front passenger seat. Defendant also admitted he had just been smoking marijuana. Based on the findings, officers conducted a further search of the vehicle. During the search, officers observed two spent 9mm casings behind the front passenger seat. They also located a black backpack near the rear seat of the vehicle that had two black handguns: a Taurus G2s 9mm handgun and a Glock 17. Both had magazines with live 9mm rounds in them.
The backpack also contained several loose 9mm rounds, pictures of Defendant and Bennett, court paperwork with Defendant’s name, and some paper towels with apparent blood. A warrant was obtained for DNA samples from all vehicle occupants and samples were collected. Samples were also collected from the handguns. All samples were sent to the BCA for DNA testing. Testing found Defendant’s DNA as the major contributor to samples on the Taurus G2s. Defendant did not have a permit to carry a firearm on the date of the incident.
