Milwaukee police pursuit, driver arrested; drugs, 'ghost gun' found

FOX6 News Digital Team
·3 min read
8
<div>Deonte Riley</div>
Deonte Riley

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man faces several felony charges after prosecutors say he led police on a chase that lasted for more than an hour.

And following the execution of a search warrant at a storage locker he was renting, drugs and a ‘ghost gun’ were also discovered.

44-year-old Deonte Riley faces the following charges:

  • 1st-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety

  • Operating a Motor Vehicle to Flee, or in an Attempt to Elude an Officer

  • Two Counts: Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

  • Possession of a Short-Barreled Shotgun or Short-Barreled Rifle

  • Possession with Intent to Deliver Controlled Substance: THC

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May 10th police pursuit

According to the criminal complaint, on Friday, May 10, 2024, at about 2:35 p.m., Milwaukee police officers were patrolling the area near Hampton and Sherman. They saw a silver four-door Mercury Mariner being operated by a Black man with shoulder-length dreads. Earlier in their shift, the officers were briefed on the subject of a search warrant to be executed at an address in the area. The driver and only person in the description of the subject (i.e.: the subject’s: hair, build, associated vehicle make/model and registration).

The complaint states the officers turned on the squad's lights and sirens, and they attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver and only person in the vehicle was later identified as Deonte Riley. Riley did pull over, but officers noted he did not put the vehicle in park and had his foot on the brake. Despite commands from the officers, Riley did not turn the vehicle off, but instead fled and led police on a pursuit that lasted for about an hour and 15 minutes, covering a distance of more than 40 miles.

Riley disregarded 22 stop signs and 16 red lights, drove through a blocked-off active construction zone and reached up to speeds of 70 mph in 35 mph zones during rush-hour traffic. During the pursuit, Riley threw a firearm and a black duffle bag out of the window. Officers recovered the firearm. The pursuit ended when the vehicle became disabled from being struck by stop sticks. Riley was then arrested, according to the complaint.

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Search warrant execution - storage locker

The complaint goes on to say that later that same day, just after 5 p.m., Milwaukee police executed a search warrant for a locker at 'Devon Self Storage' in Milwaukee. Riley was confirmed as the listed renter of the particular locker since November 2023.

In the locker, police found a short barrel .556 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a 60-round magazine. Police consider the gun to be a ‘ghost gun’ since it had no serial number or any stamps or markings to indicate make or model.

Several bags were also recovered. One bag had multicolored and multi-shaped pills suspected to be methamphetamine, and several other bags were filled with what was suspected to be marijuana.

A scale was also recovered, and several identifiers of Riley's were also found, including prescription bottles and bank cards.

According to the complaint, the drugs tested positive for methamphetamine, fentanyl, and THC.

Prosecutors believe the THC recovered is consistent with street level distribution and not personal use due to the amount of controlled substances that was recovered, the manner in which it was packaged, the presence of a firearm, and the presence of a digital scale.

Court

Deonte Riley is currently being held in the Milwaukee County Jail on a $50,000 bond. He is due in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, May 23.