Unregistered Vehicle Leads to Warrant Arrest of Repeat Violent Felon, Possession of Ammunition
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MINNESOTA - At around 12:57 PM, on January 1, 2024, a Minnesota State Patrol Trooper watched a vehicle enter Highway 52, northbound, at the 70th Street ramp in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The Trooper noticed that not only did the vehicle not have a registration, but it also appeared to have mechanical issues since the vehicle put on emergency flashers and began to pull over. With the emergency lights on the squad car activated, the trooper performed a traffic stop.
According to the criminal complaints, when asked, the male driver stated his name was Kenneth Bernard Williams and mumbled his date of birth. When asked about the vehicle registration, the driver stated that the license plates were on the dash and in the back window. After passing the license plate to the Trooper, the Trooper ran the plate and found the vehicle’s owner did not match the name the driver gave him. The Trooper re-approached the vehicle and asked if the driver was, in fact, Sherwood Bernard Kenerson II, the registered owner of the vehicle. The driver stated yes and that he had given a fake name. There was an active warrant from the Minnesota Department of Corrections for Kennerson, so the Trooper had Kennerson exit the vehicle and placed him under arrest, court documents stated.
After conducting an inventory search of the vehicle, the Trooper found a bag of men’s clothing behind the driver’s seat. It also contained a Crown Royal bag with three rounds of 9mm ammunition and three bills - all of which were in Kennerson’s name.
In a Mirandized statement, Kennerson stated that the belongings in the backseat were his, while the belongings in the trunk belonged to friends. When asked about the ammunition in the Crown Royal bag, Kennerson stated that it must have been leftover from a previous case when he was convicted of possessing a 9mm handgun.
On August 29, 2005, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, Kennerson was convicted of attempted fifth-degree felony assault. On February 3, 2014, in Le Sueur County, Kennerson was also convicted as a felon for threats of violence. In Hennepin County, Kennerson was then additionally convicted of felon in possession of a firearm on December 10, 2019, October 21, 2015, and June 18, 2007, criminal complaints stated.
According to the criminal complaint, Sherwood Bernard Kenerson II was charged with:
Felony Possession of Ammunition by Ineligible Person (Prior Crime of Violence)
Maximum sentence: 0-15 years and/or $9,000 - $30,000
His next court date is Thursday, January 18, 2024, in Hastings, Minnesota. His bond was set at $150,000 without conditions and $50,000 with conditions. His bond had not been paid, and he has remained in Dakota County Jail since his arrest.
Dakota County Jail
Written by: Grace Patton
