Michael Monroe, Gun & Drug Trafficking, St. Louis MO, 2023

ST. LOUIS – Michael Joseph Monroe, 25, is headed to federal prison for more than five years after being convicted of selling a handgun while simultaneously trafficking fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp handed down the 5 years and 10 months sentence on Thursday, capping a case that began with a brazen shooting and culminated in a high-speed chase.

The ATF investigation revealed Monroe sold a 9mm pistol for just $325 to a confidential informant on August 21, 2019, near the Dellwood Market. But the gun sale wasn’t an isolated incident. Shortly before the deal, investigators connected Monroe to a shooting on Interstate 270. The passenger of a stolen Audi A6 – driven by Monroe – allegedly opened fire on another vehicle near Old Halls Ferry Road, striking it six times, narrowly missing the driver.

According to sentencing documents, Monroe directed his passenger, Treyvon Perry, to fire at the other car, believing they were being followed by either law enforcement or a rival in the drug trade. After the shooting, Monroe attempted to evade police, leading officers on a chase exceeding 100 mph before crashing approximately 12 miles later. The wreckage yielded a cocktail of illegal substances: fentanyl, cocaine base, oxycodone, and a mixed bag of other drugs, along with a single bullet.

Prosecutors presented evidence to Judge Schelp detailing Monroe’s continued involvement with drugs, noting multiple prior arrests for drug possession and paraphernalia, both before and after his federal indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa argued that Monroe’s actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law and a persistent pattern of criminal behavior. Judge Schelp agreed, telling Monroe, “This behavior was out of control,” before delivering the sentence.

Monroe pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime – specifically, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. His accomplice, Treyvon Perry, 20, already received a five-year prison sentence in October for his role in the shooting and firearm conspiracy. Perry was convicted of conspiracy to possess and discharge a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The case was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa led the prosecution, securing a conviction that sends a message about the consequences of combining firearms and drug trafficking in the St. Louis area.

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