Derrick Thompson found guilty by federal jury of fentanyl and gun charges

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A federal jury found Derrick Thompson guilty of multiple fentanyl and gun possession charges in connection with the fatal Minneapolis crash that claimed the lives of five young women.

What we know

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday that Thompson, 29, was guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

The charges stem from an incident on June 16, 2023, in which five young Minneapolis women were killed in a crash.

Thompson is accused of fleeing law enforcement at a reckless speed of 95 mph in a 55 mph zone before running a red light and crashing into a car carrying the young women in Minneapolis. The five women did not survive the accident.

Evidence presented at trial

Evidence presented during the trial includes what law enforcement found when they searched the vehicle Thompson was driving at the time of the crash.

At the scene, authorities found a record indicating Thompson was driving a car he had rented in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport just 30 minutes before the incident. According to court records, authorities found the following items inside the rental car while executing a search warrant:

• A loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine
• Three bags containing more than 2,000 “M-BOX 30” fentanyl pills
• A sachet containing an additional 14 grams of powdered fentanyl
• A bag containing 13 MDMA pills
• A bag containing 35 grams of cocaine
• A digital scale

During the investigation, Thompson’s phone was also examined, which authorities believed contained dozens of text messages related to fentanyl transactions, according to the DOJ.

What’s next?

Thompson still faces charges in Hennepin County related to the crash, including multiple counts of criminal vehicular homicide and third-degree murder. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 4, 2024.

Thompson remains in custody and a sentencing date for the federal charges will be set at a later date.