Anoka County prosecutors have charged Cardle Lee Brown-Jones, 23, of Coon Rapids, with first-degree burglary in connection with a December 2024 break-in at a St. Francis home. The case adds to a growing list of burglary prosecutions against him across the Twin Cities metro.
St. Francis Case
The St. Francis burglary occurred on December 8, 2024, at a residence on Ivywood Street Northwest. According to the criminal complaint, the victims discovered that their vehicle, parked outside the home, had been entered without permission. Among the stolen items were clothing, insurance cards, and a garage door opener.
The complaint states that the burglary escalated when the stolen opener was used to access the garage. The intruder then entered the residence itself through a connected door while the residents were inside. Property stolen from the home included keychains and a purple purse.
The investigators learned there was a vehicle pursuit in Ramsey County where the the stolen purse and insurance card were found after the vehicle was later recovered. A forensic analysis of DNA recovered from the burglary scene matched Brown-Jones. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree burglary of an occupied dwelling, the most serious residential burglary offense under Minnesota law.
Lakeville Case
Court filings show that only weeks before the St. Francis burglary, Brown-Jones was charged in Dakota County for another residential break-in. On November 21, 2024, Lakeville police responded to a report of a burglary at a home where suspects had entered an attached garage.
According to investigators, a Toyota Highlander was stolen during the burglary, along with credit cards belonging to the victims. Those cards were subsequently used at multiple retail locations.
Detectives later examined the Highlander’s infotainment system, which contained data linking the stolen vehicle to a phone associated with Brown-Jones. Social media accounts connected to that phone provided further evidence. Family members later identified him in surveillance footage from one of the locations where the stolen cards were used.
As a result, Brown-Jones was charged with first-degree burglary and motor vehicle theft in Dakota County.
Prior Convictions
The two recent cases add to a history of burglary and related offenses:
- 2023 – Wright County: Convicted of multiple burglaries involving attached garages and stolen vehicles.
- 2022 – Hennepin County: Convicted of second-degree burglary tied to a stolen Volvo and attempted break-ins.
- 2021 – Hennepin County: Convicted of first-degree burglary and later found in violation of extended juvenile jurisdiction after being caught with a firearm.
- 2020 – Hennepin County: Arrested with a Springfield XD 9mm pistol and extended magazine while prohibited from possessing firearms.
Prosecutors have previously described him as a repeat offender whose crimes pose a risk to public safety.
Upcoming Hearing
Brown-Jones is scheduled to make his first appearance in Anoka County District Court on November 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $35,000 fine, in addition to the pending Dakota County charges.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based solely on court documents filed in Anoka, Hennepin and Wright counties.