Minneapolis man sentenced to prison time, restitution on felony motor vehicle theft charge in Mower County District Court

A Minneapolis man who was charged after an accident with a stolen vehicle in Austin in April of 2017 has been sentenced to prison time and restitution in Mower County District Court. 

25-year old Jude Thomas Mary O’Neill was convicted and sentenced Thursday to 23 months in prison and $1,257 in restitution, fines and fees for a felony charge of theft, taking and driving a motor vehicle with no owner consent.  O’Neill was also convicted and sentenced Thursday to 90 days in jail for a misdemeanor charge of DWI, operating a motor vehicle with any amount of Schedule I or II drugs in the body, not marijuana.  O’Neill was given credit for 90 days already served, and he pleaded guilty to the two charges on August 27th, 2021.  

Authorities reported that O’Neill was clocked driving 94 miles per hour on Interstate 90 in Austin before he crashed after passing the West Oakland bridge on April 27th, 2017.  The vehicle O’Neill was driving had been reported stolen and two sawed-off shotguns plus several backpacks, which contained methamphetamine residue and drug paraphernalia, and a baggie of marijuana were found in the trunk. 

Felony charges for being a violent felon in possession of a firearm, possession of machine guns and/or short-barrelled shotguns, and for receiving and/or possessing firearms with an altered serial number in the case against O’Neill were dismissed with his guilty pleas.