A man ran from Minneapolis police after officers saw what they described as a hand-to-hand drug sale near Nicollet Avenue and East Lake Street, prosecutors say.
Neivonte Javon Richardson faces three charges filed October 22 in Hennepin County District Court: second-degree drug sale, carrying a pistol without a permit in a public place and fleeing a peace officer by a means other than a motor vehicle.
According to the complaint, on October 20, Minneapolis police officers observed Richardson participating in a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction near the intersection. As officers approached, Richardson fled on foot. Officers chased him and caught up after he was unable to clear a fence.
READ MORE → Hennepin County coverage
Police arrested Richardson and searched him. The complaint states that officers found a firearm in a crossbody bag Richardson was wearing. Officers also recovered about 3 grams of fentanyl, which field-tested positive, separated into about nine individual bindles on his person.
Richardson is charged with second-degree drug sale for allegedly selling three grams or more of fentanyl. He also faces a felony charge for carrying a pistol without a permit in a public place. The third charge, fleeing a peace officer by a means other than a motor vehicle, stems from Richardson running from officers as they attempted to detain him.
The complaint says Richardson has a prior conviction for carrying a firearm without a permit, with a disposition date of August 18, 2025.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
Sioux Falls Man Charged in Minneapolis Drive-By Shooting • Man Charged After 130 MPH Chase That Began in Maple Grove • Man Sentenced for Machine Gun in Brooklyn Park Case
Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 44 other cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
