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Fentanyl & Firearm Land St. Louis Woman 7 Years
ST. LOUIS – Charity Ward, 35, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, is headed to federal prison for seven years after pleading guilty to a slew of drug and weapons charges. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp handed down the sentence Monday, along with a hefty $15,000 fine. The sentence doesn’t stop there; it will run consecutively with any penalties she receives in pending cases in both St. Charles and St. Louis County Circuit Courts.
The bust went down January 2, 2023, when St. Louis County Police officers raided a motel room in Ferguson. Inside, they found Ward along with a dangerous cocktail of narcotics: fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine. A quick count revealed $3,000 in cash and a Glock 29 10mm semi-automatic pistol. As a convicted felon, Ward was already legally barred from possessing any firearm.
Ward admitted to authorities she wasn’t just holding onto the drugs; she was moving them. According to her own statements, she peddled cocaine base to acquaintances and distributed fentanyl at parties. A clear picture of a low-level dealer, but one willing to mix serious narcotics with a loaded weapon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office didn’t mess around, charging her with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke successfully prosecuted the case, building a solid case based on the evidence seized at the Ferguson motel and Ward’s own admissions. The investigation was a joint effort between the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI, highlighting the collaborative approach to tackling drug and gun violence in the region. This wasn’t a random stop; it was a targeted operation.
Federal officials are framing this case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by uniting law enforcement at all levels with the communities they serve. Launched in 2021, the program emphasizes building trust, supporting community organizations, and focusing enforcement efforts on the most pressing threats. The DOJ’s rhetoric aside, the result is a lengthy prison sentence for Ward and a small dent in the ongoing flow of illegal drugs and firearms into St. Louis.
While seven years may seem significant, it remains to be seen if it will be enough to deter others from following in Ward’s footsteps. The Grimy Times will continue to track the impact of PSN and the ongoing struggle against violent crime in St. Louis and beyond. The streets remain unforgiving, and the next bust is always just around the corner.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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