Demetrius Smith, Armed Robbery, Missouri 2018

ST. LOUIS, MO – Demetrius Smith, 35, of St. Louis County, is headed to federal prison for 22 years after pleading guilty to a spree of brazen armed robberies that terrorized local store employees in November 2018. U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White handed down the sentence Thursday, bringing a close to a case that spanned four years and involved multiple jurisdictions.

Smith admitted to robbing a T-Mobile store in Creve Coeur, a MetroPCS in Bridgeton, and both a Bucky’s Express gas station and a QuikTrip in Maryland Heights – all within a four-day period. He also attempted to rob a 7-Eleven in St. Louis County on the same day he hit the QuikTrip. The robberies weren’t impulsive; Smith meticulously planned each one, casing the stores for vulnerable moments. According to court documents, Smith would call ahead to confirm a manager was on duty, believing they’d have access to the safe.

The evidence presented at sentencing painted a disturbing picture of Smith’s methods. He specifically targeted times when stores were lightly staffed – often waiting for single employees – and would abandon a robbery if a customer entered. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel detailed how Smith physically threatened one female employee, grabbing and forcing her to her knees during one of the robberies. Six employees total were subjected to Smith’s violent tactics.

The break in the case came on November 26, 2018, when Overland Police Department officers located Smith at his apartment while investigating the Bucky’s Express robbery. A search of the rental car Smith used during the crimes yielded a treasure trove of evidence: a duffel bag, gloves, clothing matching descriptions from surveillance footage, and, crucially, the firearm used in all five robberies. The collaborative effort between multiple law enforcement agencies – including the ATF, Bridgeton, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, and St. Louis County Police Departments – proved critical.

The 22-year sentence isn’t Smith’s only penalty. Judge White also ordered him to pay $25,370 in restitution to the businesses he targeted. While the financial compensation offers some relief, it hardly diminishes the trauma inflicted on the employees who found themselves facing the barrel of Smith’s gun. The case highlights the ongoing threat posed by armed robbery and the dedication of federal and local agencies to bringing perpetrators to justice.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel prosecuted the case, bringing it to a conclusion after a guilty plea entered on July 25th, just before the scheduled jury trial. The Kansas City Field Division of the ATF led the investigation, demonstrating the agency’s commitment to combating violent crime in the region. Smith will now spend the next two decades behind bars, a consequence of his calculated and violent actions.

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