Gang member charged for tattoo that threatens police officer
A known gang member's tattoo depicting a police officer has led to criminal charges by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, according to a news release by the Minneapolis Police Department.
Police say in late October, 20-year-old Antonio Jenkins Jr. of St. Louis Park posted a photo on Facebook showing a tattoo of a pig dressed as a Minneapolis police officer with a person holding a gun in the pig's mouth. The tattoo included the name and badge number of a specific officer that actively works with the Bloods street gang.
The Star Tribune says Jenkins also posted a comment saying, “My tattoo is a pig get’n his brains blew out.” The comment cites the badge number and the name J. Seidel.
Jenkins was stopped by police earlier this month and officers noticed the tattoo on his arm. Jenkins told police he got the tattoo after an incident in August of last year.
In September, graffiti that threatened the same officer was found in an apartment frequented by the Bloods, police say.
Jenkins is charged with making terroristic threats for the benefit of a gang, a felony. He could serve a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Pioneer Press says state law allows five years to be added to a the maximum sentence for a person who commits a felony to promote gang-related criminal activity.
Jenkins is currently in custody in the Hennepin County Jail.
