Eastern District of Missouri

ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge John A. Ross sentenced Ramon Gonzalez, Jr. to 268 months in prison today. The 48-year-old St. Peters, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

During 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began an investigation into a drug trafficking enterprise by several co-defendants. The DEA conducted multiple controlled purchases in July, August and September, from a co-defendant residing in rural Missouri.  DEA identified several other co-conspirators, and learned that one of them was in regular telephone contact.

The investigation grew to include targets in Kansas City and California. Investigators used judicially authorized wiretaps to identify co-conspirators and determine their roles. Investigators, in March 2019, intercepted a co-defendant speaking with Gonzalez. The call revealed the co-defendant intended to meet with Gonzalez to pick-up cash from the sales of various controlled substances.

On March 8, 2019, deputies from the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department located the co-defendant’s vehicle traveling westbound on Interstate 44. During a traffic stop, deputies searched the co-defendant’s vehicle and discovered a box containing $197,660 in drug proceeds.

In March and April 2019, DEA used informants to make controlled purchases of large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl directly from Gonzalez.  One of these purchases occurred at Gonzalez’s residence in St. Peters.  On April 25, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at that residence, during which they seized 6,386 grams of fentanyl, 5,547 grams of methamphetamine, 5,013 grams of heroin and 3,961 grams of cocaine.  In a separate location nearby, they located and seized more than 20 firearms, many of which had been stolen and traded for drugs.

"Big poly-drug trafficking operations like this one require many law enforcement agencies to successfully dismantle," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Erik Smith, head of the DEA St. Louis Division. “Fortunately, DEA's partnership with the St. Charles County Drug Task Force, Police Department and Prosecutor's Office, along with other agencies, helped assemble the evidence to end his illegal business practice."

The Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service and multiple law enforcement agencies investigated this case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted Jeremiah Couch with two counts of carjacking with the intent to cause death or serious physical injury, two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a stolen firearm.

The grand jury also indicted Joshua Thomas with one count of carjacking with the intent to cause death or serious physical injury, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession a stolen firearm, and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.

According to the indictment and other the court documents, on October 21, 2019, Couch carjacked an individual at gunpoint and fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle.  St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers located Couch in the victim’s vehicle and when they arrested him, Couch was in possession of one or more firearms.  Also on October 21, 2019, Thomas led St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers on a high-speed chase.  When the officers caught Thomas, he possessed of one or more firearms and methamphetamine.

Court records further reflect that on October 19, 2019, Couch and Thomas aided and abetted each other in committing an armed carjacking.  On October 17, 2019, Couch and another individual matching the Thomas’s description shot an individual and stole the victim’s bag, which contained the victim’s firearm.  Thomas was found in possession of that firearm on October 21, 2019. 

Additionally, court records reflect that on September 30, 2019, Thomas shot at a group of individuals multiple times, striking one of them.  St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers located ballistic evidence at the scene. 

Carjacking with intent to cause death or serious physical injury carries a maximum penalty of       15 years imprisonment; brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a penalty of 7 years up to life imprisonment; felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a stolen firearm, and felon in possession of ammunition carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

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. 

Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Jen Szczucinski handled the case as part of the Safer Streets Initiative. The initiative was launched by Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted Michelle Serth-Stein on five counts of wire fraud. The 50 year old is a resident of Smithton, Illinois.

According to the indictment, between approximately October 2017 and August 2019, Serth-Stein embezzled monies from her employers to pay for retail expenditures and personal loans.  Serth-Stein first worked at St. Louis-based Midwest Systems where she was the company’s driver recruiter. Serth-Stein’s role required submitting invoices for reimbursement of driver recruitment expenses. Serth-Stein, from October 2017 to January 2019, submitted false and fraudulent invoices to Midwest Systems for payments directed to Serth-Stein’s personal bank account. The company fired her on January 24, 2019.

On March 3, 2019, AA Express, Inc. hired Serth-Stein to conduct driver recruitment and oversee driver safety. AA Express, Inc. is also a St. Louis-based trucking company. From approximately March 2019 until August 2019, Serth-Stein made unauthorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions from the AA Express, Inc. business bank account and intercepted at least one check made payable to AA Express, Inc. by using her check signing privileges on the AA Express, Inc. bank account. Serth-Stein then directed the funds into her personal checking account. On August 10, 2019, Serth-Stein’s employment with AA Express, Inc. ended.

Serth-Stein embezzled approximately $120,804.57 from Midwest Systems and AA Express, Inc. without the knowledge or authorization of her employers.

For each count of wire fraud, Serth-Stein faces a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Lindsay McClure-Hartman is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted Wendell Bryant, 43, and Ciera Moreland, 34, on one count of bank fraud conspiracy and Bryant on one count of bank fraud.  

According to the indictment, beginning in or around September 2019 and ending in or around November 2019, Bryant and Moreland conspired with each other to defraud three financial institutions by submitting fraudulent vehicle loan applications.  Bryant and Moreland obtained loans from the financial institutions to purchase vehicles that were not in the custody or control of auto dealer STL Power Motors, operated by Bryant.

Moreland submitted loan applications to Neighbors Credit Union, Together Credit Union, and Vantage Credit Union, including false and fraudulent income verification. Bryant would then fax automobile purchase orders to the financial institutions for vehicles that were not in the possession of STL Power Motors.

Once Moreland obtained the loan proceeds from the credit unions, the funds were dispersed between Bryant and Moreland.

Bank fraud carries a maximum punishment of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.000. The same penalties apply to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

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 United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsay McClure-Hartman is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry sentenced Curtis Alford to 20 years in prison today. The 22-year-old East St. Louis, Illinois resident pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking resulting in the death of Michael Arnold.

On June 16, 2018, Alford and his accomplice rushed up to two victims putting money in a parking meter. The victims were in St. Louis attending the ‘Taste of St. Louis’ event downtown. Alford sprayed the victims with pepper spray as he tried to grab their truck keys.  While Alford struggled with both victims, he grabbed one by the hair and neck, pulling her to the sidewalk. Alford then pulled the keys from her belt loop and got in her truck. One of the victims then attempted to stop Alford as he started the engine. He shoved her out of the way and began to pull away from the curb.

“I definitely have animosity towards the defendant because he tried to either cause me serious harm or possibly even kill me, when all I was doing was standing there. I have never witnessed something like that before, somebody being murdered, even as a draftee during the Korean conflict,” said Harry Frye, Jr, who is one of Alford’s carjacking victims.

Michael Arnold, who witnessed the carjacking, was in the street near the truck and taking a picture of the incident. As Alford pulled away, Arnold tried moving out of the way, but Alford drove over him, pinning Mr. Arnold under the truck. Alford then dragged Mr. Arnold across the street, jumped the curb, hit another victim who had been walking on the sidewalk, struck a fire hydrant and then sped off. Alford picked up his accomplice around the corner and continued to speed away. As a group of pedestrians and two police officers gathered near the corner of Seventh Street and Chestnut, Alford sped in their direction, eventually crashing the truck. The officers and pedestrians had to scatter to avoid being hit. Officers immediately arrested Alford and his accomplice. Mr. Arnold suffered multiple, severe internal injuries and died days later of these injuries. 

"The loss of Mike is always with us and that will never change. This day is about what the defendant took from all of us. However, now we may be able to move past the criminal aspects of this terrible event,” said Mike Arnold’s wife, Suzanne Arnold. “More than anything, though, I hope we can remember all the beautiful things Mike was to us. Hopefully he gets the justice he deserves."

Arnold’s daughter Molly Arnold states, “My dad was such a major part of this community and of my family. It's been over two years of trying to get past the responsibilities that came along with his death. When the pandemic required shutting down the courts, I felt like we'd been thrown back into uncertainty and this looming last loose end wouldn't get tied up any time soon. It feels now like we can grieve the way we were meant to grieve.” Molly Arnold continues, “Thinking only of Dad and not worrying about whether we will see justice, if our statements are ready, and what our next steps have to be. I appreciate the love and the support that we've received from so many, and I appreciate that I find myself coming across kind words and happy memories even now. It has helped us to get through the hardest parts of this, and I'm so grateful for that. The fact that people still honor him over two years after his death is a true testament to the kind of person my father was. The love that he sowed reaches farther than I could have expected and it continues to grow through the community. It's a legacy that most dream of."

"Our family has forever been changed for the worst and each person in our family has lost an important person to them since we lost Mike," said Michael Arnold’s mom, Barbara Arnold.

U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen says, “My heart breaks for the Arnold Family and I greatly appreciate the cooperation of the other victims. This is a senseless tragedy.” Jensen goes on to say, “Curtis Alford deserves every day of his sentence.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. sentenced Shawn Tepen to 90 months in prison today. The 32-year-old Cedar Hill, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Tepen was identified, in May 2019, as a suspect who was receiving a large number of suspected narcotics packages at his home on Golden Spring Court in Cedar Hill. Investigators, from the FBI and USPIS, worked with members of the Jefferson County Drug Task Force who advised they also received information Tepen was distributing meth and other narcotics.

On September 3, investigators learned Tepen would be receiving a package containing meth. On September 6, investigators located a package addressed to Tepen’s home with a return address from Los Angeles, California and a fake name listed as the sender. Investigators used a K-9 to sniff the package and the dog indicated a presence of narcotics. Investigators, using a search warrant, searched the package and discovered four pounds and 7.8 ounces of a crystalline substance later determined to be meth.

On September 9, an undercover postal investigator did a controlled delivery of the package to Tepen’s home. Eventually, Tepen left his home, picked up the package and went back into his home. Investigators, using an anticipatory search warrant, searched Tepen’s home and found a firearm with three magazines, 1,983.7 grams of meth and a large mushroom grow lab in the basement.

The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Jefferson County Drug Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nauman Wadalawala is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Devion Perryman to 78 months in prison today. The 24-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On February 6, 2019, a victim parked his car behind a residence on McCree Avenue in St. Louis. While the victim was on a cell phone in his vehicle, Perryman approached and pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the victim.  The gun had a green laser site, which was illuminated. Perryman demanded the victim get out of the vehicle and walk to the gangway between the buildings. At gunpoint, Perryman told the victim to put his keys and cell phone on the ground. The victim complied. While still pointing the gun at the victim, Perryman picked up the cell phone and keys, got into the victim’s vehicle and drove off.

Officers worked with the vehicle’s manufacturer to get its location. Later that evening, officers spotted the stolen vehicle at the intersection of Labadie and Newstead. Spike strips were deployed causing the stolen vehicle’s tires to deflate. Perryman continued to speed away.

Perryman refused to stop until leaving the roadway and crashing into a residence. Officers saw Perryman run from the vehicle and hide between some buildings. During a search of the area, officers spoke to a resident who told them the person they were looking for was inside a house. Officers found Perryman hiding in the basement and arrested him.

Police found a pistol matching the one used in the carjacking hidden under the porch of a neighboring residence. The gun’s magazine was loaded with a round in the chamber.

The St. Louis City Metropolitan Police Department and FBI investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Jeffery Lynn Canter to 70 months in prison today. The 41-year-old Warrenton, Missouri resident pleaded guilty today to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On September 5, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in the 600 block of Salisbury Street in Montgomery City. Canter was present at the residence when police found an AR-15 pistol with a 100-round magazine in the kitchen. Police also found Canter’s backpack, which contained nine plastic bags of methamphetamine, a 15-round magazine for the AR and a plastic container of 9mm ammunition.  Police also found two baggies containing methamphetamine on the kitchen table, various drug paraphernalia in the kitchen and bedroom and a digital scale in the living room.

Canter admitted the 172 grams of methamphetamine, gun and contents of the backpack were his. Canter also acknowledged he intended to sell the methamphetamine and was a felon prior to September 5, 2019.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery City Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Drug Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig accepted guilty pleas today from 38-year-old Elijah Moore of Warrenton, Missouri. Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to kill a federal officer, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of carjacking.

According to a plea agreement, on July 29, 2019, a Task Force Officer (TFO) with the U.S. Marshals Service went to a residence in Wentzville to assist the St. Charles County Police Department in an attempt to locate a suspect in a Warren County home invasion.

The TFO noticed a vehicle matching the description of a vehicle taken during the home invasion robbery. St. Charles County SWAT found two people and made two arrests. One of those arrested told officers Moore had fled from the residence, tried leaving in the stolen vehicle, but it became stuck in the mud.

Later in the afternoon, a nearby homeowner discovered his home had burglarized and reported several firearms, ammunition and a vehicle as stolen. The TFO and a St. Charles County Police Department detective who was assisting in the operation located Moore later that day.  Moore was the passenger in a blue Mustang driven by a female. The blue Mustang fled from officers at a high rate of speed until it stopped in a gravel parking lot. Moore jumped from the vehicle and fired multiple shots at the officers.

The TFO and detective prepared to return fire; however, the driver of the blue Mustang screamed that there were children in the vehicle. Fearing injury to the children, the officers did not return fire, allowing Moore to escape through the woods while continuing to shoot at officers.  Moore then stole a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck from a nearby business, firing shots to ward off law enforcement and others.  Moore once again fled, shooting at pursing officers.  He eventually crashed, at which time a gun-battle ensued with Moore continuing to fire at officers.  Officers returned fire, striking Moore in the legs.  He was taken into custody and crime scene investigators found nearly two dozen bullets and a revolver containing three fired cartridges and three unfired bullets.

Each charge of attempting to kill a federal officer carries a penalty of no more than 20 years in prison and a fine of no more than $250,000. The charge of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a penalty of no more than life with a fine of no more than $250,000. The carjacking charge carries a penalty of no more than 15 years with a fine of no more than $250,000.

“Today, Elijah Moore entered a plea of guilty from an evening of terror he perpetrated in St. Charles County during the summer of 2019,” said U.S. Marshal John Jordan. “The men and women of area law enforcement including members of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force are to be commended for their unwavering bravery of capturing this dangerous felon and bringing him to justice.”

“There is simply no place whatsoever in our society for shooting at law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen. “Those who engage in these violent acts against our officers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Judge Fleissig has set sentencing for February 25, 2021 at 10:00 am. The plea agreement provides that Moore will request a sentence of 25 years and the government will request a sentence of 35 years.      

The St. Charles County and Wentzville Police Departments and United States Marshals Service investigated this case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Keyshawn Brown to 45 months in prison today. The 23-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition.  

On December 2, 2019, officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were informed someone was driving a stolen car in the area of Goodfellow and St. Louis Avenues. The officers pursued the car and deployed spike strips, which caused the car to stop in the middle of the street. Brown, who was the driver, got out of the car and fled the scene. Brown was detained a short distance away by officers. 

After interviewing others in the stolen car, officers went to a residence in St. Ann. After further investigation, officers seized two boxes of Federal Ammunition 300 Savage. During an interview with Brown, he told officers that he and two others bought the two boxes of Federal Ammunition 300 Savage from the Cabela’s in Hazelwood, Missouri. Brown stated he then took the ammunition to the residence in St. Ann and tried to load it into a double drum magazine for a “chopper,” but realized he had bought the wrong ammunition. 

Investigators learned Brown is a previously convicted felon.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Mehan is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted Tracey Ray, on November 5, 2020. The 48-year-old Center, Missouri resident is charged with wire fraud and federal program theft. Ray was arrested on November 17, 2020 and had her initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge David D. Noce on November 18, 2020.

According to the indictment, Center is a city located in Ralls County, in northeast Missouri. Ray was the City Clerk of Center, Missouri. In her position, Ray was responsible for collecting and receipting all monies received by the city, paying the bills for the city and had full access to the city’s several bank accounts. Ray was authorized to sign checks on the city’s bank accounts. She received and reconciled the monthly bank statements on those accounts. She was also responsible for posting the city’s financial transactions to its computerized accounting system and preparing financial reports for the Board of Aldermen.

Beginning in or about January, 2015 and continuing through on or about July 3, 2019, Ray engaged in a scheme to defraud and obtain money from Center, Missouri in an approximate amount of $317,325.59, by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.

As part of her fraudulent scheme, on approximately 30 occasions, Ray used Center bank funds to pay for charges on her personal GM credit card.  Center funds used to pay for personal charges on Ray’s GM credit card totaled approximately $206,342.53, and were for such personal expenses as retail vendor charges, entertainment, lodging and travel, hair salons, restaurants and grocery store charges.  These personal credit card payments were made either by Ray’s issuance of Center bank checks, or by Ray’s wire transfer of Center bank funds.  Further, through these unauthorized credit card charges and payments, Ray earned and spent an additional approximately $1,911.00 in reward funds.  On approximately 39 occasions, defendant Ray issued Center bank account checks in the approximate total amount of $62,537.76 to Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to pay for the premiums on a family health insurance policy, as well as on life and disability policies for her and her family members.    

As a further part of her scheme, Ray issued five additional Center payroll checks to herself in the total amount of approximately $3,580.00, depositing each of those checks into her own personal bank account.  On 49 occasions, Ray issued checks on one or more City bank accounts, in the total approximate amount of $35,546.85, to directly pay for the purchases of personal items and services unrelated to the legitimate business and operations of Center.  Ray issued these Center checks to make personal purchases at a number of retailers, such as Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Walmart, and Hobby Lobby, as well as to pay for her personal residential mortgage and personal insurance policies.  She also issued one or more of these Center checks to her family members, unrelated to the legitimate business and operations of Center.  Further, Ray, as Center’s City Clerk, received cash payments from Center residents for various city charges, but Ray failed to deposit those cash receipts into the appropriate Center bank account.  Instead, Ray used those cash proceeds, in the total amount of approximately $7,407.45, for her own personal use, unrelated to the legitimate business and operations of Center without the knowledge and authority of Center and its Board of Aldermen.

In order to conceal her scheme from Center and its Board of Aldermen, Ray falsified the cash balances of one or more Center bank accounts on financial reports she prepared for monthly Board of Aldermen meetings. Ray also prepared false and incomplete lists of bills to be paid which she submitted for monthly Board of Aldermen meetings.  Further, Ray falsified internal Center financial accounting records to make it appear that the unauthorized checks and wires she issued from Center bank accounts were made to legitimate third party vendors who had purportedly provided actual services or materials to Center. 

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 charge of wire fraud carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. The charge of federal program theft carries a maximum prison term of 10 years and a maximum fine of $250,000.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Missouri State Auditor’s Office and Ralls County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Deandre Wings to 168 months in prison today. The 32-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, three counts of armed robbery and two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Wings conspired with others from July 2018 through September 2018 to commit armed robberies at commercial establishments. On September 3, 2018, Deandre Wings served as the get-away driver; while his co-defendant (who Wings knew was armed) went into the store, showed a handgun, jumped over the counter and demanded employees open the safe.  Wings’ co-defendant, who knocked over an elderly woman while jumping the counter, took off with $269.

On September 9, 2018, Deandre Wings, along with co-defendants, robbed a Metro PCS store on DaBaliviere Avenue. Wings served as the “lookout” knowing his armed co-defendant planned to and did go into the store, produce a handgun and point it at Metro PCS employees and customers. The co-defendant demanded money, produced a bag and the employee complied by putting money in the bag.

Again on September 9, 2018, Deandre Wings along with co-defendants, robbed another Metro PCS, this one on Page Avenue.  Deandre Wings, who was waiting in one of the getaway cars, drove off after the robbery with the other defendants. During the robbery, Wings’ co-defendant entered the store, pointed a handgun at an employee, and ordered the employee to remove the cash from the register.  The employee complied and provided $150 in U.S. currency from the register.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Darryl Maxie to 60 months in prison today. The 45-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty on August 5, 2020 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On July 17, 2019, officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were investigating an assault in the 4000 block of Labadie. The victim identified Maxie as the shooter.

On July 30, 2019, officers were aware Maxie was wanted for the assault and learned he was in the 2200 block of Newstead. At that location, officers spotted Maxie who started running after he saw the officers.  During the pursuit, Maxie tossed a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol and continued to run. After an officer tackled Maxie, a struggle ensued during which Maxie attempted to gain control of the officer’s firearm.  After several minutes, officers were finally able to take Maxie into custody. Maxie told officers he carried the semi-automatic pistol every day.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Mehan is handling the case.

ST. LOUIS, MO— In response to the staggering level of violent crime in May, June and July of this year, St. Louis implemented Operation LeGend. The goal of the operation is to provide additional federal and state law enforcement resources and support to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and to combat aggressively the rising rates of gun violence in our community.

Federal law enforcement personnel from the Department of Homeland Security, United States Marshal’s Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Drug Enforcement Administration, and state law enforcement at the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri Attorney General’s Office have all effectively joined forces with local authorities to attack violent crime.

The United States Attorney’s Office has dramatically increased the volume and speed of federal prosecutions to support the Operation.

Operation LeGend is working. As of November 5, 2020, Operation LeGend has resulted in 828 arrests, including 43 homicide suspects, and 259 guns seized. The arrests and seizures of crime guns were conducted by units supported by Operation LeGend agents and funding.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has federally charged 357 defendants in St. Louis City and County. The federal prosecutions include firearms offenses, drug crimes, and sex crimes against children.

During this same 12-week period, crime in St. Louis City alone has been reduced from the extraordinarily high levels seen in the 12-week period preceding Operation LeGend as demonstrated below.

CRIME

BEFORE LeGEND

(May 21-Aug. 12)

 

DURING LeGEND

(August 13-Nov. 5)

LeGEND CHANGE (Total)

LeGEND CHANGE %

Homicide

111

53

-58

-52.25%

Rape

29

27

-12

-41.38%

Robbery

341

331

-10

-2.93%

*Carjacking

96

97

1

1.04%

Aggravated Assault

1417

991

-426

-30.06%

*Aggravated Assault with Firearm

1041

723

-318

-30.55%

Total Crimes Against Persons

1898

1392

-506

-26.66%

*Subcategories do not add to totals

As was the case after eight weeks, comparing the 12 weeks after Operation LeGend was fully implemented, crime has dropped.  These numbers are based on the Uniform Crime Reports gathered by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. These reports are publicly available at https://www.slmpd.org/crime_stats.shtml

ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry sentenced Melvin A. Willis to 120 months in prison today. The 50-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. 

On July 12, 2018, members of the St. Louis County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force arrested Willis on an outstanding warrant. Willis had, in his pocket, a bag with several individually wrapped chunks of crack cocaine, a phone and $1,672 in cash.

That same day, officers conducted a search warrant at a home in the city of St. Louis that Willis shared with his girlfriend. In the master bedroom, officers found a plastic bag with several clear capsules containing a brown powder along with a plastic bag containing a black tar substance, a bag with an off-white powdery substance, Xanax, 9mm ammunition, a loaded 9mm High Point Rifle and a magazine loaded with five rounds ammunition.

In a second bedroom, officers found a Ruger, a semi-auto-automatic rifle, a plastic back with multiple empty clear capsule and a black grinder with a powder residue.  In the kitchen, officers found a shoebox with a .22 caliber Sierra Six shot revolver with 41 live rounds of ammunition.

Willis possessed 6.92 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and heroin, .12 grams of heroin and .77 grams of marijuana.

The St. Louis County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force and FBI investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment against James Timothy Norman, Terica Taneisha Ellis, Waiel Rebhi Yaghnam and Travell Anthony Hill. Norman, Ellis and Hill are charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for hire resulting in the death of Andre Montgomery.  Norman and Yaghnam are charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and Yaghnam is charged with five counts of aggravated identity theft all in connection with Montgomery’s murder-for-hire.

According to the indictment and other court documents, James Timothy Norman conspired with Terica Ellis, Travell Anthony Hill and others to use a facility of interstate commerce, namely, a cellular telephone, to commit a murder-for-hire in exchange for United States currency, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1958. In 2014, Norman obtained a total of $450,000 in life insurance proceeds on his 20-year-old nephew, Andre Montgomery, on which Norman was the sole beneficiary.

In the days leading up to Montgomery’s murder, Ellis, an exotic dancer residing in Memphis, Tennessee, communicated with Montgomery and informed him she was planning to be in St. Louis. On March 13, 2016, the day before Montgomery’s murder, Norman flew to St. Louis, Missouri from his home in Los Angeles, California. On March 14, 2016, Ellis and Norman communicated using temporary phones activated that day. Ellis also used the temporary phone to communicate with Montgomery and learn his physical location for the purpose of luring Montgomery outside. Immediately after learning Montgomery’s location, Ellis relayed the address to Norman and Hill. On March 14, 2016, at approximately 8:02 p.m., Montgomery was killed by gunfire at 3964 Natural Bridge Avenue in the City of St. Louis. Ellis’s phone location information places her in the vicinity of the murder at time of the homicide. Immediately following Montgomery’s murder, Ellis placed a call to Norman and then began travelling to Memphis, Tennessee. In the days after the murder, Ellis deposited over $9,000 in cash into various bank accounts. On March 16, 2016, Hill received a cash payment of $5,000 at the direction of Norman. That same day Hill engaged in recorded phone conversation with an individual in jail and discussed Montgomery’s murder and his payment. On March 18, 2016, Norman contacted the life insurance company in an attempt to collect on the life insurance policy he had obtained on his nephew.

The indictment alleges prior to Montgomery’s murder, Norman conspired with Yaghnam, his insurance agent, to fraudulently obtain a life insurance policy on Montgomery. Beginning in October of 2014, Norman and Yaghnam submitted five separate life insurance applications, all containing numerous false statements regarding Montgomery’s income, net worth, medical history, employment and family background. In the life insurance policy that ultimately issued, Norman obtained a $200,000 policy, as well as a $200,000 accidental death rider that would pay out in the event that Montgomery died of something other than natural causes, and a $50,000 10 year-term rider that would pay out if Montgomery died within 10 years of the policy’s issuance in 2014.

“This murder-for-hire cold case from 2016 demonstrates once again the power of law enforcement partnership and persistence,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. “By combining resources and expertise, the FBI and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department overcame numerous challenges to uncover the details of this plot.”

The arrests of Norman, Ellis and Hill are part of Operation LeGend which is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in St. Louis in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Section and Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating these current charges.

If convicted of the conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire or murder-for-hire resulting in death, the penalty is life imprisonment or death and a fine of $250,000. Conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Aggravated identity theft carries a minimum sentence of imprisonment of two years. In determining the actual sentence, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

As is always the case, the charge in an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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WASHINGTON – Sedina Unkic Hodzic, 41, of St. Louis County, Missouri, appeared today before U.S. District Court Judge Catherine D. Perry.  Hodzic was sentenced to 48 months in prison for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and providing material support to terrorists. Based on the offenses for which Hodzic was convicted she is subject to deportation and removal from the United States. 

According to court documents, between May 2013 and continuing to February 5, 2015, Sedina Hodzic and her husband Ramiz Zijad Hodzic conspired with others to support the activities of Abdullah Ramo Pazara and others, including a conspiracy to commit outside the United States an act that would constitute the offense of murder or maiming if committed in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.  Ramiz and Sedina Hodzic intended to and did provide support and resources to Pazara, knowing that they and their co-conspirators would use the support and resources in furtherance of their combat against Syrian government forces and others.  The support consisted of money, which was used by her co-conspirators to purchase supplies such as U.S. military uniforms, rifle scopes, combat boots, tactical gear, clothing, firearms accessories, range finders, and other supplies useful to fighters engaged in combat in Syria and elsewhere.

Co-defendants Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, Nihad Rosic, Mediha Medy Salkicevic, Armin Harcevic and Jasminka Ramic were sentenced to 96, 96, 78, 66 and 36 months in prison, respectively.

The St. Louis Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Metropolitan and St. Louis County Police Departments investigated this case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Drake and Kenneth Tihen of the Eastern District of Missouri and Trial Attorneys David Smith and Danielle Rosborough, of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Michael Gladney to 112 months in prison today. The 44-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty, in January, to one count of armed robbery affecting interstate commerce and one count of brandishing a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence.

On March 19, 2018, Gladney and three other men entered Vincent’s Jewelers in Creve Coeur. Gladney and the others ordered the workers to the back of the business at gunpoint. Gladney and two others were armed with firearms and a fourth person was armed with a pipe.  

One man discharged a firearm into the case and Gladney and another man used the pipe to smash the glass to gain access to and ultimately take several pieces of jewelry.

During the robbery, Gladney shot himself and left blood near a glass case as he ran away. A trail of blood led investigators outside to where a get-away vehicle was parked.

The Creve Coeur Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski handled the case as part of the Safer Streets Initiative. The initiative was launched by Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge E. Richard Webber accepted a plea from Alonzo Williams. The 26-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

According to a plea agreement, on September 18, 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and St. Louis County Police worked with a confidential source (CS) to buy narcotics from Williams. The CS and Williams arranged to meet at the Dellwood Market and Willams’ home. The CS exchanged $100 with Williams for 15.25 grams of marijuana. Williams, who possessed an assault rifle, as well as another armed individual, were in the home during the deal.

On October 2, 2019, Williams sold the CS 2.95 grams of marijuana and .20 grams of oxycodone. Guns were again present inside the home.

On October 8, 2019, another individual directed the CS to meet at Williams’ home. The CS contacted Williams, who was waiting in a vehicle, and bought .20 grams of hydrocodone pills for $20.

Each of the charges to which Williams pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Judge Webber has set sentencing for February 8, 2021.            

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and St. Louis County Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted former Ferguson Police Officer Jackie Matthews, 63, of Florissant, Missouri on one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law and one count of Making a False Record for an incident occurring on March 13, 2020.

According to the indictment, on March 13, 2020, Officer Matthews while with the Ferguson Police Department deprived the victim of his right to be free from unreasonable force.  In so doing, Matthews assaulted the victim while handcuffed and not posing a physical threat to anyone.  The indictment further alleges Matthews’ falsified the police report claiming the victim resisted arrest.

“I want to commend the Ferguson Police Department for swiftly bringing this matter to the attention of the appropriate authorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. “By doing so, it demonstrated its commitment to accountability that all professional law enforcement organizations strive for in order to maintain the public’s trust.”

If convicted on both counts, Matthews faces a maximum punishment of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.

 

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Stephen Clark accepted a plea, today, from Courtney Curtis. The 39-year-old Ferguson, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud relative to his theft of funds from his “Curtis for MO” campaign account.  Curtis served as Representative of Missouri District 73 from 2013 until 2019.  Most recently, Curtis served as an assistant to St. Louis County Councilwoman Rita Heard Days.   

According to the plea agreement, beginning on or about January 1, 2016 and continuing through on or about December 31, 2017, Curtis devised, intended to devise, and knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud and to obtain money from donors to the “Curtis for MO” campaign committee by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.  Curtis misled donors by falsely representing, and causing to be falsely represented, that money contributions to the “Curtis for MO” campaign committee would be used for campaign and reelection purposes, when, in fact, he used a substantial portion of the money contributed by donors to the “Curtis for MO” campaign committee for his own personal use and expenses. 

After fraudulently convincing constituents to donate money to the “Curtis for MO” campaign committee, Curtis knowingly used monies in the “Curtis for MO” campaign committee bank account for his own personal benefit, unrelated to any legitimate campaign or reelection purpose in various ways, including but not limited to:  Using money in the account to pay for his apartment rental and utility bills; paying for hotel, airfare and travel expenses; paying for restaurant and bar bills; withdrawing funds from the account through substantial cash withdrawals; and, using money in the account to purchase retail items for his personal use. 

Additionally, from time to time, Curtis deposited campaign donation checks into his personal bank account, and used those funds to pay for personal living expenses unrelated to any legitimate campaign or reelection purpose.  Curtis acted to conceal his scheme by failing to file required reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission, or by filing false reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission, which failed to identify his cash withdrawals from the “Curtis for MO” campaign committee bank account, failed to identify payments made directly from the “Curtis for MO” campaign committee bank account which were made for his own personal use, unrelated to any campaign or reelection purpose, and failed to identify campaign donation checks received and deposited to his personal bank account.  Curtis wire transferred funds from the “Curtis for MO” campaign account to pay for personal expenses and to make cash withdrawals.

“If it weren’t for the diligent work of the Missouri Ethics Commission, this federal felony may not have come to light,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. “While the Commission can only impose fines on candidates who lie on campaign finance reports, the FBI will bring to justice those who serve themselves instead of their constituents.”

Total funds obtained by Curtis through his scheme to defraud his donors was approximately $47,867.69.

The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of no more than 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of no more than $250,000.  In determining the actual sentence, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

Judge Clark has set sentencing for February 5, 2021. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

 

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ST. LOUIS, MO – A federal grand jury indicted Najee Neal today on one count of carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The 29 year old is a resident of St. Louis, Missouri. The indictment charges Neal with the February 27, 2020, armed carjacking of victim’s 2017 Nissan Altima.

Neal faces a maximum punishment of 15 years’ imprisonment on the carjacking count; seven years imprisonment on the count of brandishing a firearm in the furtherance of a crime; and 10 years maximum for each count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Neal faces a fine of up to $250,000.

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. 

Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Jen Szczucinski is handling the case as part of the Safer Streets Initiative. The initiative was launched by Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry sentenced Darvell Wharton to 144 months (12 years) in prison for his role in an armed bank robbery. The 39 year old is a resident of St. Louis, Missouri.

On December 28, 2018, Wharton robbed the U.S. Bank located in the 3800 block of Gravois and brandished a firearm in a crime of violence.

Wharton pointed a loaded .45 caliber pistol at multiple bank employees and demanded money.  Wharton succeeded in taking more than $2,000 in cash during the robbery. 

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department responded to an all-points bulletin and pursued Wharton as he drove at speeds of more than 80 miles per hour, disregarded traffic signals and caused a three-car crash. Officers arrested Wharton, recovered a loaded Colt 1911 .45 caliber pistol, a loaded .380 caliber pistol, cash taken in the bank robbery and clothing worn during the bank robbery. 

Wharton caused damage to a bystander’s vehicle during the pursuit.

“Wharton deserves every day of this sentence. He terrorized bank employees by pointing a large firearm at them,” said United States Attorney Jeff Jensen. “He recklessly endangered innocent members of the community and law enforcement officers when he fled.” 

U.S. Attorney Jensen commended the quick and effective response by SLMPD officers resulting in the arrest of Wharton and the recovery of evidence. U.S. Attorney Jensen further commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their support of the investigation and prosecution.  

 

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Rico Willis to 60 months in prison today. The 23-year-old St. Peters, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Officers from the St. Peters Police Department answered a ‘shots fired’ call at a home on Spencer Trail on October 31, 2018. A woman, identified as Willis’ girlfriend, was shot in the leg. Willis witnessed the shooting. After the shooting, Willis ran from the scene with a firearm. Willis thought the shooters was pursuing him. As Willis approached a cul-de-sac, he turned and fired at the car following him.

The bullet struck the street in front of the car. Willis dropped the gun in a nearby park, but officers recovered it. Surveillance video captured Willis firing the gun. He admitted firing the gun in the direction of the car. Police recovered a spent bullet from the street. The shooting of Willis’ girlfriend remains under investigation.

The St. Peters Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa handled the case.

 

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Shon Diegan to 60 months in prison today. The 47-year-old Moberly, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.                                        

On September 28, 2019, a Chariton County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a complaint of an armed man trespassing on private property in Salisbury, Missouri. The deputy arrived and found Diegan sitting inside a cattle corral with a rifle by his side. When the deputy entered the corral, Diegan placed the rifle in his lap. The deputy ordered Diegan to put down the rifle and Diegan refused. Diegan told the deputy he was going to shoot himself. The deputy tried to disarm Diegan, but the two began to struggle. Diegan pulled on the rifle sending the muzzle into the dirt where the weapon discharged.

Diegan surrendered after an officer from the Missouri State Highway Patrol arrived to help. Officers took Diegan into custody and seized the rifle in his possession. Investigators learned the firearm was recently stolen.

“I am grateful the brave and well-trained officers came home safely,” said U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen.

The Chariton County Sheriff’s Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey Ogden handled the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Byron Hubbard to 60 months in prison. The 30-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On March 12, 2018, a St. Louis County Police officer noticed a vehicle stalled in the 10000 block of Count Drive with Hubbard seated in the driver’s seat. The officer conducted a check of the license plates and learned they were not registered to the vehicle. The officer turned on the patrol car’s lights and sirens.

Hubbard quickly drove away, stopped and tried to get out of the vehicle. The officer ordered Hubbard to stay in the vehicle. The officer noticed Hubbard acting nervous and trying to avoid attention. The officer also smelled an odor consistent with the smell of marijuana and then asked Hubbard to leave the vehicle to allow a vehicle search. Hubbard verbally objected so the officer told him he was going to be detained. Hubbard then tried to drive away.

In response, the office reached through the driver’s door and put the vehicle in park. Hubbard resisted stating he would not leave the vehicle. Another officer opened the passenger’s side door and noticed a handgun sticking out of Hubbard’s pant pocket. The officer pulled the loaded 9mm semi-automatic from Hubbard’s pocket and rendered it safe. After the firearm was recovered, the officer searched Hubbard and found 49 capsules containing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. A computer check revealed Hubbard is a convicted felon.

The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Koppenaal handled the case.

 

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Shaun Williams to 37 months in prison. The 37-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On September 8, 2019, Williams was approached by St. Louis County Police after officers saw him getting out of a vehicle reported stolen in St. Louis City. Williams, after being told he was being detained in reference to the stolen vehicle, ran from officers. Additional officers responded to search the area and found Williams in the backyard of a vacant home. Officers found a loaded Hi Point Model 995 rifle-style firearm in the backseat of the stolen car Williams had been driving. Williams admitted he ran from officers due to his knowledge of the firearm in the car.

The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Rodney Sippel sentenced Heather McDorman to 288 months (24 years) in prison today. The 32-year-old Barnhart, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to five counts of producing child pornography and two counts of attempting to produce child pornography.

According to court documents, between February 1, 2018 and March 12, 2018, McDorman, at the direction of her boyfriend and co-defendant Zachary Hamby, attempted to take pornographic photographs of children in restrooms at South County Mall, Walmart, other area malls, park bathrooms and a church bathroom. McDorman, at the direction of co-defendant Hamby, also sexually abused a child and photographed and livestreamed some of the abuse so that Hamby could view it.  The abuse was produced using an IPhone and then mailed, shipped or transported in interstate and foreign commerce.

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

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ST. LOUIS, MO— United States Attorney Jeff Jensen announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Jennifer Roy and Hal Goldsmith will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election.  AUSAs Roy and Goldsmith have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Eastern District of Missouri, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

United States Attorney Jensen said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud.  The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur.  The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.  For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law.  Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.  In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Jensen stated that AUSAs/DEOs Roy and Goldsmith will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (314) 539-7733.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (314) 589-2500 or, on election day, at (314) 612-3000.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

United States Attorney Jensen said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate.  It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”

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St. Louis, MO – Tamara Jo Nyachira, of Pittsburg, Kansas, was sentenced today to three years’ probation, a $5,000 fine and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to obtaining narcotic opioid prescription drugs with forged prescriptions before Chief United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. 

According to her plea agreement, Nyachira was a pharmacist for a large pharmacy chain, and worked at various pharmacies throughout Missouri, including one in Farmington, Missouri.  Nyachira admitted that she used a forged prescription to fraudulently obtain Codeine/butalbital/acetaminophen/caffeine (sometimes marketed as Fioricet® with Codeine), which is an opioid drug and Schedule III controlled substance.

Further, Nyachira admitted in her plea agreement that during March of 2020, Nyachira used several forged prescriptions to obtain two drugs, amoxicillin clavulanate potassium (sometimes marketed as Augmentin®) and hydroxychloroquine sulfate (sometime marketed as Plaquenil®).  In her plea agreement, defendant admitted that she wanted to stockpile these drugs for herself and her family, and use them later if she or her family were directly exposed to or infected by the COVID-19 virus.  Defendant admitted that her conduct was wrongful in that it helped create shortages of these drugs, which are often used by elderly or low-income patients with chronic conditions such as lupus or arthritis.       

“Nyachira allegedly forged prescriptions and fraudulently obtained opioids and other drugs, thereby limiting availability of medications to patients legitimately reliant on these drugs,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  “We are dedicated to working with local, state, and federal officials to hold accountable individuals who engage in such illegal activities.”    

This case was investigated by Pittsburg, Kansas Police Department, the Branson, Missouri Police Department, and the Farmington Police Department, with assistance from the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri Pharmacy Board, the Eastern District of Missouri OPIOID Task Force, and the Eastern District of Missouri COVID-19 Task Force, a multi-agency working group committed to fighting COVID-19 frauds and scams that is operated under the leadership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Secret Service.   

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted a plea, today, from Richard Enloe, Jr. The 39-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

On September 1, 2019, St. Louis County Police responded to a 911 call regarding a possible drug overdose at a gas station on Butler Hill Road. An officer arrived and found Enloe, Jr. and a woman asleep inside a running vehicle at a gas pump. The officer also noticed drug paraphernalia and controlled substances on the vehicle’s console.

After the officer knocked on the window, Enloe, Jr. and the woman woke up. The officer searched the vehicle and found three pistols, 223 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a scale, and multiple plastic bags. Enloe, Jr. admitted possessing the firearms and intending to distribute the drugs.  

The charge of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine carries a maximum penalty of no more than 40 years of imprisonment and a fine of no more than $5,000,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of ten years and a fine of no more than $250,000.

Judge Autrey has set sentencing for January 20, 2021.          

The St. Louis County Police Department investigated this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Jen Szczucinski is handling the case as part of the Safer Streets Initiative, which was launched by Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Duianete Moore to 264 months in prison. The 39-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to federal felony charges of robbery affecting interstate commerce, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

Moore engaged in on-going criminal activity throughout the spring and summer of 2018, including the theft of firearms from vehicles on four separate occasions.  On June 26, 2018, Moore and a woman rushed into the Crazy Cheap Fireworks tent in St. Charles County. Moore pointed a firearm at the employees and demanded all get on the ground and not look at him. Moore and the woman took the victims’ wallets and cell phones as well as fireworks sales proceeds from the cash register. At the time of Moore’s arrest, he possessed a backpack containing a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a drum magazine.    

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Mehan is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Daniel McSkimming, today, to 110 months in prison. McSkimming, a 23-year-old resident of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty in July to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug distribution.

On August 13, 2019, officers from the St. Louis County Police Department responded to a call for shots fired inside an apartment complex in the 2600 block of Park Hill Circle. A sport utility vehicle (SUV) seen fleeing from the area was registered to McSkimming’s parents.

Officers spotted ballistic damage on an apartment and seized three 9mm casings and one bullet from the scene. Officers learned one of the people who lived in the apartment owed McSkimming money for heroin and McSkimming previously threatened the individual over Facebook regarding the money owed.

Later that evening, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department received calls for shots fired in the 3900 block of Weber Road. McSkimming was a passenger in the same SUV and fired multiple shots at a residence. Officer found ballistic damage and seized four 9mm casings and one bullet from the scene.

The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”), a national database that automates ballistic imaging evaluations and provides actionable investigative leads to law enforcement agencies provided a lead linking the cartridge casings from the two shootings. Additionally, defendant’s telephone was identified as being in the area of each shooting at the time of the incident.

On September 3, 2019, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested McSkimming at a hotel and seized a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver and four capsules containing a mixture of fentanyl and heroin.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Jen Szczucinski handled the case as part of the Safer Streets Initiative. The initiative was launched by Attorney General Schmitt and U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen in January of 2019 as an unprecedented state and federal partnership to prosecute violent crime in St. Louis.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Charles Kates, Jr., to 75 months in prison following Kates Jr.’s plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On April 28, 2019, Kates, Jr. and two others went into a St. Louis residence intending to rob a man of drugs and money. The intended victim, who is also a co-defendant, was in his bedroom counting money from drug sales when he heard Kates, Jr. and the others outside. The intended victim left his residence and got into an altercation with Kates, Jr. and his associates.

Both sides fired shots. The intended robbery victim received 14 gunshot wounds and dragged himself through his yard to a car. Kates, Jr. was also shot in the ankle during the gunfight. Kates, Jr. dropped his firearm on the sidewalk as he and his associates left the scene. The firearm was found unloaded, Kates, Jr. having shot all the ammunition it contained.
Police searched the intended robbery victim’s house and found marijuana, crack, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, a fentanyl precursor and $5,682 in cash. Kates, Jr. was identified as being a part of robbery plot by his blood being found on the firearm he dropped on the sidewalk.

On July 23, 2019, police recovered a carjacked vehicle parked outside Kates, Jr.’s residence, which contained a loaded semiautomatic AR-style pistol. In the overnight hours of July 21-22, 2019, security cameras captured Kates, Jr. firing that weapon in the air in his residential neighborhood. On August 13, 2019, police executed a search warrant and seized another AR-style pistol under a couch where Kates, Jr. was sleeping.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dunkel is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – Today, United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Nykeythia Hudson, a 28-year-old resident of Concord, California, to 24 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft.

Hudson and her associate, both residents of California, traveled to Missouri to use counterfeit credit cards to fraudulently purchase gift cards and merchandise. Police stopped their rental car in St. Charles County on January 28, 2017.  When Hudson opened the glove compartment to provide the vehicle’s registration information, a plastic bag containing with 81 cards fell out.             

To appear authentic, fourteen of the cards were embossed with an altered card verification value, “CVV,” numbers. The account numbers on the front of the cards had been issued by financial institutions other than those appearing on the cards, and to individuals other than the defendants.

January 28, 2017 surveillance footage from a St. Charles County Wal-Mart captured Hudson using a counterfeit Walmart Visa Debit card to purchase a Wal-Mart gift card. The debit card was embossed with the USAA account number issued to A.V. and the name of a different person. Neither A.V. nor USAA authorized the possession or use of her account number.

Of the remaining cards that fell from the glove compartment, 20 were fraudulently purchased Walmart Visa gift cards and 47 were fraudulently purchased TJ Maxx-Home Goods gift cards. In the vehicle, police also found receipts showing the purchase of additional gift cards from Wal-Mart and TJ Maxx using other the stolen USAA account numbers. 

The Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Ronnie L. White accepted a plea today from LeVaughn Neal. The 35-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to a plea agreement, in August 2019, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned Neal and a co-defendant were involved in significant methamphetamine distribution in the St. Louis area. The United States Postal Inspection Service, at the same time, was conducting surveillance of suspicious packages mailed from Arizona to St. Louis.

On October 17, 2019, postal inspectors intercepted a suspicious package mailed from Scottsdale, Arizona to a vacant home in Jennings, MO. The addressee was not associated with the vacant home. DEA agents conducted surveillance on the vacant house and saw Neal parked in a vehicle near the house. The DEA conducted a controlled delivery of the package and left it on the front porch of the vacant house. Agents then watched Neal get out of a vehicle and pick up the package off the porch.

Agents tried to arrest Neal, but he dropped the package and ran. Agents eventually arrested Neal and executed a search warrant to search the package. Inside the package, agents found zip-lock bags of crystal methamphetamine wrapped in duct tape and a vacuum-sealed bag inside bubble wrap. Neal admitted he chose the vacant address for delivery and the package should contain five pounds of meth. A forensics lab confirmed the package contained 2,217 grams. Neal is actually responsible for between 1.5 kilograms and 4.5 kilograms.

The charge of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine carries a maximum penalty of no more than Life imprisonment and a fine of no more than $10,000,000.

Judge White has set sentencing for January 25, 2021.         

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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United States Attorney Jeff Jensen and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan announced substantial grants to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons in the Eastern District of Missouri. The funding is administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Institute of Justice, both part of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs.
 
 Through the BJA DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program, the following funds are being provided to process, record, screen and analyze DNA evidence and to enhance the ability of crime labs to process evidence. The funding helps reduce the number of forensic DNA database samples awaiting analysis, prevents additional DNA backlogs and helps solve crimes.

            St. Charles County                                          $75,000

            St. Louis County                                             $174,698

            St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department     $280,057

            Missouri State Highway Patrol                       $483,798

Complementing these efforts, BJA’s Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program is making the following awards. The awards help states and local governments improve the quality and timeliness of forensic services provided by crime laboratories and medical examiner and coroners' offices. Funding will go toward eliminating backlogs and employing and training laboratory personnel and death investigators.

            Missouri Department of Public Safety           $331,027

            St. Louis County                                             $244,275

In addition, BJA is making the following substantial award through the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.  The funding supports the documentation of unanalyzed sexual assault kits, and the efficient processing, investigation and prosecution of sexual assault kits as well as victim advocacy to support effective resolution of sexual assault cases ‒ steps that are effective in reducing violent crime.

            Missouri Attorney General’s Office   $2,000,000

United States Attorney Jeff Jensen stated, “These grants further strengthen the ability of our state and local partners to use powerful forensic tools in a timely manner.  This increased forensic capacity will further the pursuit of justice in relation to violent crime and sexual assaults within the Eastern District of Missouri.”

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Clyde Jefferson, 28, of St. Louis, appeared before United States District Judge E. Richard Webber and pled guilty to five counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  Judge Webber set the case for sentencing on January 14, 2021.

Jefferson admitted that he used online marketplaces including Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, and Letgo to arrange for victims to sell him their iPhones at locations in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County.  When meeting the victims, Jefferson would offer them counterfeit currency in exchange for their iPhones.  Jefferson brandished a firearm during several of the transactions, which occurred on August 3, September 21, and October 8, 2018, and on January 8 and 29, 2019. 

The United States alleges that Jefferson shot one of his victims, a fact which Jefferson disputes and the Court will resolve at the sentencing hearing. 

This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Richmond Heights Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Roy is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

 

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Hammed Akande to 63 months in prison. Akande, a 30-year-old resident of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty in March to a conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud relative to his role in a romance scam targeting 24 people.

According to court documents, in 2017, Akande began serving as a “money mule” in a romance scam that targeted 24 elderly residents of Missouri and a number of other states.  “Romance Scams” are schemes in which fraudsters pretend to be in a romantic relationship with their victims in order to obtain money and merchandise as well as to induce the victims to conduct financial transactions on the fraudsters’ behalf.  Because the victims are targeted through online dating sites and social media, the fraudsters are able to hide their identities by using the names and photographs of others and explaining their inability to meet or use video messaging services by claiming to be working abroad or in the military.

As a money mule, Akande’s role was to receive mailings containing money and electronic devices sent from the romance scam victims to residential addresses he controlled in the Saint Louis, Misouri metropolitan area.  Akande then forwarded a portion of the funds and merchandise he received to other members of the romance scam conspiracy who resided within the United States and abroad through the mails as well as through the electronic transfer of funds.

Akande also played a significant role in the scheme because he used his skill with the English language to proofread messages that his Nigerian co-conspirators were sending to the victims living in the United States. This skill placed the victims at ease, and furthered their misbelief that they were in a romantic relationship with United States citizens.

Each of the victims were over the age of 60.  Of the 24 victims, three reported experiencing substantial financial hardship because of the funds that they sent to the fraudsters, and four of them had aggregate losses in the amount of $574,123.45. 

During the period of the scheme, Akande learned of a criminal investigation being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Akande relayed the information concerning the investigation to at least one of his co-conspirators, who immediately contacted a victim to tell that person not to speak with the law enforcement official Akande identified. 

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting financial crimes targeting older adults.  The Eastern District of Missouri Identity Theft Task Force is a group of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together to combat identity theft and its related crimes across the St. Louis Community.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Romando E. Welch, Sr. to 60 months in prison. Welch, a 45-year-old resident of Ferguson, Missouri, pleaded guilty to three counts of being in possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

As part of their criminal investigation of Welch, from March, 2019 through June, 2019, DEA Special Agents utilized confidential sources to purchase fentanyl and heroin from Welch.

On July 2, 2019, the DEA and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department executed a federal search warrant at a residence in the 3900 block of Palm Street in St. Louis, Missouri.  As the officers were approaching the residence, Welch exited the residence and was arrested.   Welch had a key to the residence, and admitted to the arresting officers that he stored his illegal drugs in an over-the-door shoe holder in a bedroom within the residence.  Upon executing the search warrant, the officers recovered fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine from the shoe holder.  Welch admitted to having sold heroin and methamphetamine for years, and also admitted to having sold approximately one pound of methamphetamine every 10 days, as well as buying approximately one-half ounce of heroin or fentanyl at a time for resale from his source, and that he had resupplied three times during June.

Welch also consented to the search of a residence in the 3700 block of Cook Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri, where Welch said he lived with his girlfriend.  Officers recovered a .380 pistol in a lunchbox in the bedroom of that residence, along with a sock containing approximately one ounce of heroin.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Yemm is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – On October 7, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Marc Harold Taylor, II, alleging that Taylor knowingly possessed destructive devices, a cannon and a machine gun, that were not registered to him in the National Firearms and Transfer Record.  Taylor is also charged with one count of possession of a machine gun. The 28 year old is a resident of St. Louis.

According to court documents, on September 10, 2020, officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department answered a shots fired call in the 4700 block of Kossuth. Upon arrival, Taylor started firing at the officers with a fully automatic machine gun, but the officers were not injured. Officers returned fire and were able to apprehend Taylor.  The machine gun was recovered at the Taylor’s feet. Officers searched Taylor’s residence and recovered a homemade cannon device along with black powder and hobby fuses.  The machine gun and homemade cannon are depicted below: 

The counts of possessing a destructive device carry a penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of $10,000; and the count of possessing a machine gun carries a penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosvies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Davis is handling the case.

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. 

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ST. LOUIS – This week the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department arrested 15 people in several states linked to an organized multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to the previously sealed indictment, returned on September 16, 2020, this was a long-running drug distribution conspiracy operating throughout the Eastern District of Missouri, the Southern District of Illinois, the Western District of Missouri, and the District of Kansas.  The court record reflects that during the investigation, law enforcement officers seized evidence that included approximately: (1) 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl; (2) 250 grams of fentanyl analogues; (3) 8 kilograms of heroin; (4) 13 kilograms of methamphetamine (ice); (5) $157,551.00 in United States currency; and (6) 15 firearms. 

“Anytime we are able to dismantle an organization dealing in fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, it’s a big deal,” stated Special Agent in Charge William J. Callahan, who oversees the Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division, which includes Missouri, Kansas and Southern Illinois.  “DEA is out on the streets every day combating drug traffickers, bringing our significant investigative resources to target the command and control of drug trafficking organizations. The number of defendants in this indictment shows that we will find those who traffic drugs into the St. Louis area wherever they are.” 

All of the below mentioned defendants are charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy.  The indictment further charges Lee Garth, Jr. and Lee Garth, Sr. with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

The indicted defendants include:

JORGE LOPEZ-QUEZADA, 31, of Mexico;

YALITZA E. CALDERON-OLIVAS, 24, of Kansas City, KS;

BENIGNO MONTENEGRO, 36, of Kansas City, MO;

LEE P. GARTH JR., 35, of East St. Louis, IL;      

LEE P. GARTH SR., 52, of Kansas City, KS;

TYDARRYL GRIFFIN, 45, of St. Louis, MO;      

WILLIE GRIFFIN, 51, of St. Louis, MO;  

JERMAINE J. JOHNSON, 48, of St. Louis, MO;

DEVAUGHN M. LEE, 41, of St. Louis, MO;

RON D. HILL, 40, of St. Louis, MO;

BARNARD REED, 50, of St. Louis, MO;

KEYSHIA S. HARRIS, 46, of St. Louis, MO;

FAITH FITZPATRICK, 22, of Kansas City, KS;

CASSIDY GARTH, 26, of Belleville, IL;

TERESA SMITH, 49, of Kansas City, KS.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Charles County Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service are investigating this case. The Office of the United States Attorney’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force is handling the case.

This investigation is part of Operation LeGend which is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in St. Louis in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings.  As part of Operation Legend, Attorney General Barr has directed federal agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF to surge resources to these cities to help state and local officials fighting violent crime.  The Department of Homeland Security is also contributing agents to these efforts in St. Louis.

This prosecution was also brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.  This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks.  These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime.

As is always the case, 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.

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge John A. Ross sentenced Dr. Ashu Joshi to 96 months in prison for distribution of child pornography. The 48-year-old St. Louis resident pleaded guilty in September.

Dr. Joshi was 46 years old when he began a relationship with a 16-year-old Kentucky girl who Dr. Joshi met through her mother, a former patient of the doctor’s in Kentucky. The doctor and victim had sex and took pornographic pictures, exchanging photos over Facebook messenger.

In October 2018, a St. Louis County Police Officer received four cyber-tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding Dr. Joshi. The tips were first directed to the Bowling Green, Kentucky Police Department, which then asked St. Louis County Police for help after investigators learned Dr. Joshi lived in St. Louis County.  Investigators learned from the tips that between August and September 2018, a Facebook account linked to Doctor Joshi uploaded and sent several pictures containing child pornography.  The investigators then gathered and developed evidence which led to the charges against Dr. Joshi.         

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Louis County Police Department and the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lang and Investigator Donya Jackson handled the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted a plea, today, from Gabriel Trevino. The 35 year old pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography.

According to the plea agreement, between November 11, 2019 and November 18, 2019, Trevino stayed at the residence of a woman he was in a relationship with.  After noticing a red light on the side of a picture frame in her children’s bathroom, the woman took the frame apart.  She found a hidden camera with a SD card in a slot on the side of the picture frame.

She took the picture frame to a computer store and discovered that on the SD card were 300 video files, including some of her minor children. The woman said some of the videos of her children showed their private areas.

On November 18, 2019, the woman contacted the St. Louis County Police Department. During the Department’s investigation, Trevino admitted to placing the photo frame in the bathroom of the residence in order to attempt to record the woman.  Trevino further admitted that he knew he would record the woman’s minor children in the bathroom as well.

The charge of production of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of no more than 30 years of imprisonment and a fine of no more than $250,000.

Judge Autrey has set sentencing for January 13, 2021.        

The St. Louis County Police Department, the Washington Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Livergood is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

St. Louis, Missouri – Christopher Walton, 27, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  He appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey. 

On August 1, 2019, law enforcement tracked Walton to a residence in the 200 block of Glen Garry Road as part of a fugitive investigation.  Investigators arrested and searched Walton, and determined that he was in possession of keys to a stolen Gray 2014 Honda Accord parked outside of the Glen Garry Road residence.

After arresting Walton, law enforcement observed part of a firearm protruding from a dark-colored backpack located within the immediate entrance of the Glen Garry Road residence.  The firearm was seized. The firearm was a Radical Firearms 5.56 / .223 Rem caliber semiautomatic pistol, loaded with 28 rounds of ammunition.

Walton admitted to ownership of the firearm and that he had just recently purchased the firearm. He further admitted to stealing the 2014 Honda Accord that law enforcement officers observed outside of the Glen Garry Road residence.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fugitive Task Force.

 

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ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Shannon Rennee Bradley to 132 months in prison and ordered her to pay restitution jointly with the co-defendant in the amount of $8,500. The 26-year-old Washington, Missouri resident pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and aiding and abetting in the distribution of heroin and fentanyl.  The conspiracy resulted in an overdose death.

On October 21, 2017, Bradley and co-defendant Jacob Brewer met the victim A.C. and her boyfriend at a gas station in Washington, Missouri, where the distribution took place.  Late that evening, the victim and her boyfriend shared drugs sold by Bradley and Brewer.  The woman’s boyfriend woke up and discovered his girlfriend unresponsive. The woman was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.  She died as a result of acute heroin and fentanyl intoxication.   

Co-defendant Brewer pled guilty in May 2019 and is awaiting sentencing, which has not been set.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Koppenaal and James Delworth handled the case.

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ST. LOUIS, MO –Stephanie Baker, 48, of O’Fallon, Missouri, pleaded guilty to three counts of mail fraud related to her former position in the accounting department of Prairie Farms Dairy Supply Company. Baker appeared, today, before United States District Henry Autrey who accepted her pleas and set sentencing for January 12, 2021. 

According to the indictment and plea agreement, Baker was an employee of Prairie Farms, working in that company’s accounting department. Baker’s duties and responsibilities included applying and allocating Prairie Farms customer payments to their customer accounts.  As part of her duties, Baker would routinely receive checks from Prairie Farms customers, and make accounting entries to apply those checks to each customer’s account and therefore reduce the balance owed to Prairie Farms of that particular customer account by the amount of the check received.

C.S. owned and operated a Dairy Queen restaurant franchise in southern Illinois. DQ Columbia maintained an account at Prairie Farms and purchased and received products from Prairie Farms on a regular basis.  DQ Columbia was required under its franchise agreement to order and receive substantially all of its food, dairy products, and supplies from Prairie Farms. 

Beginning in or about March, 2018 and continuing through in or about December, 2018, Baker devised, intended to devise, and knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud and obtain money from Prairie Farms and C.S., in an approximate amount of $192,336.74, by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.

Baker received and applied payments from Prairie Farms customers other than DQ Columbia to DQ Columbia’s account.  DQ Columbia, therefore, received credit and a reduction it its account balance for payments that were not made by DQ Columbia, but instead were made by other Prairie Farms customers.  Further, the other Prairie Farms customers who made the actual payments did not receive credit and a reduction in their own account balances.  As part of her scheme, Baker misapplied approximately $143,933.74 in other customer payments to the DQ Columbia account. Baker withheld and did not mail out statements to the other Prairie Farms customers so that those other customers would not realize that their prior payments to Prairie Farms had not been credited to their accounts. 

Baker falsely represented to C.S. that, in order for DQ Columbia to continue receiving food, dairy products and supplies from Prairie Farms, C.S. needed to make cash payments personally to Baker.  At Baker’s direction, C.S. met with Baker on numerous occasions and delivered cash to Baker based upon Baker’s false representations that she would deliver the cash to Prairie Farms and credit DQ Columbia’s account accordingly.  In fact, Baker kept the cash she received from C.S., did not credit DQ Columbia’s account for the cash payments, and used the cash for her own personal use, including for the boarding and related expenses for a show horse and other general living expenses, unrelated to the legitimate business of Prairie Farms.  C.S. met with Baker on numerous occasions and made cash payments to Baker totaling approximately $48,403.00.  Prairie Farms and its owners had no knowledge of the cash payments which C.S. made to Baker, and received no portion of these cash payments. 

Baker received numerous checks from Prairie Farms customers through the U.S. mail and as part of her scheme misapplied those payments as credits to the account of DQ Columbia.

Baker faces a potential statutory maximum sentence as to each count of mail fraud of twenty years’ imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000.  The Court is required to consider the United States Sentencing Commission guidelines in sentencing defendant. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

ST. LOUIS, MO – Armond Calvin, of St. Louis City, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Calvin, 22, appeared before United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry.

According to the plea agreement, Calvin was a member of a violent drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl and other illegal drugs to drug customers in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.  Members of the organization maintained various cellular telephones, which drug customers would call to obtain fentanyl. Calvin and other members of the conspiracy shared the phones, taking turns distributing fentanyl to customers who called the phone numbers.

On December 3, 2016, Calvin and other gang members learned a prospective customer had purchased fentanyl from a rival drug dealer, instead of from Calvin’s drug trafficking organization.  Calvin and other members of his gang then tracked the rival dealer’s vehicle to the area of the Meramec Market, near the intersection of Oregon Avenue and Meramec Street in the City of St. Louis.  At that location, Calvin, armed with a Glock 27, .40 caliber firearm fitted with a laser sight, leaned out of his own vehicle’s window and opened fire on the rival vehicle, striking and killing the backseat occupant, victim David Leslie Bryant, III.  As Calvin was shooting, a black knit hat fell off Calvin’s head and onto the street.  Later forensic analysis revealed Calvin’s DNA on the hat.  The Glock 27, .40 caliber firearm was recovered several months later following the crash of a vehicle in which Calvin was a passenger, and ballistics analysis confirmed it was the murder weapon.

As part of his guilty plea, Calvin agreed to a recommended sentence of twenty years in prison.

This plea is connection with the on-going U.S. Attorney’s Office Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative and investigation into drug distribution at the Clinton-Peabody public housing complex. The investigation has included the execution of more than 15 federal search warrants resulting in the seizure of numerous firearms and controlled substances and was the subject of an important public forum involving law enforcement, citizens, and residents of the Clinton-Peabody complex held on August 3, 2018, at the Peabody Elementary School.

This case was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis Division of the FBI, the St. Louis Division of the DEA, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, and the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Yemm and Angie Danis are handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Jason Shook to 84 months in prison. The 42-year-old Hawk Point, Missouri resident previously pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the Plea Agreement, on February 25, 2019, St. Peters, Missouri Police Officers arrested Shook and recovered four handguns and an amount of methamphetamine from Shook’s car.  Shook admitted that he had obtained the firearms and illegal drugs from an individual who went by the name “Bear” several days earlier.  Shook further admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine, and that he had been selling methamphetamine for “Bear” for approximately six months. 

Further, on April 11, 2019, St. Peters, Missouri Police Officers again arrested Shook, and recovered a distribution amount of methamphetamine from his car. 

Shook had previously been convicted of a felony crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The St. Peters, Missouri Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey Ogden is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.

ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Jorge Alexander Betances, Jr., on Tuesday, to 28 months in prison. The 24-year-old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania resident previously pleaded guilty to possession of device-making equipment.  

According to court documents, on April 22, 2019, the defendant was pulled over by a Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officer with Phelps County Sheriff’s Department for a traffic violation while travelling on Interstate 44.  A search of the defendant’s vehicle revealed numerous different components of credit card device making equipment – including skimming devices, a card encoding device, gas pump-style locks and security seals, and plastic card stock (some blank and some printed with banking information on them).  In addition, law enforcement discovered inside the vehicle tools that could be used to install credit card skimmer devices on gas pumps.  Finally, law enforcement discovered more than 3,572 counterfeit or unauthorized access devices, including in the form of physical credit cards and in electronic form on the defendant’s digital devices.

“Payment card skimming devices continue to be installed inside gas pumps throughout the nation, said Thomas Landry, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service St. Louis Field Office. “Skimmers are designed to covertly steal payment card information from unknowing victims when they purchase fuel at the pump.  To protect yourself:

• Make sure the gas pump panel is closed and doesn’t show signs of tampering
• Run your card as a credit rather than a debit
• Go inside to pay or utilize mobile app/cardless payment systems
• Use gas pumps near the front of the store and be aware of your surroundings
• Check your accounts and report fraud to your bank immediately”

The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle T. Bateman prosecuted the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.