St. Paul Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm

MINNEAPOLIS - A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on June 22, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Dean Wade Guenther, 57. In conducting the search, officers discovered a locked black safe in Guenther's bedroom. Inside the safe, law enforcement found two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, 142 grams of fentanyl, and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia. Because Guenther has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

Guenther pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gileadis prosecuting the case.