A Prior Lake man was interrupted by police during a late-night burglary at a Saint Louis Park storage facility, where officers found a loaded revolver and methamphetamine in his vehicle, according to charges.
Matthew Jerry Bray, 38, faces three felony charges: possessing a firearm as a person convicted of a crime of violence, aiding and abetting third-degree burglary and fifth-degree drug possession.
According to the complaint, a Saint Louis Park police officer was conducting surveillance at a storage facility on Cedar Lake Road in Hennepin County on June 25, 2026, due to a recent spike in thefts and burglaries. At about 11:15 p.m., the officer saw a white 2023 Ram parked outside an apartment at the edge of the facility, after normal access hours had ended. The officer approached and found multiple storage unit doors open, with boxes pulled out and searched through.
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A second man, known to police, approached the officer from the white Ram, while Bray exited the vehicle and stood nearby. Police noticed what appeared to be a firearm grip in the man’s waistband and conducted a frisk, finding a firearm, pliers and a wire cutter. The man claimed he rented a unit at the facility and provided security for it, but officers confirmed he did not work there.
Given the apparent burglary and presence of weapons, officers conducted a protective sweep of Bray’s vehicle. While retrieving Bray’s keys, an officer found a silver cylinder in his pocket containing a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. A search of the white Ram turned up a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver in the glovebox. Testing later confirmed Bray’s DNA on the firearm.
Court records state Bray is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction for second-degree assault. The charges were filed Thursday, August 20. A court date has not yet been set.
About This Charge
Minnesota’s weapons offenses include § 624.713 (felon in possession of a firearm, five-year mandatory minimum for a prior crime of violence), § 609.66 (dangerous weapons, including drive-by shooting at § 609.66 subd. 1e) and § 609.165 (firearm restoration after a felony). Discharge of a firearm within a municipality is charged under § 609.66 subd. 1a.
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Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
