Brandon Shell, Armed Carjacking, Missouri 2021

ST. LOUIS – In a shocking display of brazen crime, Brandon Shell, 22, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of armed carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

On October 12, 2019, Shell approached four people who had just exited a Kia Optima near the 3700 block of Juniata in St. Louis. He brandished a handgun and demanded the four victims give him all their money. The victims complied. After they did so, Shell further demanded “That’s not all you have, give me the keys!” One of the victims handed Shell the keys to the Optima. Another victim threw several items back in the Optima.

Shell then drove away in the Optima. St. Louis Metropolitan Police detectives were able to locate Shell driving the Optima, shortly after the carjacking. Shell pulled over in the 5300 block of Oriole in St. Louis. When Shell saw detectives, he ran away from them, but was eventually taken into custody.

Detectives found a loaded .380 caliber Kel-Tec semiautomatic pistol on Shell’s person. He was then arrested and charged.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.

Shell appeared today before United States District Stephen R. Clark, who set sentencing for May 13, 2021.

Brandon Shell, a 22-year-old St. Louis man, pleaded guilty to one count of armed carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Shell is currently awaiting sentencing, which is set to take place on May 13, 2021.

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