A man convicted of second-degree murder in the July 2025 shooting death of a man at a Minneapolis park was sentenced Monday to 40 years in prison, court records show.
Hennepin County District Judge Marta M. Chou sentenced Seneca Lee Jones, who was 27 at the time of the shooting, to 480 months for second-degree intentional murder and to 60 months for possessing a firearm while prohibited from having one, to be served at the same time. He received credit for 320 days already served.
The sentencing order describes the term as a guidelines sentence. Prosecutors had filed notice in December 2025 that they would seek an aggravated sentence.
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A jury convicted Jones on Sept. 3 of second-degree intentional murder and the firearm charge, and acquitted him of first-degree premeditated murder.
Police were sent to Mississippi Regional Park in Minneapolis at about 3:10 a.m. on July 20, 2025, and found a 19-year-old man who had been shot. He died at the scene. Several witnesses told police they saw Jones walk up to the man and shoot him multiple times, according to the criminal complaint.
“Our community will be protected from Mr. Jones for decades but the harm he caused remains,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement.
The judge also ordered Jones not to possess firearms or ammunition for the rest of his life and reserved restitution for 90 days.
