Deron Mitchell, Jr., 19, of St. Louis, is headed to federal prison for 186 months after being sentenced for six armed carjackings that terrorized the city in late 2018. The violent spree, which unfolded over three days in November, involved threats, stolen vehicles, and firearms pulled on helpless victims. Mitchell pleaded guilty in February 2020 to six counts of carjacking and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The first attack struck on September 6, 2018, but the pace accelerated with two more carjackings on November 4 and three on November 5. Each incident followed a chilling pattern: victims were confronted, often at gunpoint, and forced from their vehicles. Mitchell and co-defendant Deandre Moore used the stolen cars to flee—sometimes still carrying the personal belongings of earlier victims.
On November 6, 2018, law enforcement caught up. Police from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Maplewood Police Department stopped a vehicle believed to be stolen. Inside, they found both Mitchell and Moore, along with firearms and property linked to prior carjackings. Mitchell quickly confessed, giving federal investigators a clear path to prosecution.
U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel handed down the 186-month sentence after reviewing the evidence and the pattern of escalating violence. The sentence reflects the seriousness of multiple armed robberies committed in rapid succession, targeting ordinary citizens in their own cars. No fatalities occurred, but prosecutors emphasized the psychological and physical trauma inflicted on the victims.
Deandre Moore, Mitchell’s partner in crime, faced the same consequences. He pleaded guilty earlier and was sentenced in May to 186 months in federal prison. Authorities say the pair operated as a team, each playing key roles in the ambushes and getaways. The coordinated response from federal and local agencies ensured both were brought to justice swiftly.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the Maplewood Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, underscoring the federal government’s crackdown on violent street crime in urban centers like St. Louis.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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