Cedric Lamont Berry, Alleged Member Of "50 Zone" Gang, Charged With Weapon Possession...

Stock photo, blog post by John Hoff

When Cedric Lamont Berry, DOB 7/17/94, ended up in the Hennepin County Jail his address was reported to be 505 Knox Avenue North. This is what originally drew my attention to him; a North Minneapolis address. The actual criminal complaint, however, lists Berry at 3313 65th Ave. N. in Brooklyn Center. 

Berry is reportedly a member of the "50 Zone" gang in that city where, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Hennepin County prosecutor, Berry got picked up and charged over a series of events so incredibly lame it's not even an exciting "thug life" story. Honestly, the man doesn't even deserve a stock photo as cool as the one I created, above...

Here's how it went down and I warn you, it's lame.

One September 19, officers in Brooklyn Center responded to a call of shots fired near 5447 Dupont Ave. N., which is a known gang location. Just as officers were arriving a vehicle was backing away with five people inside. But as a squad car went by this vehicle WITH FIVE PEOPLE INSIDE IT stopped and shut off its lights.

This is your brain on drugs. I'm just saying.

Another officer in the area saw somebody get out of the vehicle and "dig around in the trunk." An officer followed the vehicle which then FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN. A police named Officer Brutus (seriously) pulled the car over. One of the occupants of the car was Cedric Lamont Berry and the officers knew him on sight. He had warrants out for his arrest.

While officers were arresting Berry, one of the passengers told police there was a gun in the trunk. "Several" occupants of the vehicle (whatever that means when we're talking about four people) said, yup, it was Berry who put the gun there after Berry saw the squad roll by.

Since Berry has a conviction from March of 2011 for First Degree armed robbery, he isn't allowed to have a firearm. So now he's charged with having one.

What did I tell you? Lame.

The Knox Ave. N. address listed by Berry is owned by Robert D. Zeman, a slumlord who has been around for ages doing his thing. It should be noted there is another guy named Cedric Lamont Berry who has faced serious charges, but that guy is quite a bit older. Still, that's quite a coincidence with both the names and the lifestyle choices so it seems likely there's some kind of connection.

The younger Cedric Lamont Berry is sitting in Hennepin County jail on bail of $100,000 over the weapons charges. There are two other charges with small amounts of bail as well.  He won't face a hearing until late November. I hope there's plenty of reading material at the jail because Berry has a lot of time on his hands until then.