Eastern District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Judge sentences St. Louis man to 156 months in prison for carjacking and weapons chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Najee Neal, 30, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on today’s date for sentencing. Neal previously pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of that crime, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Pursuant to the plea agreement and statements made in court, on February 27, 2020, Neal approached the driver of a car parked in a Kirkwood, Missouri driveway. Neal ordered the driver out of the car at gunpoint, and forcibly took the driver’s wallet and key fob. Neal then ordered the victim to the ground and drove away in the victim’s car.
Kirkwood Police attempted to pull over the stolen car as Neal drove on Interstate 44. However, Neal began weaving in and out of traffic while reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, and the Kirkwood Officers were unable to stop the car. Officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spotted the victim’s car about 45 minutes later near the intersection of North Grand and Lindbergh Boulevards. SLMPD officers activated their lights and sirens and tried to stop the car. Neal, again, fled at a high rate of speed while violating traffic signals and driving onto sidewalks. The car became disabled and Neal got out of the car and ran from SLMPD officers. Officers followed Neal into a gangway and noticed him reaching toward a porch of a home. Fearing Neal was retrieving a weapon, an officer ordered Neal to stop and show his hands. Neal ignored the officer and began to walk away from the porch. Officers arrested Neal a short distance away. Officers found a Glock 19 pistol on the porch of the home. A search of the gangway revealed a magazine loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition fitting the Glock 19 pistol. The victim identified the Glock 19 pistol as the gun Neal pointed at him during the carjacking.
Previously, on September 28, 2019, officers with the St. Louis County Police Department arrested Neal after observing what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug sale between Neal and another individual on the parking lot of a market in the 12000 block of Bellefontaine Road. Officers recovered a loaded pistol from Neal’s car.
Prior to September 28, 2019, Neal was convicted of at least one felony crime.
Grand Jury indicts St. Louis woman for conspiracy to commit arson for burning of St. Louis 7-Eleven on June 1, 2020Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Nautica Turner, a 26 year-old female from St. Louis, made her initial appearance before the Honorable Shirley P. Mensah in federal court today in relation to the charge of conspiracy to commit arson.
The indictment charges that on June 1, 2020, Turner conspired with others to maliciously damage and destroy, by means of fire, the 7-Eleven building located at 201 North 17th Street, a building used in interstate commerce. Among other things, the indictment alleges that the conspirators participated in the destruction and looting of the 7-Eleven building. The indictment further alleges that Turner poured an ignitable liquid on the 7-Eleven building, ignited a box and threw the box in the building, and that Turner committed other acts. This offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and or a fine of $250,000.
The charge set forth in the indictment is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the St. Louis County Police Department Bomb and Arson Unit and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives.
St. Louis man pleads guilty to robbing businesses of cigarettesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted pleas of guilty from Thomas T. Taylor, age 35, on today’s date, for the crimes of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, and two counts of interfering with commerce by robbery. Judge Autrey set sentencing for January 5, 2022. At sentencing, Taylor is subject to imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both such imprisonment and fine.
According to the plea agreement, Taylor and others agreed to interfere with commerce by robbing businesses of cigarettes. Taylor admitted that between March and August 2020, he was involved in at least 38 separate incidents of theft of cigarettes from gas station convenience stores located in St. Louis and St. Charles County. Taylor admitted threatening store clerks in some instances.
On July 28, 2020, Taylor went to the Circle K located in Bridgeton and went behind the counter to take cigarettes. Taylor, when contacted by a store clerk, said, “Do you want to get shot?” Taylor took 29 cartons of cigarettes from the store. On August 16, 2020, Taylor and an accomplice went to the Zephyr Express gas station in south St. Louis County and Taylor went behind the counter. Taylor, when contacted by the clerk, told the clerk that he was “gonna get shot.” Taylor took cigarettes.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and ten local law enforcement agencies.
Grand Jury indicts former Creve Coeur pharmacy owner in kickback schemeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Earlier this week a federal grand jury indicted Michael McCormac with one count of health care fraud and three counts of violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The indictment was suppressed until today.
The indictment charges Michael McCormac, the former owner of GoLiveWell Pharmacy in Creve Coeur, Missouri with one count of health care fraud and three counts of violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute. McCormac is accused of paying kickbacks to marketing companies for referrals of prescriptions for topical creams, oral medications, and antibiotic and antifungal drugs referred to as “foot bath” drugs, which were filled by GoLiveWell and reimbursed by federal health insurance.
McCormac is accused of paying the kickbacks to marketing companies as various percentages, or “margins,” which are net profits on each prescription. The indictment also alleges that McCormac was aware that patients often did not have a valid doctor/patient relationship with the providers who signed the prescriptions and that the prescriptions were not medically necessary.
GoLiveWell primarily functioned as a mail-order pharmacy, which filled prescriptions for federal health insurance beneficiaries throughout the United States between on or about March 17, 2017 and November 30, 2019. Through the health care fraud and kickback scheme alleged in the indictment, Medicare paid at least $4.7 million to GoLiveWell to which it was not entitled, Missouri Medicaid paid at least $490,000 to GoLiveWell to which it was not entitled, and Ohio Medicaid paid at least $330,000 to GoLiveWell to which it was not entitled.
“Individuals who seek to enrich themselves through kickback fraud schemes -- as alleged in this case -- undermine the taxpayer-funded Medicare and Medicaid programs and drive up health care costs for everyone,” said Special Agent in Charge Curt L. Muller, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We remain committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to swiftly investigate such fraud allegations.”
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Creve Coeur pharmacy and owner agree to pay $1,507,808.50 to resolve lawsuit alleging dispensing of controlled substances with no legitimate medical purposeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The United States has reached a civil settlement with Olive Street Pharmacy, LLC (Olive Street) and pharmacy technician Irina Shlafshteyn (Shlafshteyn) resolving a civil complaint bringing claims under the False Claims Act (FCA) and Controlled Substances Act (CSA) for damages, statutory penalties, and injunctive relief related to the unlawful dispensing of controlled substances, including controlled substances that were submitted to Medicaid or Medicare for reimbursement. As part of the settlement, Olive Street and Shlafshteyn agreed to pay $1,507,808.50, an amount that was based in part on their ability to pay.
According to the civil complaint filed by the United States, Olive Street, a retail pharmacy located in Creve Coeur, Missouri, and Shlafshteyn, its 25 percent owner and managing employee, repeatedly dispensed prescriptions for controlled substances while disregarding warning signs of diversion, or “red flags,” indicating the prescriptions were not legitimate. The United States alleged that the types of red flags that Olive Street and Shlafshteyn ignored included clear instances of tampering with written prescriptions; dangerous combinations of drugs commonly sought after for recreational purposes; and amounts of opioids that exceeded CDC guidance by as much as 17.5 times the recommended maximum daily dosage.
In the complaint, the United States further accused Olive Street of routinely dispensing prescriptions for Subsys, an oral fentanyl spray, which is subject to heightened FDA restrictions and indicated only for opioid-tolerant patients experiencing breakthrough pain due to cancer. The United States contended that Olive Street and Shlafshteyn knowingly dispensed high dosages of Subsys to patients who did not qualify for the drug, and that the vast majority of the Subsys Olive Street dispensed was prescribed by Philip Dean, M.D. Dean, a Warrenton, Missouri neurologist, pleaded guilty to illegally distributing prescription opioids in 2018, including to women with whom he had lived and with whom he had had personal relationships.
The United States alleged that even though Shlafshteyn knew Dean was having intimate relationships with at least one of the women for whom he was prescribing controlled substances, Shlafshteyn and others at her direction continued to dispense Dean’s controlled substance prescriptions to that patient and to other patients of Dean. Further, according to the civil complaint, as the managing employee of Olive Street, Shlafshteyn had the control and authority to effect compliance with the FCA and CSA.
According to the settlement agreement, effective September 30, 2021, Shlafshteyn surrendered her Missouri pharmacy technician license and Olive Street terminated its enrollment in the Transmucosal Immediate Release Fentanyl Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (TIRF REMS) Program, the FDA-mandated program that had allowed Olive Street to dispense immediate-release fentanyl drugs like Subsys. The parties further agreed to enter into a consent decree of permanent injunction prohibiting Shlafshteyn from participating in the dispensing of controlled substances or being employed by any establishment that does so, prohibiting Olive Street from seeking enrollment in the TIRF REMS Program, and detailing many additional specific parameters limiting the circumstances under which Olive Street is permitted to continue dispensing controlled substances.
“Medical professionals have the legal obligation to ensure the dispensing of prescriptions are for legitimate medical purposes,” said Inez Davis, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Program Manager for the states of Missouri and Kansas, and southern Illinois. “In this case, the pharmacy abandoned its corresponding responsibility and ignored the clear signs that powerful medications, like oral fentanyl spray, were being prescribed far beyond the recommended guidance. This settlement sends a message that DEA will not accept actions that put people’s lives at risk.”
Under the settlement agreement, Shlafshteyn is excluded from participating in the federal healthcare programs for a period of 10 years, and Olive Street is bound by the terms of a corporate integrity agreement governing its ability to continue participating in the federal programs.
“Health care providers who unlawfully dispense controlled drugs risk the health of their patients and pose a threat to society,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of federal health programs and hold accountable individuals who endanger beneficiaries.”
“The Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit aids in conducting complex investigations and prosecutions to ensure that those who game the Medicaid system for personal gain are held accountable,” added Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. “We’re proud of our work in this case, and our work across the state to hold bad actors accountable and save taxpayer money.”
The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Sestric handled the case.
Judge sentences serial armed business robber to more than 20 yearsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS, MO – United States District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Lloyd Wings to 252 months in prison today. The St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, six 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 located in the City of St. Louis. The defendant and his co-conspirators would choose a location to rob and drive to the location of the intended business in separate vehicles. Once there, members of the conspiracy would enter the business, armed with one or more firearms, and demand from the employees, at gunpoint, to provide the contents of the safe and/or cash registers. Oftentimes, the defendant and his accomplices would forcibly steal the personal property of customers or employees as well. Wings and the others would then flee in their respective vehicles, meet up at location and divide the proceeds of the robberies.
“Judge White’s sentence today sends a clear message to those in our community who wish to do harm to others. These types of violent armed crimes simply will not be tolerated in the Eastern District of Missouri. Although no victims were physically injured in these robberies, the resulting toll and mental anguish is immeasurable,” said United States Attorney Sayler Fleming. “The United States Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, will continue to do everything in our power to bring perpetrators such as Lloyd Wings to justice.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case.
Judge sentences St. Louis man for weapons charges related to a domestic assaultRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Jermaine Collier of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on September 28, 2021. Collier previously pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) began an investigation on November 25, 2020, relative to Collier being suspected of a domestic assault which occurred in the City of St. Louis. During the initial incident, Collier exhibited a black-and-greenish-brown rifle in a threatening manner towards the victim.
Detectives learned Collier was a convicted felon and had warrants out for his arrest. A series of investigative leads were followed that resulted in the arrest of Collier on December 3, 2020.
After Collier was secured, he advised that he had a gun in his jacket pocket, where officers found a loaded 9mm Ruger pistol. Collier also indicated that there were two other guns at his residence which were eventually seized by police. One such weapon seized at the residence was the previously described rifle in addition to another semi-automatic pistol. The sentence handed out is based in large part on the enhancements for physically restraining a victim, using a firearm in connection with another felony offense (UUW-exhibiting), possessing three or more firearms, and obstructing justice by attempting to conceal a shotgun. Collier a previously convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing the weapons due to his conviction.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Grand Jury indicts two men accused of bank fraud involving Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury indicted Chris Carroll and George Reed today with three counts of bank fraud and six counts of money laundering.
The indictment charges Chris Carroll and George Reed with 3 counts of bank fraud and 6 counts of money laundering in connection with their company Square One Group’s receipt of two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, one in the amount of more than $1.2 million, and the second loan in the amount of more than $1.6 million.
The indictment alleges that Reed and Carroll submitted PPP loan applications in their spouses’ names, rather than their own names, to misrepresent and conceal Carroll’s status as a paroled felon, which would have precluded his company from receiving PPP funds. It is further alleged, that Carroll and Reed did not use the funds to compensate their employees, but instead, used the funds to start a trucking company and to fund $660,000 in payments to themselves. The indictment further alleges that the company suspended their employees’ pay and health insurance coverage after applying for PPP funds.
“The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created for the sole purpose of helping businesses keep workers employed during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. “With finite taxpayer dollars, those who commit fraud against the PPP are taking money from workers who depend on a stable paycheck.”
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
St. Louis man pleads guilty to drug traffickingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark accepted a plea of guilty from Deaunta Miller on today’s date, for the crime of knowingly and intentionally possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Judge Clark set sentencing for January 12, 2022. At sentencing, Miller is subject to imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both such imprisonment and fine.
According to the plea agreement, Miller knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl, a controlled substance, on or about December 2, 2020, within the Eastern District of Missouri. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into Deaunta Miller’s narcotics trafficking in June of 2020. During their investigation, agents conducted controlled purchases of narcotics from Miller and later obtained federal search warrants, which authorized them to search two residences in the St. Louis area.
Investigators executed the warrants on December 2, 2020. During the execution of the search warrants a large amount of fentanyl was seized along with cocaine and heroin. Further investigation revealed over $60,000.00 in cash that was seized as illegal drug proceeds and a hydraulic press used in conjunction with the distribution of illegal narcotics.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Judge sentences St. Louis man for drug/fraud chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Stephen R. Clark today sentenced Derek J. Petty to a term of 91 months in federal prison. Petty was convicted by a jury in April of one count of Conspiracy to Obtain a Controlled Substance by Fraud. The evidence presented at trial proved that Petty’s co-conspirator, Sierra Price, worked at Delmar Primary Care Associates, a small medical practice located in St. Louis. Price wrote and signed more than ten prescriptions for Oxycodone in Petty’s name between April 2018 and December 2018. None of the prescriptions had been authorized by the doctor. The scheme continued unabated because Price, as an employee of Delmar Primary Care Associates, was able to intercept telephone calls from Schnucks’ pharmacists attempting to verify the prescriptions. Before they were caught, Petty and Price obtained over 1,500 oxycodone pills unlawfully.
At the time of the conspiracy, Petty was on supervised release for 2016 convictions for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Distribution of Heroin, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. As part of his guilty plea in the 2016 case, Petty admitted to selling heroin to an undercover police officer, and to selling a dozen firearms (5 of which were stolen) to an undercover ATF agent.
Price, who testified against Petty at trial and who had no previous criminal history, admitted her role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to a term of probation.
United States Attorney Sayler Fleming commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration Tactical Diversion Unit and Schnucks’ pharmacists. “We are grateful for the skilled professionals at Schnucks who identified these prescriptions as potentially fraudulent and made every effort to verify their authenticity. Had these pharmacists not continued to question the legitimacy of these prescriptions, this scheme could well have continued undetected for many months.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Judge sentences St. Louis County business owner to 18 months in federal prison for tax fraudRead the Press Release
Charles, Missouri to 18 months in prison today. Additionally, Windsor was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $304,296. The defendant had previously been found guilty during a four-day jury trial in May.
The evidence during the trial proved Windsor was the owner of a St. Louis County company that produced mass mailers for its customers. During the years 2013 and 2014, large sums of money, which were business receipts, were deposited into Windsor’s personal bank account. These funds were payments from only one client. All other business receipts from other company customers were deposited in Windsor’s business account. Many of the sales which were deposited into Windsor’s personal account were not reported on his tax returns. This methodology caused the gross receipts to be underreported on Windsor’s tax documentation in years 2013 and 2014. Thus, Windsor assisted in the preparation of personal tax returns that were fraudulent.
The Internal Revenue Service investigated this case which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Box.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man to drug and weapon chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Terrell D. Smith of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. on today’s date and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. Smith previously pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On or about June 19, 2019, members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were conducting surveillance on a vehicle being operated by Smith pursuant to an on-going Assault 1st Degree investigation. As police approached, Smith fled the scene in the vehicle. Surveillance of Smith was continued with a police helicopter to a residence in which Smith dropped off two firearms which were later recovered and seized by police. Smith was previously convicted of a felony preventing him from possession of a firearm.
On September 12, 2019, law enforcement arrested Smith pursuant to the previous incident after a federal warrant was obtained. At the time of the arrest, Smith was found in possession of 142 capsules containing over 7 grams of fentanyl, a schedule II-controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
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Judge sentences St. Louis County man for firearms charge and activity connected to the 2020 civil disorderRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Justin Cannamore of St. Louis County, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on September 22, 2021. Cannamore pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and for demonstrating a technique capable of causing injury to persons during the civil disorder in the summer of 2020.
On the night of June 1, 2020 during a period of civil unrest, the 7-11 located at 201 N. 17th Street, St. Louis, Missouri was set ablaze after rioters smashed windows and broke into an ATM machine. Cannamore assisted an unidentified individual by spraying a bottle of lighter fuel on the 7-11 building. In so doing, Cannamore was demonstrating a more effective technique to apply and disperse the lighter fluid to the building in furtherance of the attempt to burn the building. Cannamore also entered the business and ignited a fire in the aisle that self-extinguished when a firework exploded in the same location.
Days later, on June 5, 2020, Cannamore was stopped by the St. Louis County Police Department for a traffic violation. During the stop, police located and seized a .22 caliber revolver, which Cannamore knowingly possessed. The firearm was stolen and Cannamore, a previously convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing the weapon due to his conviction.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Judge sentences South Gate, California, man to 20 years for methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr., sentenced Dexter Elcan to 20 years in prison today. The 36-year-old South Gate, California, resident pleaded guilty, in June, for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Officers from the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force learned that Dexter Elcan was shipping methamphetamine from a United Parcel Service (“UPS”) store in California to people in Southeast Missouri. Then he would either have those people distribute the drugs or he would fly to Missouri, distribute the drugs, wire the drug proceeds back to California, then fly back home.
On the morning of July 11, 2020, officers learned that Elcan was traveling to Missouri and that he had shipped a package by UPS from California to a residence in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The officers watched the UPS delivery person put the package on the porch. Dexter Elcan came out of the home, picked up the package and carried it back into the home. Officers went to the home and knocked on a door as Elcan ran out another door and tried to escape. Elcan was captured a short distance away while trying to break his cell phone and burn the UPS receipt for mailing the package. Officers recovered the package delivered to the home that Elcan picked up. The package held 446 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. That quantity of methamphetamine is consistent with distribution and not for personal use.
The district court heard testimony at the sentencing hearing as to the extent of Elcan’s crime. After hearing that evidence, the Court determined that Elcan was a leader/organizer of his methamphetamine sales and that he distributed over 100 pounds of methamphetamine over the course of his criminal conduct.
The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, and the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Keith D. Sorrell handled the prosecution for the government.
Judge sentences Blytheville, Arkansas man for possession of firearmRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO – United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. sentenced Timothy Sweet to 37 months in prison. Sweet, a 36-year-old resident of Blytheville, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On November 14, 2019, an officer with the Steele, Missouri Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being driven by Timothy Sweet for failing to stop at a stop sign. As the officer was traveling behind the vehicle, the officer observed Sweet making movements that led the officer to believe he was attempting to conceal something underneath his seat. The officer looked underneath the driver seat of the vehicle and observed a firearm that was further identified as an Arminius, Model HW, .38 caliber revolver.
Sweet has a prior conviction for the felony offense of Distribution of a Controlled Substance in the Circuit Court of Dunklin County, Missouri, and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Steele Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hunter handled the prosecution.
St. Louis woman sentenced for embezzling funds from local unionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Matthew T. Schelp sentenced Yvette Luster to 18 months in prison today. The defendant had previously pleaded guilty in May to embezzlement.
Luster was an employee of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 labor union. From in or about January 2016 through in or about April of 2020, Luster was an employee of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 labor union, acting as the local chapter’s Treasurer. In her capacity as Treasurer, Luster had access to Local 314’s bank account. Luster made over 200 unauthorized withdrawals from the union’s bank account for personal expenditures, such as flights and meals for herself and family members unrelated to the business and operations of Local 314. In total, Luster embezzled over $184,000.00 from the union.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man to drug and weapon chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Landon Whitfield, 26, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on today’s date and was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison. Whitfield previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On November 6, 2019, members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department observed Whitfield driving a vehicle with heavily tinted windows. Knowing that this vehicle had previously fled from the officers on several occasions, the officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. Whitfield fled from the officers and committed numerous traffic violations in the process. In an effort to disable the vehicle, the officers successfully deployed spike strips, deflating two of its tires. Undeterred and causing a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury, Whitfield continued to flee in the vehicle and almost struck a police car in the process. Whitfield eventually abandoned his vehicle and fled from officers on foot while armed with an AR-15-type firearm.
Several officers confronted Whitfield in an alley. Whitfield raised his firearm. An officer, fearing for his safety, fired one shot in response. Whitfield then dropped his firearm and a green bag he had over his shoulder. Whitfield tried to continue his escape by climbing a nearby fence but was taken into custody.
The firearm Whitfield possessed was a Matrix Aerospace M556-SC semi-automatic pistol. It was loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine. Inside Whitfield’s green bag were 345 capsules of fentanyl weighing approximately 37 grams.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
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Chicago, Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
On September 21, 2021, Daryl Wheeler, Age 46, of Chicago, Illinois pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, before United States District Court Judge John A. Ross.
With his plea Wheeler admitted that he and his associates distributed some 538 grams of heroin in the Charleston, Mississippi County Missouri area between September 14, 2017 and February 23, 2019.
Wheeler faces a minimum sentence of five years incarceration, up to a maximum sentence of forty years imprisonment. Wheeler’s sentencing is set for December 21, 2021 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
The case was investigated by the, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Firearms. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Willis handled the prosecution for the government.
Jury finds man guilty of two bank robberies committed in St. Louis CityRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On September 17, 2021, a jury found Briran Blake, 30, of Jefferson County, Illinois guilty of two counts of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
On June 9, 2017, Briran Blake entered a Regions Bank on Hampton Avenue in St. Louis, presented a demand note to the teller, and escaped with almost $2,000 cash. 13 days later, on June 22, 2017, Briran Blake entered a Regions Bank on South Broadway in St. Louis, presented a demand note, and brandished a firearm at the bank teller before escaping with over $4,200 cash. Blake was indicted in August 2019 following analysis of the demand notes and identification of Blake as the suspect by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Crime Laboratory.
The trial began on Tuesday and concluded with the jury verdict of guilty on all counts on Friday. United States District Judge John A. Ross presided over the trial. Sentencing will be held on December 15, 2021. Blake faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Jason Dunkel and Donald Boyce prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States
Federal charges filed against suspects in Gateway Arch grounds robberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On September 16, 2021, federal charges were filed against Christopher Franklin and Kaniya Sloan. 19-year-old Christopher Franklin and 18-year-old Kaniya Sloan are accused of aiding and abetting a robbery on federal territorial jurisdiction and accessory after the fact of a robbery on federal territorial jurisdiction.
According to the charging documents, on September 13, 2021 at 7:34 p.m., Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) officers were dispatched for a report of an armed robbery. Officers interviewed a male and female victim, and learned that at approximately 7:30 p.m., the victims were on the grounds of the Gateway Arch. While on the Arch grounds, they were approached by a suspect who pointed a black handgun at them and demanded their property. The female victim complied with the demands of the suspect and handed over her purse. The male victim also complied with the demands of the suspect and handed over his iPhone and wallet.
SLMPD officers worked with the Federal Park Service to obtain and review surveillance footage from the area to identify the robber. Detectives followed up on several leads which resulted in the arrests of Sloan and Franklin along with a juvenile suspect on September 15, 2021, in the City of St. Louis.
Charges set forth are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Park Service.
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Judge sentences Doniphan, Missouri man to 45 months for felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Matthew T. Schelp, sentenced Timothy Ossana to 45 months in prison today. The 53-year-old Doniphan, Missouri, resident pleaded guilty, in November 2020, for felon in possession of a firearm.
On January 8, 2020, Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped a Chevrolet Blazer for an expired license registration offense in Ripley County. During that traffic stop, a citizen brought a pistol to the officer and stated that he discovered the pistol lying near the roadway where Ossana had just driven. It was a Jennings, .380 caliber pistol, bearing serial number 889316. Ossana later admitted that he had been assaulted by some people and that he acquired the pistol for his protection.
This case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Keith Sorrell handled the prosecution for the government.
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Judge sentences Marston man for being a felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney's Office announced that MARCO M. DEBOSE, age 39, of Marston, Missouri, was sentenced today to serve 90 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Debose’s residence in September 2020. Among other things, officers discovered three firearms and various drug paraphernalia items inside the residence. During a guilty plea hearing earlier this summer, Debose admitted the firearms belonged to him. Debose was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of his previous felony convictions, including convictions for domestic assault and stealing-related offenses. After serving the 90-month sentence, Debose will be placed on supervised release for three years.
This case was investigated by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force and the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.
Grand Jury indicts St. Louis man accused of wire fraud and identity theftRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On September 8, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Ronald Scott Miller on four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, beginning on or about March 27, 2014 and continuing through at least September 29, 2020, Ronald Scott Miller devised a scheme to defraud his employer out of at least $300,000. The investigation revealed Miller fraudulently drafted and submitted false weekly timesheets reflecting work that employees did not perform. The indictment further alleges that it was part of the defendant’s scheme to defraud that he submitted fraudulent invoices and altered receipts so that his employer would pay him money that he was not entitled to receive.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Two Texas men charged in stealing over a million dollars in a romance scamRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On September 7, 2021, Rotimi Oladimeji and Olumide Akinrinmade appeared before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on a romance scam. The men were arrested in Texas on August 9th after the return of a federal indictment charging mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The grand jury returned the sealed indictment on July 28th.
According to the indictment, in October 2019, a resident of the Eastern District of Missouri began communicating on an internet dating site with Oladimeji, who was purporting to be G.J. As part of the fraud, Oladimeji bolstered his impersonation of G.J. with a LinkedIn profile in the name of G.J., the picture of a different individual, and a completely fictitious background. Shortly after beginning the online romance, Oladimeji, in the guise of G.J., purported to need help with an urgent business issue while he was traveling in the United Arab Emirates.
Through the G.J. identity, Oladimeji directed the victim to electronically transfer funds from the Eastern District of Missouri to banks in Saudi Arabia and to send money by Federal Express to Akinrinmade’s residence in Texas. The money was subsequently deposited into financial accounts opened by Oladimeji, Akinrinmade, and others. As a result, between October 23, 2019 and April 26, 2020, the victim electronically transmitted and sent through Federal Express, $1,200,000 to, and on behalf of, Oladimeji and Akinrinmade.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
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Southeast Missouri healthcare system agrees to pay $1,624,957.67 to resolve allegations that physician wrote invalid prescriptionsRead the Press Release
The United States has reached a civil settlement with Saint Francis Medical Center (Saint Francis) resolving the Government’s claims under the Controlled Substances Act. According to the United States’ allegations, Saint Francis employed a Farmington, Missouri physician, Brett Dickinson (Dickinson), who wrote prescriptions for controlled substances without legitimate medical purposes and outside the usual course of professional practice. As part of the settlement, Saint Francis agreed to pay $1,624,957.67.
The United States alleged that Saint Francis, through Dickinson’s actions in the scope of his employment, issued invalid prescriptions for opioids such as morphine, hydromorphone, and oxycodone. According to the United States’ allegations, Dickinson prescribed these opioids to patients simultaneously with muscle relaxers and benzodiazepines. The United States claimed that such drugs are known to enhance the addictive, euphoric effects of opioids and, as a result, are commonly sought-after in combination with opioids by individuals with substance abuse disorders and individuals who seek to use opioids recreationally. The United States alleged that Dickinson issued these prescriptions while ignoring warning signs of drug diversion or misuse, including aberrant urine drug test results and patients’ previous hospital treatment for medical problems related to drug misuse.
Although not part of the settlement agreement, in August 2021, Saint Francis voluntarily incorporated the Foundation for Opioid Prescribing Education in the State of Missouri. According to Saint Francis, the Foundation, which it funded with an initial contribution of $1 million, will be used to fund education programs for physicians and other healthcare professionals in Southeast Missouri on best practices in prescribing opioids and managing patients with chronic pain issues.
Saint Francis fully cooperated with the United States’ investigation of the case. Additionally, as part of the settlement, Saint Francis agreed to cooperate with the United States’ investigation of individuals not released in the settlement agreement, including by furnishing documents related to “the prescribing of controlled substances by Dickinson.”
“When Dr. Dickinson recklessly prescribed controlled substances without regard for his patients’ well-being, he violated the trust our communities extend to healthcare professionals. We appreciate the steps taken by Saint Francis Medical Center to prevent such illegal behavior by its staff in the future,” said Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Curt L. Muller. “In coordination with our law enforcement partners, our agents will continue to investigate such fraud schemes and protect the public from unscrupulous prescribers.”
The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Sestric handled the case.
Grand jury indicts a St. Louis, Missouri man on store robbery and related gun chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal grand jury handed down a thirteen-count indictment against Leonard Love, 52, of St. Louis charging Love with having committed six separate store robberies, six acts of using a firearm in furtherance of those robberies and one act of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
The indictment alleges that during the months of June and July of 2021, Love robbed various businesses, including Walgreens, Mobil On The Run, Circle K, and U-Gas stores, located in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County.
The charges set forth in this indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI and the St. Charles City Police Department, the Sunset Hills Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, and the St. Ann Police Department are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Szczucinski is prosecuting this matter on behalf of the United States of America.
Judge sentences Tennessee man to 27 months for wire fraud in investment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge Stephan R. Clark sentenced Joshua McDonald to a 27- month term of imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. The defendant had previously pleaded guilty in April to four counts of wire fraud.
McDonald was the owner and operator of Perfection PR Firm LLC, that conducted business in the Eastern District of Missouri. McDonald told potential and actual clients that Perfection PR traded in the Foreign Exchange Market (Forex) for clients by pooling their funds.
McDonald was not registered as a broker-dealer, broker-dealer agent, investment advisor, investment advisor representative, or an issuer agent as required by FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).
Beginning in November 2017 and continuing to June 2019, McDonald devised a scheme to defraud and to obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises. McDonald falsely told prospective clients that he would provide a minimum of 20% to 50% return per month on their Forex investments. McDonald further falsely told investors that they had made substantial gains in their Forex investments with him when, in fact, he had used their funds on his own personal expenses and, without their knowledge or consent, invested and lost their funds in cryptocurrency. McDonald directed investors to deposit their Forex investments funds, primarily through wire transfers, into his personal bank account or the Perfection PR bank account. McDonald caused over $350,000 in loss to numerous victims of his scheme.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
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Kansas City man pleads guilty to conspiracy charge related to drug-trafficking ringRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Joshua Sangrait, of Kansas City, Missouri pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances including more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. Sangrait appeared today before United States District Court Judge John A. Ross.
In 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in St Louis, Missouri began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities undertaken by Joshua Sangrait and others. The investigation uncovered a vast network of co-conspirators spanning from St. Louis to Kansas City to California. During the investigation, DEA established that defendant Joshua Sangrait, who resided in Kansas City, participated in the conspiracy and distributed significant amounts of controlled substances to other co-conspirators.
As the investigation progressed, on April 19, 2019, DEA and the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department conducted an operation which resulted in the arrest of Sangrait. Investigators seized more than four kilograms of pure methamphetamine during the arrest of Sangrait. The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of not less than ten years.
Judge Ross has set sentencing for November 30, 2021.
Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance from the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department.
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St. Louis County man pleads guilty to two armed carjackings and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. accepted a plea of guilty from David Curtis President, on August 24, 2021, for the crimes of carjacking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for events on June 28, 2019, and carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for events on July 29, 2019. Judge Limbaugh set sentencing for December 1, 2021.
According to the plea agreement, President, a 29- year-old resident of St. Louis County, committed two separate carjackings in St. Louis County. On June 28, 2019, in the 11100 Block of Riaza Square, President took a 2007 Buick Lucerne from the victim at gun point. President was later identified as the carjacker and determined to be in possession of the victim’s pistol, which was in the Lucerne at the time of the carjacking. On July 29, 2019, at the Petro Mart at 698 Gravois Bluffs Boulevard, President shot two persons and took from them a 2017 Nissan Altima.
The parties have jointly recommended a sentence of 18 years for the four offenses. The District Court will determine the sentence to be imposed at the time of sentencing.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the carjacking and firearms offenses.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for carjacking and murderRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Lashawn Clayburn, 19, of St. Louis, Missouri, to a 25-year term of imprisonment on today’s date. Clayburn pleaded guilty in May to murder and carjacking charges.
On January 5, 2019, Clayburn murdered Naomi Miller as she was about to get into her vehicle that was parked in her driveway outside her residence in Pine Lawn, Missouri. Ms. Miller was intending to go to work as an overnight home healthcare nurse when Clayborn approached her and shot her to death. Clayburn then stole Ms. Miller’s car and went on a joy-riding stint for several hours. During this time, Clayburn picked up two friends and stopped by Steak ‘n Shake for a burger and a milkshake.
The following day, Clayburn met up with a group of friends, who claimed to be members of the “Murdaa Gang,” and traded Ms. Miller’s carjacked vehicle for another stolen vehicle. As a result of a series of leads, Clayburn was interviewed by federal agents. Subsequent to the interview, Clayburn attempted to enlist his cousin to provide a phony alibi on Clayburn’s behalf for the night of the murder and carjacking. As a result of a continuing investigation, Clayburn was indicted by a federal grand jury for the above murder and carjacking, which resulted in Clayburn’s plea of guilty and today’s sentencing.
This case was investigated by ATF, the North County Police Cooperative, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the Major Case Squad. Assistant United States Attorney Angie E. Danis is prosecuting this case for the United States of America.
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Grand jury indicts individual for health-care fraud and drug offensesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On August 18, 2021, a federal grand jury issued a twenty-five count indictment against Katie Diana Rooney charging Rooney with health-care fraud and controlled substance offenses. At the time Rooney allegedly committed these offenses, she was a resident of St. Charles, Missouri.
The indictment alleges that through fraud and deceit, Rooney obtained prescriptions for Adderall and Xanax, both controlled substances. Rooney illegally sold these drugs to an undercover detective. Because the drugs were intended for Rooney’s two minor children, who were both Medicaid recipients, Medicaid paid for the drugs.
The charges set forth in this 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 Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (Office of the Inspector General), and the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dorothy L. McMurtry.
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Grand jury indicts doctor for illegally prescribing controlled substances and other chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On August 18, 2021, a federal grand jury issued a thirteen-count indictment against Matthew Steven Miller, D.O. charging Dr. Miller with illegally prescribing controlled substances and other related offenses. At the time Dr. Miller allegedly committed these offenses, he was licensed to practice medicine in Missouri, Michigan, and New Jersey.
The indictment alleges that Dr. Miller illegally prescribed Xanax to five individuals with whom Dr. Miller did not have a doctor-patient relationship. It further alleges that Dr. Miller was not licensed by the Missouri Bureau of Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs to prescribe Xanax The indictment also alleges that Dr. Miller never examined these individuals to determine whether they had a medical need for Xanax. The indictment additionally alleges that the Xanax that was obtained through the issuance of the illegal prescriptions and/or the money received as a result of the sale of the fraudulently obtained Xanax was shared with Dr. Miller.
The charges set forth in this 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 Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (Office of the Inspector General), and the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dorothy L. McMurtry.
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Grand jury indicts doctor for conspiring to and participating in a nationwide health-care fraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On August 18, 2021, a federal grand jury issued a twenty-five count indictment against Scott Taggart Roethle, M.D., an anesthesiologist residing in Kansas, charging Dr. Roethle with conspiring to and participating in a nationwide health-care fraud. At the time Dr. Roethe allegedly committed these offenses, he was licensed to practice medicine in 22 states.
The indictment alleges the following: that beginning in 2017 and continuing until at least 2020, multiple telemedicine and marketing companies paid Dr. Roethle illegal kickbacks, totaling $674,026, to sign prescriptions and orders for orthotics, genetic tests, and topical creams. Dr. Roethle was typically paid $30 for each order or prescription he signed. The marketing and telemedicine companies solicited patients through the media and cold calls and then electronically transmitted patient information to Dr. Roethle through an electronic portal. In almost all instances, Dr. Roethle had no contact with the patients and did not determine if they needed the items or services before he signed the orders. Patients often complained to Dr. Roethle that they did not want or need the items he had ordered for them.
Roethle obtained medical licenses in 22 states and signed orders for thousands of patients residing in these states. Medicare Part B suffered a loss of over $26 million based on fraudulent prescriptions and orders signed by Dr. Roethle.
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 Department of Health and Human Services (Office of the Inspector General), United States Department of Defense (Office of the Inspector General) are investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dorothy L. McMurtry and Derek Wiseman.
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Grand jury indicts 4 individuals on gun and drug chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On August 11, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Rebecca Hanks, 46, Zachary Siebert, 19, Amelia Siebert, 23, and Richard Frazier, 23, for drug and gun-related offenses that allegedly occurred in Lincoln County, Missouri. All 4 defendants have subsequently been arrested on this indictment.
The defendants are charged with the drug trafficking crime of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. Each defendant is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of the above drug trafficking crime. In addition to those charges, Rebecca Hanks is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of maintaining a drug house located in Lincoln County, Missouri.
The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a term of imprisonment of no less than 5 years and no more than life in the United States Bureau of Prisons. According to the relevant federal statute, this sentence must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The charges set forth in this indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey S. Ogden.
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Jury finds St. Louis man guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A federal jury found Jeremiah Taylor, 36, of St. Louis, Missouri, guilty of one count of felon in possession of a firearm on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark presided over the trial. Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020 on this gun offense.
The above trial commenced on Monday with a jury verdict of guilty being rendered on Tuesday morning. Sentencing will be held on November 23, 2021. Taylor faces a maximum sentence of ten years in the United States Bureau of Prisons.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Walker is handling the prosecution of this matter.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for his participation in store robberiesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Ronnie L.White sentenced Kirk Torrence, a/k/a “Blue,” of St. Louis, Missouri, to a 10-year term of imprisonment on today’s date. Torrence pleaded guilty in September 2019 to gun and robbery-related charges.
Torrence, along with his partners in crime, conspired to rob multiple stores. On September 9, 2018, Torrence and his cohorts, who were armed with firearms, entered the Metro PCS store located on Debaliviere Avenue in the City of St. Louis and demanded money. In response to threats, a Metro PCS employee withdrew approximately three hundred dollars ($300) from the register and handed the money to one of the robbers. The robbers then fled the crime scene in vehicles, one of which was being operated by Torrence. Based on an assortment of leads, law enforcement officers arrested Torrence and his accomplices on robbery-related charges.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for tax evasionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On Wednesday, August 12, 2021, United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Nicholas Franke, 58, of St. Louis, Missouri, to a 24-month term of imprisonment to be followed by a 2-year term of supervised release. Franke pleaded guilty in May to one count of tax evasion.
Franke, an attorney, operated a solo law practice that generated business revenue. Franke paid himself from those proceeds. Franke filed income tax extension requests for the years 2013-2015, stating zero taxes were due or owed. Franke knew that those statements were false. Franke then failed to file tax returns for those years. As a result of Franke’s actions, he failed to pay more than $300,000 in taxes.
“Franke was a licensed attorney who knew his duty to file an accurate income tax return and pay his fair share of taxes. He knowingly violated the law and admitted to his conduct through his guilty plea. This sentence shows that IRS Criminal Investigation will investigate those individuals who intentionally violate tax laws and work with the United States Attorney’s Office to bring these individuals to justice,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s St. Louis Field Office following Wednesday’s sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Criminal Investigative Division of the Internal Revenue Service.
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St. Louis County woman pleads guilty to straw purchasing a firearm linked to a homicideRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Laquesha Hardimon, 29, of Dellwood, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on today’s date and pleaded guilty to providing false information to a federally licensed firearms dealer (Kevin’s Guns).
On October 2, 2020, Hardimon bought a firearm from Kevin’s Guns under false pretenses. Hardimon falsely indicated on paperwork, required to be completed prior to the purchase of the firearm, that she was buying the firearm for herself, when, in fact, she was purchasing the firearm for her brother. Hardimon believed her brother was prohibited from purchasing the firearm for himself under federal law.
After purchasing the firearm, Hardimon gave the firearm to her brother. Less than a week later, Hardimon’s brother gave the firearm to another individual. On October 17, 2020, the firearm was used in a homicide in Wisconsin. The individual to whom Hardimon’s brother gave the firearm is facing charges for that homicide.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is handling the matter.
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St. Louis man pleads guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges resulting in deathRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Floyd Barber, 25, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White on today’s date and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with an intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death.
On October 3, 2017, Barber and others traveled in a vehicle to the 4700 block of Goodfellow Boulevard in St. Louis to buy controlled substances from an individual. After buying drugs from this individual and leaving the area, Defendant and his associates returned to the area to steal drugs, money, and other valuables from that same individual. Barber and one or more of his associates were armed with loaded firearms.
During the robbery, Barber and one or more of his accomplices shot the victim multiple times. The victim died from his gunshot wounds.
The judge has not set a sentencing date.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for maintaining a drug houseRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Farraad Johnson, 46, of St. Louis, Missouri, to a 36-month term of imprisonment on Wednesday. Johnson pleaded guilty in March to maintaining a drug-involved premises.
Johnson admitted leasing, maintaining, and controlling a residence in the 1100 block of Edlor Drive in St. Louis so that drug dealers could store their cocaine (intended for distribution), firearms, and other drug trafficking-related items inside that residence.
As part of an extensive investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy involving Adrian Lemons and other co-defendants, investigators executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence on July 20, 2016. Investigators seized three hydraulic presses, two digital scales, four firearms, ammunition, gun boxes, multiple cellphones, a lock box containing 900 grams of cocaine, a bag containing 20 grams of cocaine, two blenders, Quinine (sometimes used to dilute drugs intended for sale), and other drug trafficking-related paraphernalia.
“This prosecution and sentence of imprisonment make it clear that if you choose to assist individuals who are selling drugs and/or causing violence within our community, you will be prosecuted, convicted, and sent to federal prison,” said United States Attorney Sayler Fleming following Wednesday’s sentencing.
Johnson is one of 34 defendants named in federal indictments first filed in 2015 involving a variety of charges, including drug trafficking and homicide-related offenses. Thirty-three of the 34 defendants charged during this investigation have been convicted. One co-defendant’s case remains pending. While that case remains pending, that co-defendant is presumed innocent and all charges that co-defendant presently faces are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of his guilt.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department; the Kennett, Missouri Police Department; the United States Marshals Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Judge sentences Dunklin County man for possession of a firearm by a convicted felonRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – United States District Judge Court Stephen R. Clark sentenced Kendrick D. Calloway to 120 months in prison. Calloway, a 38-year-old resident of Malden, Missouri, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years. A contested sentencing hearing was held on July 20, 2021 and five witnesses testified for the government.
On March 8, 2020, officers with the Malden Missouri Police Department responded to a “shots-fired” call on Blades Drive. Two people reported Kendrick Calloway knocked on their car window as he was holding a gun. Words were exchanged and Calloway fired a shot. The victims drove off and Calloway followed them in his car and fired additional shots at them. Officers made contact with Calloway and ordered him to the ground. Calloway had a fully loaded Kel-Tec P-32 semiautomatic pistol in the waistband of his pants. Calloway was non-compliant with police and attempted to bite an officer. An additional firearm, an SCCY 9mm, semi-automatic pistol was found in Calloway’s car. Officers recovered a spent shell casing in the parking lot where the victims were parked. A criminalist with the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory was able to confirm the spent shell casing was fired from the SCCY 9mm recovered from Calloway’s car. The MSHP Crime Lab also confirmed the presence of gunshot residue on Calloway’s hands. Calloway was a convicted felon and therefore it was unlawful for him to possess firearms.
This case was investigated by officers with the Malden Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Hunter handled the prosecution.
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Former bookkeeper of a St. Louis accounting firm pleads guilty to $670K fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Paula Smith, 68, of O’Fallon, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp on today’s date and pleaded guilty to a federal information charging her with three counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering.
Smith was a bookkeeper at an accounting firm that managed a lucrative trust account for a client (the D.E.W. Trust). The D.E.W. Trust, which was at one time valued at $8.6 million, had over twenty named beneficiaries, including twelve charitable organizations in St. Louis, Missouri. Between October 2013 and June 2018, Smith defrauded the D.E.W. Trust and its beneficiaries by writing numerous checks totaling $670,000 from the D.E.W. Trust to herself. None of the funds should have gone to Smith.
In an attempt to conceal her scheme, Smith manipulated the accounting records for the D.E.W. Trust by mislabeling the aforementioned fraudulent checks as being advance payments to a trustee and as payments to a vendor. As a result of these fraudulent transactions, there were less available funds to be properly distributed to the intended charitable organization beneficiaries of the D.E.W. Trust.
Smith used the funds to personally enrich herself, including to buy a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 and a 2018 Keystone Hornet Hideout 26RLS Travel Trailer.
Smith will be sentenced for the above offenses at 10:00 a.m. on October 21, 2021.
The above case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Montgomery Bank Anti-Money Laundering Team. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle T. Bateman is handling the matter.
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Judges sentences former SLMPD Officer for perjury regarding undercover officer’s assaultRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge E. Richard Webber sentenced Bailey Colletta to three years of probation and two consecutive weekends of imprisonment on today’s date. The 28-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty in September 2019 to making false statements to a federal grand jury about her knowledge of the arrest and assault of a fellow St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer who was working undercover and whom police mistakenly believed was a protestor.
As a result of the 2017 acquittal of a former police officer on a state murder charge, protests were taking place in downtown St. Louis. In an effort by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to keep peace and order, the victim undercover officer was assigned to the protest detail. Colletta was also assigned to the protest detail in her capacity as a police officer. Colletta witnessed the assault of the victim officer by other officers. As part of the investigation into this assault, Colletta was called before the federal grand jury. Colletta provided false and misleading statements to the grand jury regarding her knowledge of the assault.
Colletta’s co-defendant, Randy Hays, who had earlier pleaded guilty to his role in the matter, was sentenced to a 52-month term of imprisonment on Tuesday. Co-defendant Dustin Boone was found guilty in June of aiding and abetting the deprivation of the victim officer’s civil rights under the color of law. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 15, 2021.
Co-defendant Christopher Myers faces a charge of destruction of evidence related to the arrest and assault of the victim police officer. Christopher Myers is presumed innocent and the charge that he presently faces is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. First Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin and Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood are handling the matter.
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St. Louis man pleads guilty to armed robbery and brandishing a firearmRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Dominick Anderson, 31, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey on today’s date and pleaded guilty to armed robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of that crime.
On August 25, 2019, as part of a prearranged drug deal, Anderson and a male accomplice arrived at the victim’s residence in a vehicle driven by a female accomplice. Anderson and his male accomplice entered the victim’s residence to buy methamphetamine from the victim. When the victim showed Anderson the methamphetamine, Anderson pulled a gun on the victim and demanded that the victim handover the methamphetamine. The victim refused. The victim told Anderson and his male accomplice to leave the victim’s residence. Anderson shot the victim in the stomach and stole the victim’s methamphetamine. Anderson and his male accomplice exited the residence and entered the vehicle of their female accomplice and fled the scene. The victim called 911 and was taken to the hospital for his gunshot wound. An investigation led to the arrest of Anderson.
Anderson’s sentencing hearing is set for October 6, 2021.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is handling this matter.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for armed robbery, attempted robbery, and discharging a firearmRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey accepted pleas of guilty from Isaac Gonzalez for crimes involving robbery, attempted robbery, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of that attempted robbery today. Immediately after the guilty pleas, Gonzalez, a 24-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident, was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 13 years and 4 months.
On May 21, 2019, Gonzalez entered the Cash America Pawn shop located in the 10500 block of Page Avenue in St. Louis County. He was armed with a handgun and had his face partially covered with a bandana. He announced a robbery and ordered an employee to the back of the store. Gonzalez then ordered the employee to remove cash from the safe. Gonzalez stole the cash and left the store.
On June 4, 2019, Gonzalez again entered the Cash American Pawn shop wearing clothing that was similar to the clothing he had worn in the first robbery. Gonzales was armed with a handgun. Gonzalez went toward the rear of the store where the safe was located. An employee saw what was happening and closed the door which separated the main area of the store from the back office. Gonzalez began banging on the door and yelling at the employee to open the door. When the employee refused, Gonzalez fired his weapon at the office door. A bullet travelled through the door and into the office. No one was hurt. Gonzalez retrieved the spent cartridge casing and left the store.
St. Louis County Police had been looking for Gonzalez in connection with an unrelated incident. On June 5, 2019, officers received information that Gonzalez was staying at a motel in St. Louis County. Police went to the motel and located Gonzalez in a room with a female acquaintance. The officers seized clothing and a pistol from the room that appeared to be the clothing worn by Gonzales and the gun used by Gonzales during the May and June robbery and attempted robbery incidents of the Cash American Pawn shop.
The St. Louis County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling this matter.
St. Louis man pleads guilty to carjacking and gun chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Najee Neal, 30, of St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on today’s date and pleaded guilty to carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of that carjacking, and felon in possession of a firearm. Neal also pleaded guilty to a separate offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with an unrelated incident.
On February 27, 2020, just after the victim parked his car in the driveway of a residence in Kirkwood, he noticed a vehicle (occupied by Neal and an accomplice) pull behind his car. Neal exited his vehicle and approached the victim. Neal pointed a pistol at the victim and ordered the victim out of his car and to empty his pockets. Neal took the victim’s wallet and key fob by force and ordered the victim to the ground. Neal entered the victim’s car. A witness approached the scene. The victim warned the witness that the robber had a gun. As Neal drove off, he threatened the witness. Neal’s accomplice followed Neal out of the area.
Minutes later, police spotted Neal in the victim’s car. Neal eluded police at speeds of over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 44. Approximately 45 minutes later, police spotted Neal and activated their emergency lights. Neal attempted to elude officers by running traffic signals and running up on sidewalks. Neal abandoned the carjacked vehicle after it became disabled. Officers pursued Neal on foot. Neal dumped his pistol near the porch area of a nearby home. Neal was arrested a short distance away after ignoring orders to stop. The pistol was recovered. The carjacking victim identified the pistol as the pistol Neal used to steal the victim’s car.
Several months earlier, on September 28, 2019, police, after receiving reports of illegal drug sales in the area of the M & K Market, near the 12000 block of Bellefontaine Road in St. Louis County, spotted Neal engaged in suspicious activity from his parked vehicle. An investigation by the police resulted in the seizure a loaded pistol between the driver’s seat and center console. Police also seized marijuana and a scale from the driver’s door of the vehicle.
Prior to September 28, 2019, Neal was convicted of one or more felony crimes. Neal was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of his criminal record.
Neal will be sentenced for the above offenses on October 5, 2021.
The above cases were investigated by the Kirkwood Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is handling the matter.
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Judges sentences former SLMPD Officer for assaulting undercover officer posing as protestorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge E. Richard Webber sentenced former SLMPD Police Officer Randy Hays to a 52-month term of imprisonment on today’s date. The 34-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty in November 2019 to using unreasonable and excessive force against a fellow St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer whom Hays mistakenly believed was a protestor.
As a result of the 2017 acquittal of a former police officer on a state murder charge, protests were taking place in downtown St. Louis. In an effort by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to keep peace and order, the victim undercover officer was assigned to the protest detail. Hays was also assigned to the protest detail in his capacity as a police officer. Hays, who mistakenly believed the victim undercover officer was a protestor, assaulted the victim in a manner that constituted unreasonable and excessive force.
Hays’s co-defendant, Bailey Colletta, pleaded guilty to making false statements before a federal grand jury that was charged with investigating the assault of the victim undercover officer. Her sentencing hearing is set for July 15, 2021.
Co-defendant Dustin Boone was found guilty in June of aiding and abetting the deprivation of the victim’s civil rights under the color of law. His sentencing hearing is set for September 15, 2021.
Co-defendant Christopher Myers faces a charge of destruction of evidence related to the arrest and assault of the victim police officer. Christopher Myers is presumed innocent and the charge that he presently faces is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. First Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin and Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood are handling the matter.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for robbery and brandishing a firearm at six peopleRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – On Wednesday of this week, United States District Court Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. accepted pleas of guilty from Kevin Moore for the crimes of robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of that robbery. Immediately after the guilty pleas, Moore, a 39-year old St. Louis, Missouri resident, was sentenced to a 141-month term of imprisonment.
On August 28, 2019, Moore entered Behrmann’s Tavern in the 3100 block of Meramec Street located in St. Louis and announced a robbery. He ordered five customers and one employee to the ground and held them at gunpoint with a semi-automatic rifle.
One of the customers refused to get on the ground. Moore pushed the barrel of his rifle into the side of the customer’s ribcage and tried to take his property. Moore then put the barrel of his rifle into the back of another customer and robbed that customer of his money. Continuing with his robbery spree, Moore pointed his semi-automatic, assault rifle at the other patrons and commandeered their valuables, including their money and other items.
Moore also stole money from the cash register after forcing an employee to open the register. Moore then fled the tavern. Moore was later apprehended by the police.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dunkel is handling this matter.
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St. Louis man pleads guilty and is sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. accepted a plea of guilty from Edward Wingo, Jr., on today’s date, for the crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Immediately after the guilty plea, Wingo, a 46-year-old St. Louis resident, was sentenced to a 37-month term of imprisonment.
On August 19, 2019, a St. Louis County police officer drove by a residence in the 4300 block of Melba. The officer spotted Wingo in a parked truck in the driveway of the residence. The officer was aware that Wingo was wanted for an unrelated criminal incident. The officer requested the assistance of the St. Louis County Police Department’s Special Response Unit’s fugitive apprehension team. Wingo was arrested for the unrelated criminal incident. As a result of the arrest, officers seized a .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol located inside Wingo’s truck.
Prior to August 19, 2019, Wingo was convicted of one or more crimes punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year under the laws of the State of Illinois.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the above firearm case. Assistant United States Attorney Jillian Anderson is handling this matter.
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Judge sentences St. Louis man for being a felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge John A. Ross sentenced Joe Lea, 34, of St. Louis, to 48 months in prison today. Lea pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On July 30, 2019, two members of the North County Police Cooperative were on patrol in the area of the Wellston Food Market when the officers observed Lea exit a vehicle and drop what appeared to be controlled substances to the ground. Lea retrieved the suspected controlled substances and placed them in a satchel that Lea was wearing.
The officers approached Lea to investigate further. Lea refused to cooperate and initiated a struggle with the officers. During the struggle, Lea struck one of the officers in the face and ran. As Lea fled on foot, Lea tossed a firearm and his satchel to the ground. After doing so, Lea eventually stopped running and was arrested.
Lea’s nine-millimeter firearm was seized. It was loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition. Inside Lea’s satchel, officers seized 17 capsules containing fentanyl; two additional loaded nine-millimeter firearm magazines, and additional loose rounds of ammunition.
Prior to July 30, 2019, Lea was convicted of at least one felony crime.
The North County Police Cooperative investigated the case.
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