Repeat Offender Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for His Ninth Felony Conviction

MINNEAPOLIS - United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Esau Chucky Sago, 36, was sentenced to 240 months in prison and five years of supervised release for being an armed career criminal in possession of ammunition. He was indicted on February 26, 2025, convicted on November 18, 2025, after a two-day jury trial, and was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on September 3, 2026.

According to court documents, on or about October 10, 2024, the defendant knowingly possessed ammunition despite having prior felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing ammunition or a firearm. Sago's prior felony offenses include two convictions for domestic assault and one conviction for domestic assault-strangulation, which qualified him as an armed career criminal. Armed career criminals who possess firearms or ammunition are subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. Sago had other felony convictions for fleeing police in a motor vehicle, threats of violence-reckless disregard of risk, and vehicle theft.

On October 10, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., officers with the New Hope Police Department saw a white SUV with an obstructed or no front license plate and an obstructed rear license plate. It also appeared to have had a rushed paint job intended to make the vehicle appear white, which was consistent with the SUV being stolen. Given the suspicious nature of the vehicle's paint job and the license plate offenses, the officers decided to stop the SUV. However, the SUV, which Sago was driving, sped away.

Sago led police from the Crystal and Robbinsdale Police Departments on a high-speed chase that lasted for miles, with speeds exceeding 70 miles per hour through residential areas. The pursuit ended when an officer with the Crystal Police Department performed a PIT maneuver, a technique used to force a fleeing vehicle to spin out and stop.

Sago's SUV spun out and landed in a yard in Minneapolis. The SUV knocked over a fence and came to a rest on top of it. Officers quickly arrested Sago, who was the only person in the SUV. After the SUV was towed away, an officer found a loaded handgun with no serial number-commonly called a "ghost gun"-on top of the fence that the SUV knocked down. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension forensic laboratory found Sago's DNA on the grip of the pistol, the base of the magazine, a round in the magazine, and the round in the chamber.

"The defendant is a danger to not only the community, but his conduct also placed law enforcement officers' lives at risk. Today's sentence protects public safety and ensures he is held accountable for his actions," said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.

"Mr. Sago had an extensive history of violence well before the police pursuit that ultimately led to his conviction, and today's significant sentence," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Olson, of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. "His repeated violent conduct has demonstrated that he poses a serious threat to public safety. I appreciate the dedicated work of BCA, the New Hope, Crystal, and Robbinsdale police departments for their work on this case, as well as the diligent efforts of the U.S. Attorney's Office in securing a successful prosecution and holding this armed career criminal accountable."

"The Crystal Police Department is committed to protecting our communities through arresting dangerous individuals like this defendant and is appreciative of the partnership with the ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office in aggressively pursuing charges against these individuals," said Crystal Chief of Police Brian Hubbard. "In this case, our officer facilitated the arrest of an individual with an extensive criminal history, in possession of a firearm and drugs, and driving a stolen car with stolen license plates while endangering the public in his attempt to evade being taken into custody."

This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; the New Hope Police Department; the Crystal Police Department; and the Robbinsdale Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.