Eastern District of Missouri

ST. LOUIS – A former Maryland Heights, Missouri police officer pleaded guilty Thursday in United States District Court to a felony child pornography charge.

Nicholas H. Haglof, 30, admitted viewing hundreds of images containing child pornography using his laptop computer and cell phone in 2019 and 2020. Haglof later deleted the images, but a tip from the Bing search engine to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children prompted an investigation.

Investigators seized Haglof’s laptop and cell phone on July 31, 2020.

At Haglof’s sentencing later this year on the charge of accessing with the intent to view child pornography, the government will ask United States District Court Henry E. Autrey for four years in prison. Haglof will also be subject to mandatory restitution of at least $3,000 for each victim who has been identified in the images and who requests the restitution.

The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.   

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on Thursday sentenced a drug dealer who mailed crystal methamphetamine to St. Louis from Arizona to seven and one-half years in prison.

Hosea Simpson, 36, pleaded guilty in February to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Beginning in 2019, Simpson and his co-defendant, LeVaughn Neal, obtained methamphetamine in Arizona and mailed it to the St. Louis area, addressed to both vacant and occupied homes. The residents had no knowledge of the shipments. Simpson and Neal would wait in a vehicle for the package to be delivered, grab it and then drive away.

Both the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service became aware of the shipments.

On August 21,2019 postal inspectors intercepted a suspicious package mailed from Tempe, Arizona to Des Peres, Missouri that contained 13 pounds of methamphetamine. While the package was being held by investigators, Neal called the postal service twice, inquiring about the package and how to retrieve it, but never picked it up.

On September 4,2019, postal inspectors found another suspicious package headed to Jennings. They watched as Simpson got out of a rental car driven by Neal and retrieved the package. The pair drove off and escaped.

On September 12,2019, DEA agents utilized a confidential source to buy $1,200 worth of crystal methamphetamine from Neal and Simpson.

On October 17 ,2019, postal inspectors again spotted a suspicious package heading to Jennings, and DEA agents arrested Neal after he retrieved it from the front porch of a vacant home. The package contained nearly five pounds of crystal methamphetamine that was 98% pure.

Neal, 36, of Dellwood, was sentenced by Judge White in January to 13 years in prison on the same charge.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced Anthony D. Jones Jr. to 45 years in prison for fatally shooting a St. Louis woman in 2019 before stealing her car.

In Jones’ plea agreement, he admitted shooting Jessica Vinson in the head and the back on May 4, 2019 in an alley in the 5300 block of Vernon Avenue. After dragging Vinson out of her car, he fired another shot at her head, stole her 2015 Dodge Charger and drove over Vinson’s arm.

Jones had befriended Vinson after meeting her earlier that morning outside of a club in St. Louis. Jones gave Vinson’s keys to associates, who used those keys to burglarize her home in the 5300 block of Maffitt Avenue, stealing shoes and two televisions.

Two days later, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) officers spotted Vinson’s car and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Jones fled from police at a high rate of speed and crashed near an Interstate 70 exit ramp at Grand Avenue.  Jones fled from the vehicle, leaving a gun behind, but was found hiding in a garage and arrested.

While in jail, Jones threatened to kill two witnesses to his crime.

In court Wednesday, Judge Clark called Jones an “exceptionally ruthless person” and “a danger to society.” Judge Clark ordered Jones’ sentence to run consecutive to any prison time he receives if convicted of charges related to an April 15, 2019 shooting as well as for violating his parole in a 2013 gun case.

A Vinson relative told Judge Clark that the 32-year-old was a “kind soul” who was a nursing student and had a promising future.

Jones, 29, of Northwoods, pleaded guilty in December to felony charges of carjacking resulting in death, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death and two counts of witness tampering.

Two others involved in the carjacking were sentenced to prison in January. Robyn Harrison, who helped clean Vinson’s car, was sentenced to two and one-half years in prison. Tyeishia Adail, who replaced Vinson's license plates with temporary tags, was sentenced to four years in prison. 

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney Jen Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark on Tuesday sentenced registered sex offender Jimar Jefferson, 26, to 10 years in prison on a charge of possession of child pornography. After his release from prison, Jefferson will be on supervised release for life.

According to the plea agreement, on March 29, 2021, St. Louis County police executed a search warrant at Jefferson’s home on Patricia Avenue in Ferguson that was triggered by nine cyber tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Google had notified NCMEC that someone had uploaded more than 200 videos containing child pornography.

Jefferson admitted to police having used the email linked to the uploads. He admitted receiving child pornography on his cell phone and admitted that the files had been backed up to his Gmail account. Investigators later discovered 46 images and one video containing child pornography on one of Jefferson’s cell phones. His email account contained 1,853 videos and 138 image files containing child pornography, including images featuring bestiality or child bondage.

Jefferson was on probation at the time of the offense. In 2017, he pleaded guilty in St. Louis County Circuit Court to two felony counts of second-degree statutory sodomy in a case involving a 15-year-old male victim. He received 30 days of “shock” time and a suspended execution of sentence (SES) of five years in prison. He was also required to register as a sex offender.

Judge Clark ordered the federal prison sentence to run consecutive to any sentence Jefferson receives for violating his probation in the state case. He was also ordered to pay $11,000 in restitution to victims.

The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lang prosecuted the case.  

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a Ferguson man who was shot while trying to find methamphetamine that had been seized by authorities to 165 months in prison.

Cedric D. Baker, 49, flew to Houston, Texas on July 30, 2020 and bought over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine that had been pressed into pills, then shipped them via Federal Express to his grandmother’s address in the 2300 block of McLaran Avenue in St. Louis, his plea agreement says. Baker’s grandmother did not know about the contents of the package.

The package appeared suspicious and the drugs were discovered and seized. Baker went by the house multiple times to try and find his drugs. On August 12, he went to the address and waved a 9mm pistol when his cousin and his cousin’s friend denied knowledge of the package. The cousin’s friend, who was armed, pulled his own pistol and shot Baker four times, according to court documents.

Baker pleaded guilty in February to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Baker has prior drug and robbery convictions.

The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is prosecuting the case.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that Samuel J. Gillam, age 37, of Iron County, Missouri, has been sentenced to serve 240 months (20 years) in federal prison for the offense of Receiving Child Pornography. Gillam appeared for his sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

According to court documents, law enforcement officials interviewed a 16-year-old female during a sexual abuse investigation and discovered, among other things, that she sent sexually explicit images of herself to Gillam. Investigators subsequently seized Gillam’s mobile phone and found the images. At his guilty plea hearing last February, Gillam admitted that he received the images from the minor female. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Limbaugh determined that the aggravated nature of Gillam’s conduct—including the fact that he had been sexually abusing the minor female—justified the statutory maximum 20-year sentence.

After serving his 20-year sentence, Gillam was ordered to be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life. Gillam will also be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the Iron County Sheriff’s Office the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the Government.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that Samuel J. Gillam, age 37, of Iron County, Missouri, has been sentenced to serve 240 months (20 years) in federal prison for the offense of Receiving Child Pornography. Gillam appeared for his sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

According to court documents, law enforcement officials interviewed a 16-year-old female during a sexual abuse investigation and discovered, among other things, that she sent sexually explicit images of herself to Gillam. Investigators subsequently seized Gillam’s mobile phone and found the images. At his guilty plea hearing last February, Gillam admitted that he received the images from the minor female. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Limbaugh determined that the aggravated nature of Gillam’s conduct—including the fact that he had been sexually abusing the minor female—justified the statutory maximum 20-year sentence.

After serving his 20-year sentence, Gillam was ordered to be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life. Gillam will also be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the Iron County Sheriff’s Office the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the Government.

ST. LOUIS— In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Sayler Fleming will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”

“Each year during the month of May we pay tribute to those in law enforcement that have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Fleming. “Our law enforcement partners in the Eastern District of Missouri work daily to protect our communities from violence on the federal, state, and local levels. This mission can come with great sacrifice to themselves and their families. I stand in awe of the work these men and women do and it’s my honor to thank the law enforcement community during National Police Week.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19. Two officers who died in the line of duty in the Eastern District of Missouri, will be added to the law enforcement memorial in Washington, D.C.

Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks 1 were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.

The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp sentenced Marlin Tobius, Jr., to 65 months in federal prison today. Tobius previously pleaded guilty for unlawfully possessing firearms, which police uncovered while responding to a domestic-violence incident.

According to the plea agreement, on October 21, 2020, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department ("SLMPD") received a domestic-disturbance call from a woman who reported that her boyfriend had pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her. The officers entered the home as Tobius exited the upstairs bathroom, and he was taken into custody. Officers then searched the bathroom and found a loaded 9mm Glock 17 GEN5 handgun with a large-capacity magazine.  Additionally, officers recovered a similar 9mm Glock 17 GEN4 handgun, also loaded with a large-capacity magazine, on top of a dresser near the top of the stairs. Tobius was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Tobius also admitted to obstructing justice by repeatedly calling the victim and pressuring to recant while he was in jail.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. 

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.  The matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Bluestone. 

CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr., sentenced Angelica Woods to 36 months in prison today. The 59-year-old East Prairie, Missouri, resident pleaded guilty on October 7, 2021, to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Woods was employed by an in-home services provider in Mississippi County, Missouri. Part of Woods’ job duties for the service provider included going to homes of elderly clients to provide in-home services for them. Woods devised a scheme to defraud Sallie Mae Bank, and a client of the service provider, to fraudulently obtain a student loan for another person.

On or about November 6, 2018, Woods sent in interstate commerce by wire transmission a false and fraudulent Application Promissory Note fraudulently using the client’s name, date of birth, and Social Security Number, to obtain a student loan from Sallie Mae Bank in the amount of $18,000.00. At the time the loan application was submitted, the client was unaware that Woods had used her identity to guarantee repayment of the student loan, and had not given Woods permission to use the client’s identity to obtain the student loan. Woods fraudulently caused student loan proceeds in the approximate amount of $18,000.00 to be sent to Missouri Welding Institute located in Nevada, Missouri, via wire transfer in interstate commerce as directed by lender Sallie Mae Bank.

The case was investigated by the East Prairie Police Department, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Paul W. Hahn handled the prosecution for the government.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk accepted a plea of guilty from Ryan Kanzler on today’s date, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, theft of U.S. mail and access device fraud.  Judge Pitlyk set sentencing for August 10, 2022.  At sentencing, Kanzler is subject to imprisonment of not more than 5 years, for his plea to conspiracy and theft of mail and a fine of not more than $250,000, or both such imprisonment and fine; and for access device fraud is imprisonment of not more than 15 years, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both such imprisonment and fine.

According to the plea agreement, beginning from at least October 14, 2020, Kanzler and a co-defendant were engaged in a scheme to defraud several financial institutions. Kanzler and his co-defendant stole mail from private residence and business mailboxes on a rather large scale. 

They would then search the stolen mail for checks and personal identifying information. Stolen checks were often altered to make the payee one of the participants, as well as increasing the amount. Kanzler would then present the stolen and altered checks for payment at various banks in the St. Louis area.  

Kanzler also used credit cards fraudulently obtained by utilizing personal identifying information obtained in the stolen mail. For example, in January 2020, a victim reported that his mail had been stolen.  Kanzler obtained a Lowe’s credit card and used that card between January 21 and January 29, 2021, to purchase items exceeding $1,000 in that time period at various Lowe’s locations in the St. Louis area.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from St. Louis County, Creve Coeur, Kirkwood, Arnold, Chesterfield and Sunset Hills Police Departments. 

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that Nathan P. Dillinger, age 41, of Dexter, Missouri, has been sentenced to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison for the offense of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Dillinger appeared for a remote sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig.

At his guilty plea hearing last year, Dillinger admitted that he installed multiple hidden cameras throughout his residence for the purpose of capturing nude videos of his girlfriend’s 12-year-old daughter. In his written guilty plea agreement, Dillinger specifically admitted that he secretly placed one of the cameras in an air conditioning vent in the 12-year-old’s bedroom, and another camera was concealed in the bathroom ceiling tile. Footage from the recordings was later discovered on Dillinger’s mobile phone.

After serving his 15-year sentence, Dillinger was ordered to be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life. Dillinger will also be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the Government.

ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted James Isaac “Ike” Crabtree, former Municipal Prosecuting Attorney for Jefferson County, Missouri, on April 20, 2022, for one count of Deprivation of Rights under Color of Law, and one count of False Statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) related to a March 8, 2021, incident.

Crabtree was the Municipal Prosecuting Attorney for Jefferson County, Missouri until he resigned his position during March 2022 as a result of the federal criminal investigation.  The Indictment alleges that, on March 8, 2021, Crabtree met with a female in his courthouse office after regular business hours.  At that time, the female, identified in the Indictment as “Victim One,” was a defendant in several pending cases being prosecuted by Crabtree in Jefferson County Municipal Court.  The Indictment alleges that, during that meeting, Crabtree subjected Victim One to sexual contact while acting under color of law in his position as Municipal Prosecuting Attorney, thereby depriving Victim One of her Constitutional Right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes the right to bodily integrity.  The Indictment further alleges that, on March 3, 2022, when interviewed by Special Agents of the FBI concerning the March 8, 2021, incident, Crabtree lied and falsely denied that he kissed Victim One, that he had touched Victim One’s body, and that he had Victim One take a portion of her clothing off during the meeting in his courthouse office.  The Indictment alleges that Crabtree knew his statements to the FBI were false because Crabtree had taken those actions and engaged in that conduct.

Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith. 

ST. LOUIS – Arlando Hill of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge John A. Ross on yesterday’s date.  Based on a previous plea of guilty, Hill was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

According to the plea agreement, on February 23, 2020, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to a location in the 5900 block of Ridge Ave., within the Eastern District of Missouri for a shooting.  Officers conducting the investigation learned that Hill pointed a rifle at a woman and her children after a dispute over Hill smoking marijuana near the children. Fortunately, the victim and her children escaped the encounter without injury.  Hill was subsequently entered as wanted for assault by police.

On May 14, 2020, a security guard at a hotel located in the 5700 block of Natural Bridge called 911 after Hill refused to leave the property.  The security guard observed what appeared to be a sawed-off shotgun on the front seat of Hill’s vehicle.  The guard told Hill to stop and wait as the police were enroute. 

While interacting with Hill, the officers learned that Hill was "wanted" for the incident occurring on February 23, 2020. The officers also observed a Kimber .270 Winchester caliber rifle on the driver's seat of Hill's vehicle. The rifle appeared to have had the stock and barrel sawed off. The officers placed him under arrest and seized the rifle.  Hill is prohibited from possession of any firearm due to previously being convicted of a felony. 

This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. 

ST. LOUIS – Robert Williams, age 58, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp on today’s date.  Based on a previous plea of guilty, Williams was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison for numerous counts of bank fraud related to Payment Protection Program (“PPP”) loans.  

The United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”) is an executive-branch agency of the United States government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act is a federal law that was enacted in or around March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

One source of relief provided for in the CARES Act is the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The purpose of loans issued under the PPP was to enable small businesses suffering from the economic downturn to continue to pay salary or wages to their employees.

To obtain a PPP loan, a qualifying business is required to submit a PPP loan application, signed by an authorized representative of the business. The PPP loan application requires the business to acknowledge the program rules and make certain affirmative certifications to obtain the PPP loan.

According to court documents, Williams obtained federal loans provided through the CARES Act that resulted in a loss of up to approximately $2.7 million.  Williams applied for these loans at Midwest Regional Bank, PNC Bank and submitted false information to receive funding. 

The investigation included a review of numerous PPP loan applications and financial accounts during the summer of 2020.  Williams completed and submitted approximately thirty different PPP loan applications that contained materially false statements and false supporting documents related to the ownership of a business and the business’ payroll including the number of employees and monthly payroll expenses. 

Investigators also determined that Williams did not use the PPP loan funds for any appropriate business expenses but used funds for his own personal benefit including the purchase of vehicles such as a Maserati Levante and a Jaguar, F-Pace. Williams also assisted several other businesses in brokering and submitting fraudulent PPP loan applications.  During the investigation the FBI seized approximately $466,000 and vehicles.  Williams has also agreed to an order of restitution for $1,231,491.   

This case was investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration and FDIC of the Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Dowd III.

A Chinese national formerly residing in Chesterfield, Missouri, was today sentenced to 29 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and a $150,000 fine for conspiring to commit economic espionage.

Xiang Haitao, 44, pleaded guilty to the charge in January 2022.  According to court documents, Xiang conspired to steal a trade secret from The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto, an internationally based company doing business in St. Louis, Missouri, for the purpose of benefitting a foreign government, namely the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

“Xiang conspired to steal an important trade secret to gain an unfair advantage for himself and the PRC,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The victim companies invested significant time and resources to develop this intellectual property.  Economic espionage is a serious offense that can threaten U.S. companies’ competitive advantage, and the National Security Division is committed to holding accountable anyone who steals trade secrets to benefit a foreign government.”

“The defendant took advantage of living and working in the United States to steal a valuable trade secret for the benefit of PRC entities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This type of theft threatens employers large and small in every state, and it imperils our economic competitiveness as a nation. Individuals entrusted with valuable trade secrets should be on notice that if they abuse that trust – especially for the benefit of foreign nations – we will hold them accountable.”

“Those who conspire to steal technology from U.S. businesses and transfer it to China cause tremendous economic damage to our country," said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. "The government of China does not hesitate to go after the ingenuity that drives our economy. Stealing our highly prized technology can lead to the loss of good-paying jobs here in the United States, affecting families, and sometimes entire communities. Our economic security is essential to our national security.  That’s why at the FBI protecting our nation’s innovation is both a law enforcement and a top national security priority.”

“This is the first economic espionage conviction ever in the history of the Eastern District of Missouri,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis of FBI’s St. Louis Field Office. There are less than two dozen such convictions nationwide. Economic espionage convictions are rare because the elements required to prove state-sponsored theft is extremely difficult,” “Today’s sentencing is a culmination of more than five years of tenacity and dedication by our agents and federal prosecutors. I commend their success in protecting the victim company and ultimately our U.S. economy.”

According to court documents, Xiang was employed by Monsanto and its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017, where he worked as an imaging scientist. Monsanto and The Climate Corporation developed a digital, online farming software platform that was used by farmers to collect, store and visualize critical agricultural field data and increase and improve agricultural productivity for farmers. A critical component to the platform was a proprietary predictive algorithm referred to as the Nutrient Optimizer. Monsanto and The Climate Corporation considered the Nutrient Optimizer a valuable trade secret and their intellectual property.

In June 2017, the day after leaving employment with Monsanto and The Climate Corporation, Xiang attempted to travel to China on a one-way airplane ticket. While he was waiting to board his flight, federal officials conducted a search of Xiang’s person and baggage. Investigators later determined that one of Xiang’s electronic devices contained copies of the Nutrient Optimizer. Xiang continued on to China where he worked for the Chinese Academy of Science’s Institute of Soil Science. Xiang was arrested when he returned to the United States in November 2019.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Drake and Gwendolyn Carroll for the Eastern District of Missouri, Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Senior Counsel Jeff Pearlman and Assistant Deputy Chief Matthew Walczewski of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case.

St. Louis, MO – Jerell Henderson, 31, of Saint Louis, MO, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance; one count of conspiracy to possess one or more firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; and one count of possession, brandishing, and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking resulting in the death of 26-year-old Ladareace Pool on October 3, 2017.  Henderson entered his guilty plea in front of U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey prior to the start of jury selection in Henderson’s federal jury trial slated to begin this morning. 

According to the plea agreement, Henderson and his associates were involved in drug trafficking at 4739 Goodfellow Boulevard on October 3, 2017.  While there, Henderson and his associates came into contact with victim Ladareace Pool.  Henderson and four of his associates agreed to, and did, rob the victim at gun point of drugs and money.  Henderson and two others specifically committed the robbery.  During the robbery, the victim attempted to run away.  As the victim ran, the victim was shot twice in the back and died as a result of his gunshot injuries.  

The drug and firearm conspiracy charges carry maximum terms of 20 years imprisonment.  Henderson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years to life for the firearm charge resulting in death.  In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

The sentencing date has been set for July 13, 2022.  The United States intends to present evidence at sentencing regarding Henderson’s firearm possession and discharge of that firearm at the victim on October 3, 2017.  

Three of Henderson’s co-defendants, Stephan Jones, Larenta Jones, and Floyd Barber, have previously been convicted in this matter.

          “This investigation exemplifies the hard work and close coordination between our local and federal partners to ensure that each person involved in crime, particularly the most violent crime, is held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming after today’s proceedings.  “Whether a case is five days or five years old, we continue to work with the dedicated members of law enforcement to pursue justice for crime victims and their families.”

This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.  The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating this case.

ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted Brian Kowert, Sr., former Chief Operating Officer of the HBD Construction Company, on March 30, 2022, for five counts of wire fraud relative to his falsifying of Minority Business Enterprise (“MBE”) participation on several construction and redevelopment projects from 2014 through 2022.

Kowert, Sr. was an owner, executive vice president, and chief operating officer of HBD Construction Company.  Kowert, Sr. was also the project manager on numerous HBD construction and redevelopment projects in St. Louis and throughout the Midwest region.  The indictment alleges that beginning during 2014, and continuing through early 2022, Kowert, Sr. engaged in a scheme to defraud the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri, and several HBD client companies by falsifying records to inflate MBE participation numbers on HBD projects.  The MBE participation requirements on those projects sought to address historical social and economic disadvantages experienced by minority group members to reduce minority-based barriers to and foster participation by minority owned businesses. 

The indictment alleges that Kowert, Sr. used actual MBE certified companies simply as “front” companies to pass payments to non-MBE certified companies which had actually provided the labor and materials on the projects.  The MBE certified companies neither performed work nor provided materials on the projects and had no actual contact with the non-MBE companies which actually performed the work and provided the materials.  The MBE certified companies were paid a nominal fee by Kowert, Sr. for acting as a “pass through” for the funds paid to the non-MBE companies.  The indictment alleges that Kowert, Sr. provided false information and false reports to the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri, and several HBD client companies which falsely inflated the actual MBE participation numbers on three separate projects.  Those projects were located in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas.  The indictment alleges that Kowert, Sr.’s scheme and false representations were an effort by him to meet City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, and HBD client company MBE participation requirements and goals.  Kowert, Sr. falsely reported hundreds of thousands of dollars as MBE certified work on the projects when, in fact, the work had been performed by non-MBE majority owned and staffed companies.

The HBD client companies, the State of Missouri, and the City of St. Louis had no knowledge of Kowert’s alleged criminal conduct, and fully cooperated with federal law enforcement in this investigation.

Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith. 

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Charles “Man Man” Thompson to 45 years in prison today. The 35-year-old St. Louis resident pleaded guilty in January 2020 to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine; three counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death; and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, Thompson provided information to one or more members of a large-scale cocaine trafficking organization that existed between 2012 and 2016 while Thompson was incarcerated in Missouri state prison.  Thompson, who openly associated with and was a member of a group commonly known as the “Blumeyer,” provided information relating to other “Blumeyer” members to this large-scale cocaine trafficking organization, which was a rival to the “Blumeyer.” 

Armed with the information provided by Thompson, one or more members of the rival drug trafficking organization committed acts of violence, including murder, against multiple “Blumeyer” members.  Thompson provided the information about his fellow “Blumeyer” members in the hope of becoming a significant drug trafficker within the Saint Louis area upon his release from prison.  Thompson also expected to be supplied drugs by the rival drug trafficking organization upon release.  Through the rival drug trafficking organization’s killing of “Blumeyer” members, Thompson also expected to have a greater ability to spearhead drug trafficking activities within the Saint Louis area.

As a result of information provided by Thompson to one or more members of the rival drug trafficking organization, multiple acts of violence occurred, including, but not limited to: the shootings of Terrell Beasley on July 1, 2013, and August 8, 2013; the shooting of Anthony Anderson on December 23, 2013; the murders of Robert Parker and Clara Walker on December 29, 2013; the murder of Michail Gridiron on January 21, 2014; and the murder of Dion Stovall on March 5, 2014.

After these acts of violence occurred and Thompson was released from prison, Thompson received controlled substances from the rival drug trafficking organization for Thompson to distribute within the Saint Louis area.     

“As today’s significant sentence makes clear, you don’t have to be the one who pulls the trigger of a firearm to be a murderer.  The acts of Charles Thompson directly contributed to the untimely and unnecessary deaths of many victims,” said United States Attorney Sayler Fleming after today’s sentencing.  “I commend the investigative team who worked tirelessly to hold each person involved in these violent acts accountable, including Mr. Thompson.  While today’s sentence will not bring back those we have lost or lessen the impact of their injuries, it should send a clear message that anyone’s involvement in violent crime will be pursued to the fullest extent under the law.”    

“DEA investigators and our partners are well aware of the connection between drug trafficking and violence,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, head of DEA operations in Eastern Missouri. “But this case shows the absolute depravity of drug traffickers, how little regard they have for human life. We will never stop pursuing these criminals because these lives taken mattered to their families. Stopping drug traffickers in their illegal business really is a matter of life or death.”

This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration; Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Marshals Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk sentenced former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Brad Stephens to one year and one day in federal prison for 3 counts of Mail Fraud by obtaining taxpayer moneys from the Tower Grove South Concerned Citizen Special Business District (“Tower Grove South”) by means of material false representations.  Stephens pleaded guilty on December 6, 2021. 

According to court documents, Stephens was employed as a police officer by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (“SLMPD”) in St. Louis, Missouri, and had been employed by the SLMPD since October 6, 2014. 

Tower Grove South was established to provide special police and/or security for the protection and enjoyment of the property owners and the public within the district.  The administration and operations of the business district are taxpayer funded. City Wide Security (“CWS”) is a private company that contracts with businesses and organizations to provide private security patrols.  CWS contracted to provide security patrols in the Tower Grove South Neighborhood beginning during 2010.  

Stephens was employed by CWS beginning in approximately 2015 to work during some of his off-duty hours to patrol the Tower Grove South Neighborhood.  Stephens falsely represented to CWS 169 day and night patrol shifts he agreed to work as part of the CWS security patrol in the Tower Grove South Neighborhood when, in fact, Stephens did not actually work those assigned shifts.  During 2018, Stephens falsely represented that he worked 93 days, and during 2019, Stephens falsely represented that he worked 76 days.  CWS was paid approximately $50,000 by the Tower Grove South organization based upon Stephens’ false representations, all taxpayer funds. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

ST. LOUIS – Kietra R. Studdard, age 44, of Fenton, Missouri appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on today’s date.  Studdard pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 115 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine; and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Studdard was previously indicted by a federal grand jury on September 3, 2020.  

According to the plea agreement, on May 22, 2019, officers with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office were surveilling a known drug house when Studdard arrived in a blue Buick LeSabre. She retrieved several items from the residence and put them in her vehicle.  When Studdard left, the officers followed her, eventually stopping her for a series of traffic violations. 

When contacted by deputies, Studdard admitted to having a pistol in her purse, and she was arrested after it was determined she was in possession of methamphetamine.  A search of the vehicle revealed numerous boxes pseudoephedrine tablets that Studdard admitted would be used to cook methamphetamine. 

Studdard is prohibited by law from possessing a weapon due to a previous felony conviction. 

This case was investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Bluestone.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that Eli B. Rawlins, age 35, of Irondale, Missouri, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for the offense of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Rawlins appeared for his plea and sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 6, 2021, a trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol was investigating a motor vehicle theft of a Chevrolet Tahoe, when he observed the stolen vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence in Patton, Missouri. The victim of the theft had also reported that her firearm was inside the vehicle when it was stolen. Rawlins was located seated inside a Chevrolet Silverado truck parked in the same driveway. After determining that the victim’s firearm was missing from the stolen Tahoe, the trooper approached Rawlins and inquired about the victim’s firearm. Rawlins admitted that he had removed the gun from the Tahoe and placed it inside the Silverado, where it was recovered by the trooper.

Rawlins has prior felony convictions for Assault in the Third Degree in Madison County and Burglary in the Second Degree in St. Francois County and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Bollinger County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hunter handled the prosecution for the government.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that KEITH D. FARR, age 25, of Malden, Missouri, was sentenced to serve 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for the offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Farr appeared for his sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

According to court documents, Farr was pulled over for a traffic violation in the City of Cape Girardeau last August. He was asked to exit his vehicle after the officer noticed drug paraphernalia items in the center console area. A stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a small bag of methamphetamine were subsequently discovered during a search of the interior. A criminal background check revealed Farr had prior felony convictions for burglary, theft, and unlawfully possessing a firearm. At his guilty plea hearing last December, Farr admitted that the firearm belonged to him. After serving his 84-month sentence, Farr will be placed on supervised release for a period of three years.

This case was investigated by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.

ST. LOUIS – Christopher Myers, 30, of St. Louis, Missouri appeared before United States District Court Judge John A. Ross on today’s date.  Myers pleaded guilty to willfully depriving another of their civil rights by damaging the property of former undercover police officer Luther Hall, while acting under color of law.  Judge Ross then sentenced Myers to a year of probation.     

As a result of the 2017 acquittal of a former police officer on a state murder charge, protests were taking place in downtown St. Louis. In an effort by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to keep peace and order, the victim undercover officer was assigned to the protest detail.  During the protest, SLMPD officers, to include Myers, encountered Hall amongst others. 

According to the plea agreement, Myers damaged Hall's cell phone by throwing the cell phone, and, in doing so, did willfully deprive Hall of rights and privileges secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, that is, the right to be secure against unreasonable seizures of property. 

Dustin Boone was previously found guilty during trial of aiding and abetting the deprivation of civil rights under color of law and sentenced to 12 months and a day.  Bailey Colletta previously pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal grand jury and was sentenced to probation.  Randy Hays, who had earlier pleaded guilty to his role in the matter, was sentenced to a 52-month term of imprisonment.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

ST. LOUIS – Jerrell West, 32, of Forrest City, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

On August 12, 2021, West was found guilty by jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.  He was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge Rodney Sippel. 

According to the government’s evidence, the minor victim met West through an online application which allows users to utilize video chat and text communication.  Over a period of multiple months, West communicated with the minor victim daily.  Many of these conversations were friendly and causal in nature, ultimately leading to conversations that were sexual in nature.  In April 2020, West informed the minor victim that he wanted her to live with him and would drive to the Saint Louis area to pick her up.  West traveled from Forrest City, Arkansas to the Saint Louis area to pick up the minor victim from her home. West then drove to a rest stop area approximately 60 miles away and sexually assaulted the minor victim.  West then drove back to the minor victim’s home to drop her off.  West was arrested in May 2020 and detained pending trial.

“A child who is sexually abused will be forced to deal with that trauma for life. We hope today's 18-year sentence will empower the victim to see that 100% of the blame sits squarely on child predator Jerrell West,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI St. Louis Division. “I commend Pagedale Police Department for notifying us immediately. Their quick action enabled agents to use a large number of advanced techniques to produce overwhelming and undeniable evidence against the perpetrator.”

 The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Dianna R. Collins and Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lang led the prosecution team. 

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted a plea of guilty from Mark Bennett on today’s date, for the production of child pornography. Judge Autrey set sentencing for June 13, 2022.  At sentencing, Bennett is subject to imprisonment of not less than fifteen years and not more than thirty years, and a fine of not more than $250,000. The Court may also impose a period of supervised release of not more than life and not less than five years.

According to the plea agreement, on December 11, 2019, Bennett attempted to download child pornography from a Microsoft search engine.  Due to material sought, Microsoft reported the activity as a cyber tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on December 12, 2019. This cyber tip led to a law enforcement investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence of Bennett. 

A subsequent search of Bennett’s electronics revealed over fifteen hundred files of child sexual abuse material.  It was learned that Bennett had been abusing his adopted daughter and he had digitally recorded and photographed the abuse.  Bennett was found in possession of five hundred and eight-nine images and videos of the aforementioned sexual abuse of his adopted daughter.   

The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

ST. LOUIS – Jason Draggs, Jr., 24, of St. Louis, Missouri appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on today’s date and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the coercion and enticement of a minor.  Draggs previously pleaded guilty in November. 

According to the plea agreement, Between the dates of April 1, 2020, and May 9, 2020, Draggs communicated with three teenaged females using internet-based communication including social media applications such as Snapchat. During these communications, Draggs requested, persuaded, induced and enticed the minors to send him nude images and engage in sexual contact with him.  Draggs knowing one victim was a minor, engaged in multiple sexual acts with her. Multiple videos were produced of this sexual contact and were exchanged and stored via the internet-based social media application Snapchat.

The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

ST. LOUIS – James L. Rodgers, age 42, of Farmington, Missouri appeared before United States District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on today’s date and was sentenced to 16 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the receipt of child pornography and the coercion and enticement of a minor.  

According to the plea agreement, on or between May 1, 2019, and October 9, 2019, in St. Francois County, Missouri, Rodgers utilized the internet and social media websites to communicate with multiple victims under the age of ten.  Rodgers used the social media sites to request the victims to engage in sexual acts and that they produce and send to him images and videos of such sexual acts over the internet.

An examination of the Rodger’s cell phone by law enforcement also revealed he was distributing child pornography with others over the internet. On September 22, 2019, Rodgers shared eleven videos and nine images of child pornography and again on September 27, 2019, Rodgers exchanged five videos and sixteen images of child pornography over a social media platform.

The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. 

ST. LOUIS – Jonathan Wells, age 39, of Webster Groves, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark on today’s date.  Based on a previous plea of guilty, Wells was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for the receipt of child pornography followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a $5000.00 assessment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking fund.  

According to court documents, on or about November 29, 2019, and January 4, 2020, Wells uploaded from the internet, ninety-four (94) image files of child pornography to an editing software program called "Adobe." 

Adobe Systems Inc. reported Well's download of child pornography to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on or about December 2, 2019, and January 6, 2020. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Well’s residence and determined that Wells possessed numerous items of child sexual abuse material that he had downloaded from the internet. Specifically, Wells possessed over twenty-three thousand (23,000) images of child pornography on his Lenovo Tower computer that had been downloaded from the internet. 

This case was investigated by the Saint Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

ST. LOUIS – David Whitener, age 30, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on today’s date.  Based on a previous plea of guilty, Whitener was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography as a prior offender to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.  

According to court documents, Whitener was convicted in 2016, in the Circuit Court of St. Louis for promoting child pornography and possession of child pornography and was sentenced to five (5) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.  On or about September 23, 2019, Whitener uploaded via the internet ten (10) videos and seven (7) images depicting child sexual abuse to a social media application. 

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Whitener, located in the City of St. Louis.  The search revealed Whitener to have possessed a cellular telephone that contained seventeen (17) videos and hundreds of images of child sexual abuse depicting child pornography involving minors.   Whitener also possessed a Dropbox internet-based cloud storage account in which he knowingly stored and possessed forty-five (45) videos and twenty-one (21) images of child pornography. 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

ST. LOUIS – Collis Lee, age 25, of St. Louis County, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey on today’s date.  Based on a previous plea of guilty, Lee was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for the armed robbery of O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Jennings, Missouri.  

According to the plea agreement, Lee and a co-defendant entered the O’Reilly Auto Parts store on Jennings Station Road on December 5, 2020, with guns and announced a robbery.  With the robbers’ attention on the two employees, an O’Reilly’s customer fled the store, went to an adjacent store, and asked employees there to call 911.  Meanwhile, Lee and his co-defendant proceeded to force the clerks to open as many cash registers as they could. During the robbery, Lee pistol-whipped the clerk several times. 

While this was going on, police were responding to the 911 call. Because the St. Louis County SWAT team happened to be on patrol in the area, many police vehicles were nearby, and four police vehicles were in the O’Reilly’s parking lot before Lee even left the store. As Lee entered a getaway car to flee, witnesses began pointing officers to the suspects. With Lee driving the sedan he fled the parking lot while being pursued by police.  Lee lost control of the sedan while attempting to make a right hand turn at high speeds. The car drove over the median and t-boned the second car of a three-car funeral convoy. The car into which he crashed was a funeral limousine transporting grieving family members to a funeral home for a funeral service scheduled that morning. Five of the individuals in that limousine were injured in the accident.

This case was investigated by the Saint Louis County Police Department.

ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted Cornelius M. Green and Phillip J. Cutler on March 9, 2022, for conspiracy to commit murder for hire and murder for hire that resulted in the death of Jocelyn Peters and her unborn child in 2016. 

The indictment alleges that Green and Cutler had a longstanding and close friendship and Green, already legally married to another was involved in an ongoing romantic relationship with Jocelyn Peters.  In 2015, Ms. Peters became pregnant, with Green being the father of the unborn child.

Beginning at an exact time unknown but including February 29, 2016, through October 11, 2016, within the Eastern District of Missouri and elsewhere, Green devised a plan to murder Peters and her unborn child.  Part of that plan was that Green offered cash to Cutler for the murder of Peters and her unborn child. 

It is alleged on or about March 7, 2016, Green sent a package via United Parcel Service containing $2500.00 to Cutler, who accepted the package at an address in Oklahoma.  As part of the conspiracy, it is alleged that Cutler traveled to St. Louis on March 21, 2016, staying at a residence occupied by Green.  The next day, Green traveled to Chicago, Illinois allegedly to distance himself from the homicide.  

It was further part of the conspiracy that on or about March 24, 2016, Cutler traveled to the area of 4236 W. Pine in Green’s 2013 Kia Optima, unlawfully entered Jocelyn Peters’ apartment, Unit #201, found Peters in her bed, shot her with a .380 caliber firearm in the head while using a potato as a silencer to muffle the sound of the shot.

Green and Cutler were both charged for a variety of crimes related to the murder of Peters and her unborn child by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office and are currently incarcerated awaiting trial. 

Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted in cooperation with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office.

ST. LOUIS –On March 9, 2022, Steven Huffman, age 52, pleaded guilty in front of District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig to being a felon in possession of a firearm.   

According to the plea agreement, on December 2, 2020, a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) detective designated as a federal task force officer and others were conducting surveillance operations in the 7200 block of Pennsylvania.  Detectives had been informed that Huffman, a previously convicted felon that was prohibited from possessing firearms, was in the area armed with a gun.

Detectives observed Huffman in the area as he was rummaging around in a backpack.  As they approached, he fled on foot, discarding the backpack.  Huffman was eventually taken into custody.  Discovered in the discarded backpack was a loaded Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol. 

Huffman faces a maximum term of incarceration of not more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both such imprisonment and fine. The Court also may impose a period of supervised release of not more than 3 years. Sentencing is set for June 14, 2022.  

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Scott Reinhardt II, age 36, to 25 years in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime on supervised release for the production of child pornography.  Reinhardt previously pleaded guilty in December 2021. 

According to the plea agreement, between the dates of February 1, 2020, and December 13, 2020, in Jefferson County, Missouri, Reinhardt sexually abused the victim, who was under the age of ten at the time. Reinhardt used his cellular telephone to video record and produce images of his sexual abuse of the victim.  Reinhardt also used the same cellular telephone to secretly record a second minor female victim while nude in the bathroom of the residence he shared with the victims’ mother. 

Reinhardt had been previously convicted on November 12, 2014, of one count of statutory rape second degree and two counts of statutory sodomy second degree for sexual contact perpetrated against a minor, who was fourteen years of age at the time. The defendant was sentenced to 5 years in prison in the Circuit Court for Jefferson County, Missouri.

This case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that CARLOS WALLACE, age 33, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison for the offenses of carjacking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Wallace appeared for his plea and sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

According to court documents, on December 11, 2019, Carlos Wallace committed a carjacking in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The victim was stopped at an intersection when Wallace opened the rear door of the vehicle and climbed into the back seat. Wallace ordered the victim to drive and directed him down several city streets and onto a gravel road where Wallace told the victim to exit the vehicle. The victim initially refused to do so. Wallace then pointed a firearm at the victim and shot him in the leg. After the victim exited the vehicle, Wallace entered the driver seat and drove off in the vehicle.

On December 23, 2019, an officer with the Poplar Bluff Police Department attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle being operated by Carlos Wallace. Wallace refused to stop and accelerated at a high rate of speed. A police pursuit ensued, until ultimately the vehicle became stuck in an alleyway. Wallace was ordered from the car and was taken into custody. As Wallace was being arrested, he volunteered to law enforcement officers that there were two firearms in the vehicle. A search warrant was obtained and Wallace’s vehicle was searched. Two fully loaded firearms were located.

Wallace has a prior conviction for felony domestic assault and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case was investigated by the Poplar Bluff Police Department, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hunter handled the prosecution for the government.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted a plea of guilty from Carlos D. Bell, Jr. on March 3, 2022, for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.  A grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri previously indicted Bell in November 2020.  Judge Autrey set sentencing for June 8, 2022.   

According to the plea agreement, Bell’s first encounter with law enforcement was on September 8, 2020, when Bell was arrested for outstanding warrants by members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD).  A subsequent search of Bell’s vehicle revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol with a large capacity magazine.  On October 3, 2020, Bell was stopped by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department after violating a stop sign.  Deputies located a clear plastic baggy with 196 capsules filled with white powder during this encounter with Bell.  The substance was later determined to be fentanyl.   

After Bell was federally indicted in November 2020 for the conduct noted above, SLMPD detectives conducted surveillance to arrest Bell on the warrant.  Detectives saw Bell conduct a hand-to-hand transaction in front of his residence.  Bell was confronted and arrested without incident.  A search of the home revealed a Glock pistol with a large-capacity magazine, a Davis Industries pistol, and 24 capsules containing fentanyl. Police also found plates and grinders with drug residue, empty capsules, and two loaded firearm magazines with ammunition in the kitchen.

The maximum possible penalties provided by law for the crimes to which Bell is pleading guilty are imprisonment of not more than imprisonment of not more than twenty years, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both such imprisonment and fine. The Court shall impose a period of supervised release of at least three years.

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Bluestone.

ST. LOUIS – Gerald Hunter, 56, of Los Angeles, appeared today before United States District Judge John A. Ross and was sentenced to life in federal prison.  Hunter was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, and two counts of money laundering.  A federal jury returned the verdicts after a week-long trial in October 2021. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a long-term investigation of a fentanyl and cocaine distribution organization in St. Louis. Agents identified Hunter of Los Angeles as an out-of-state source of supply for the St. Louis organization. On April 27, 2017, DEA agents seized approximately 27 kilograms of fentanyl in Florissant, Mo.  Hunter was in possession of the bags containing the fentanyl, and his fingerprint was recovered from packaging material.  However, Hunter ran from investigators, and made good his escape.

The jury found that Hunter conspired to distribute fentanyl in St. Louis, but also that he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute the drug in St. Louis. The evidence at trial established that the fentanyl was the equivalent of 270,000 usage units before being diluted, with a street value of $1 million. Hunter evaded arrest for three years before the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Hunter was in possession of $220,000 in United States currency, 11 cellular phones and two identification cards with someone else’s name. Flight records established Hunter’s frequent pattern of travel to St. Louis from Los Angeles. 

“The sentence remanded to Gerald Hunter is a reminder there is a price to pay for those that choose to poison our communities with fentanyl.  This drug trafficking organization was dismantled by the hard work of numerous law enforcement agencies working together to stop the spread of fentanyl proliferated by Hunter and others,” said United States Attorney Sayler Fleming.  “The United States Attorney’s Office and our federal, state and local partners stand together to protect the community from those like Hunter and his associates.” 

“This sentencing today is good news for anyone who seeks justice for the many overdose deaths fentanyl is causing in St. Louis,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, supervisor of DEA operations in Eastern Missouri. “Hunter and his associates are no longer a threat to St. Louis, but our job continues. Drug traffickers should heed the message we delivered to Hunter: DEA and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in dismantling and destroying the drug networks that cause harm to our communities.”

This case was investigated by the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

ST. LOUIS –On November 2, 2021, a jury convicted Robert Harrison, 41, of St. Louis of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm after a two-day trial.  As a result of the jury verdict, United States District Judge John A. Ross sentenced Harrison to 84 months in federal prison on March 2, 2022. 

According to court records, on January 8, 2020, Harrison crashed his vehicle into a retaining wall in front of a residence in the City of St. Louis. When officers responded, Harrison tossed a firearm from his waist band and attempted to kick it under the front of his vehicle without officers noticing.  Harrison was previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Kourtney M. Bell and Rodney H. Holmes prosecuted the case.

ST. LOUIS –Gerald E. Cardwell, Jr., 50, of O’Fallon, Missouri was sentenced today to life imprisonment for Distribution of a Controlled Substance (Fentanyl) Resulting in Death.  Cardwell was convicted by a jury in November 2021 of distributing fentanyl to Ryan Leahy, also of O’Fallon, in July 2019.  Leahy was found deceased in a room at the Hollywood Casino Hotel.  

Evidence presented at trial revealed that Leahy had picked Cardwell up from the Hollywood Casino Hotel on the night of July 25, 2019.  In the early morning hours of July 26, 2019, Cardwell gave Leahy a mixture of fentanyl and Adderall, sending text messages to a third-party witness that Leahy was unconscious in the car.  Surveillance video obtained from Hollywood Casino Hotel depicted Cardwell, Leahy, and the witness enter the hotel shortly before 2 a.m. The third party left approximately ten minutes later, leaving Cardwell and Leahy in the hotel room.  Cardwell departed at 10:00 the following morning.  Housekeeping staff found Leahy deceased in the room at approximately 3:15 that afternoon.  The St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Leahy died of fentanyl and ethanol intoxication.  However, two experts testified that the Leahy’s blood alcohol content at the time of his death was .03.  According to the Medical Examiner, that small amount of alcohol could not have caused Leahy’s death.

United States District Judge John A. Ross called the evidence against Cardwell “overwhelming,” and described his conduct as “unconscionable.”  Judge Ross specifically noted that Leahy was either dying or already dead at the time Cardwell left the hotel room without summoning help, leading him to question Cardwell as to how he could have abandoned Leahy, who Cardwell had known for years. Cardwell, who refused to make a statement, did not respond.  Judge Ross also wondered aloud how Cardwell could continue to sell fentanyl after Leahy’s death, evidence of which was presented at trial.

Judge Ross specifically commended the efforts of Detective Sergeant Kendra House and the entire Maryland Heights Police Department, commenting that law enforcement could have simply dismissed Leahy’s death without investigating it.  Instead, Judge Ross noted, the Maryland Heights Police worked diligently to determine who was responsible for providing fentanyl to Leahy and that Cardwell was properly held accountable. 

“The sentence imposed today on Mr. Cardwell should serve as a clear message.  The death and destruction caused by individuals distributing fentanyl has no limits and must be punished accordingly,” stated United States Attorney Sayler Fleming.  “The outstanding investigative efforts of the Maryland Heights Police Department was a large part of the success of this prosecution.  I hope the life sentence received by Mr. Cardwell provides some solace to the Leahy family.” 

“Opioid addiction and related overdose deaths are a tragedy that impacts all communities, and all levels of society. Our police department takes these cases very seriously and we do everything we can to identify the persons responsible and hold them accountable,” stated Chief Bill Carson. “The detectives involved in this case, Sgt. Kendra House and Cpl. Nick Anthon, put a tremendous amount of work into this investigation. We value the relationship that we have with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we very much appreciate their willingness to prosecute these cases”.

ST. LOUIS – On March 2, 2022, United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk sentenced Antwan Jones to eight years in federal prison for his role in a carjacking, weapons charges and assaulting a federal officer.  Jones had previously pleaded guilty in November 2021.  

According to the plea agreement, Jones and his co-defendant stopped their SUV next to the victim on January 15, 2020.  Jones approached the victim at gunpoint and demanded her purse. The carjacking victim surrendered her purse, which contained the keys to her car. Jones and his co-defendant drove around the area and used the victim’s key fob to locate her Mercedes Benz. Once they found the car parked nearby, they used the victim’s keys to drive her car away. 

Later that night, police tracked the victim’s phone to East St. Louis, Illinois. There, police discovered the SUV originally used by Jones parked in the 1800 block of Boismenue Avenue with the victim’s purse still inside.

According to the indictment, Jones was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous criminal conviction. 

Days later as federal authorities arrested Jones, he resisted the attempt and physically assaulted a federal officer.  Jones’ co-defendant previously entered a plea of guilty in October and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. 

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge John A. Ross accepted a plea of guilty from Markquis Bryant on today’s date for the crime of distribution of a controlled substance related to an overdose death.  Judge Ross set sentencing for June 14, 2022.

According to the plea agreement, Bryant knowingly and intentionally distributed a controlled substance on or about March 6, 2020, within the Eastern District of Missouri.  The investigation began on March 7, 2020, when officers with the Florissant Police Department were dispatched to a residence to investigate a fatal narcotics overdose.  Investigators were able to determine that the victim had purchased the fentanyl which caused the overdose from Bryant on March 6, 2020. 

Investigators then conducted an undercover operation in which fentanyl was purchased from Bryant at his residence in the 5300 block of Queens Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri.  On March 26, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florissant Police Department, with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.  While executing the search warrant, law enforcement located five (5) firearms, including a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Sig Sauer .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Rohm GMBH .22 magnum caliber revolver, a Mossberg International, .22 LR caliber firearm, and an Intratec AB-10 Model .9 mm caliber firearm, as well as an extended magazine.  Also seized were large quantities of suspected heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine. 

The case was investigated by the Florissant Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

ST. LOUIS – Ryan McDaniel, 25, of St. Louis, Missouri appeared before United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark late yesterday afternoon and was sentenced to 179 months in prison for carjacking a Domino’s Pizza driver in February 2021.  McDaniel previously pleaded guilty in November. 

According to the plea agreement, on or about February 5, 2021, McDaniel approached the victim who was making a Domino's pizza delivery at The Residences at Forest Park, a location within the Eastern District of Missouri. Brandishing a handgun, McDaniel demanded the keys to the victim's motor vehicle, a 2020 Mazda CX-30.  McDaniel reached in the victim's pocket and grabbed the keys before fleeing the scene in the carjacked vehicle. 

Minutes after the robbery, officers located the stolen Mazda CX-30 and a lengthy pursuit ensued. McDaniel was eventually taken into custody after the vehicle was disabled.  Officers searched the vehicle and found two Springfield XD semiautomatic firearms. One of the firearms, which was located on the driver's seat, was stolen; the other firearm, located in the glovebox, belonged to the victim.  McDaniel was also searched, resulting in the recovery of a Smith & Wesson .32 caliber revolver. 

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

ST. LOUIS – On February 23, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Terrence Gleason, age 51, for multiple counts of robbery and weapon charges.  Gleason is accused of robbing several area QuikTrip stores while armed with a semi-automatic pistol.  Gleason is currently being held in the St. Louis County Jail on unrelated charges. 

According to the indictment, beginning on December 5, 2021, and ending on December 12, 2021, Gleason is accused of robbing the following QuikTrip locations while brandishing or indicating he had a firearm:

QuikTrip located at 9099 Natural Bridge (three separate times)

QuikTrip located at 5909 Howdershell

QuikTrip located at 11150 St. Charles Rock Road

Charges set forth are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The case was investigated by the Normandy Police Department, Hazelwood Police Department, St. Ann Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

ST. LOUIS – On February 22, 2022, Mercedes W. Gregory, age 33, made an initial appearance to face federal charges previously filed in September 2021.  Gregory is accused of a robbery of Kohl’s department store as well as branding a firearm while doing so. He was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Gregory was being held in the St. Louis County Jail on unrelated charges. 

According to the indictment, on July 12, 2021, Gregory entered the Kohl’s located in the city of Manchester and began stealing merchandise.  When confronted by a Loss Prevention Officer in the parking lot, Gregory threatened him with a handgun.  Gregory is prohibited from possessing a handgun after previously being convicted of a felony.  Gregory was taken into custody on unrelated charges in the City of St. Louis on July 23, 2021. 

Charges set forth are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that JAMES TAYLOR, age 45, of Doniphan, Missouri, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in federal prison for the offense of Possession of Child Pornography.  Taylor appeared for his sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Matthew T. Schelp at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. 

According to court documents, law enforcement officials responded to Taylor’s residence in March 2021 after receiving a cyber tip that he was using Facebook to upload files containing child pornography.  During an examination of Taylor’s mobile phone, investigators discovered several images of child pornography.  At his guilty plea hearing last year, Taylor admitted that he used his mobile phone to obtain the images over the internet.  At the time of this investigation, Taylor was already required to register as a sex offender after a 1998 conviction from the State of Illinois for Criminal Sexual Abuse.  After serving his 120-month sentence, Taylor will be placed on a lifetime term of supervised release.  He will also be required to continue registering as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the Poplar Bluff Police Department and the SEMO Cybercrimes Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The United States Attorney's Office announced that Travis Crane, age 30, of Kennett, Missouri, was sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison for the offense of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Crane appeared for his sentencing hearing today before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

According to court documents, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Crane’s residence in July 2020 after receiving a cybertip that he was using Facebook to upload files containing child pornography. During an examination of Crane’s mobile phone, investigators discovered multiple images and videos of child pornography. In addition to material obtained over the internet, investigators also discovered several sexually explicit images of Crane’s own 2-year old daughter taken while she was sleeping. At his guilty plea hearing last year, Crane admitted that he used his mobile phone to produce the images. After serving his 210-month sentence, Crane was ordered to be placed on supervised release for 20 years. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

This case was investigated by the Poplar Bluff Police Department, the SEMO Cybercrimes Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.

ST. LOUIS – On February 16, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Chuny Ann Reed, age 46, for  distribution of crack cocaine (cocaine base) and fentanyl, and distribution of cocaine base and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury to another person.  These charges were a result of an investigation that began after a series of fatal overdoses that occurred at 4451 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri on February 5, 2022.  A federal criminal complaint was filed in this matter on February 8, 2022. 

According to the charging documents, on February 5, 2022, law enforcement was notified about a series of suspected fentanyl related overdoses that occurred at 4451 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, located within the Eastern District of Missouri.  Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators responded to assist the SLMPD with the investigation.  It was determined at least nine victims suffered fentanyl overdoses at 4451 Forest Park Avenue on the day in question.  On February 7, 2022, a federal search warrant was executed at the residence of Reed, where she was located and subsequently arrested. 

The offense of distribution of cocaine base and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury to another person is punishable by imprisonment of not less than twenty years.  This investigation remains ongoing.

Charges set forth are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

ST. LOUIS – Barry J. Parrott, 55, appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk today and pled guilty to the offense of solicitation of child pornography.  Judge Pitlyk set sentencing for May 18, 2022. This offense is punishable by imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than twenty years, a fine of not more than $250,000, and the Court shall also impose a period of supervised release. 

According to the plea agreement, on or between April 21, 2021 and April 26, 2021, in the Eastern District of Missouri, Parrott communicated over the internet via social media and digital communications with an undercover law enforcement officer who the defendant believed to be a fifteen-year-old juvenile female.  During the course of those communications, Parrott solicited the purported juvenile to send him a visual depiction of her fully nude and in the shower as well as an image that Parrott requested to be sexy. With these solicitations Parrott intended and was attempting to obtain one or more images of child pornography involving a lascivious display of the purported juvenile’s nude genitals. Parrott further sent the purported juvenile over the internet two videos depicting adult male genitalia.

Parrott solicited child pornography from the purported juvenile via the internet using his cellular telephone that was produced using materials that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Charles County Police Department and the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

ST. LOUIS –On February 15, 2022, Horatio Harris pleaded guilty in front of District Court Judge Ronnie L. White to being a felon in possession of a firearm.   

According to the plea agreement, on September 4, 2020, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) received a call about a crowd gathered outside a boarding house in the City of St. Louis. When officers arrived, they found a group of fifteen to twenty people in the street. A woman from the crowd explained that she had come to confront their stepfather, Horatio Harris, about the suspicious death of her two-year-old nephew.

When Harris saw the group approaching the boarding house, he went to his room upstairs, retrieved a silver revolver, and answered the door with the gun in hand.  Officers determined that Harris was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm, specifically in this case, a .38 caliber Colt Army Special revolver that was recovered by police at the scene.  Harris later made admissions knowing he was a convicted felon and that he was prohibited from possessing the firearm.

Harris faces a maximum term of incarceration of not more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both such imprisonment and fine. The Court also may impose a period of supervised release of not more than 3 years. Sentencing is set for May 18, 2022.  

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Bluestone.

ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Andrew Hotchkiss to 27.5 years in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime on supervised release for the production of child pornography.  Hotchkiss previously pleaded guilty in November 2021. 

Between the dates of March 1, 2019, and May 13, 2019, in St. Francois County, Missouri, Hotchkiss sexually abused the victim, who was six years of age at the time. Hotchkiss used his cellular telephone to video record and produce images of his sexual abuse of the victim. 

Hotchkiss distributed the images and videos of his sexual abuse of the minor via the internet to  others including a resident of the State of Oregon. On May 13, 2019, law enforcement officers with the Oregon State Police located the above-reference images and videos on a cellular telephone belonging to the Oregon resident who was in police custody after attempting to meet an eleven-year-old for sexual contact. It was the Oregon State Police investigation and their recovery of the images and videos produced by Hotchkiss that initiated the investigation that gave rise to the charges against Hotchkiss in this case.

This case was a joint effort between the St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oregon State Police.