Deantre Brown, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Missouri 2021

ST. LOUIS, MO – Deantre Brown, 34, of St. Charles, will spend nearly five years behind bars after being sentenced Wednesday to 57 months in federal prison. Brown, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition – ammunition directly tied to a brazen shooting outside the Reign nightclub in August 2021.

The August 18, 2021 shooting sent a crowd scrambling for cover. Video evidence, painstakingly reviewed by U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp, clearly showed a shooter firing into the throng. Though Brown disputed pulling the trigger, the judge found sufficient proof linking him to the gunfire. Footage captured the suspect fleeing the scene and ducking into a nearby parking garage, allegedly using a key card belonging to his girlfriend’s mother to gain access.

Investigators zeroed in on Brown’s Dodge Charger, seen leaving the garage shortly after the shooting. While Brown initially claimed he wasn’t the shooter, he admitted in his plea agreement to being at the scene and, crucially, to possessing “dominion or control” over the ballistic cartridge casings recovered from the site. He also confessed to having ammunition in his vehicle when arrested on September 22, 2021, while meeting with his parole officer.

The case, a joint effort between the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), hinged on the meticulous collection of evidence. A detective from the SLMPD and a special agent with the ATF presented their findings to Judge Schelp, solidifying the connection between Brown and the illegal ammunition. The prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski, successfully argued that Brown’s prior felony conviction prohibited him from possessing such items.

Judge Schelp, after reviewing the video and testimony, didn’t mince words. He found the evidence compelling enough to secure the 57-month sentence, sending a clear message that illegally possessing ammunition, especially in connection to a violent crime, will not be tolerated. Brown’s defense attempts to distance him from the actual shooting were ultimately unsuccessful.

The sentencing of Deantre Brown marks the conclusion of a lengthy investigation, highlighting the collaborative work between local and federal law enforcement. The ATF’s New Orleans Field Division oversaw the investigation. While Brown maintains his innocence regarding firing the weapon, his possession of the ammunition has landed him in prison for nearly five years, removing another dangerous individual from the streets of St. Louis.

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