A brazen daytime robbery shook a St. Louis, Missouri 7-Eleven last year, and now the perpetrator has admitted to the crime. Payton Robert Yates, 23, of Carterville, in Williamson County, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of possession of and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Thursday.
According to the evidence, on June 30, 2023, Yates approached the cash register at the 7-Eleven located at 5350 Chippewa Street in St. Louis. He placed a bag of Hot Fries on the counter and then pulled out a handgun before telling the cashier, ‘Empty the register.’ Yates left with $134.77 and the Hot Fries.
Yates then got into a blue Toyota Tundra parked nearby. His father had reported the Tundra stolen a few days earlier. A handgun was inside. Yates pawned the gun two days later.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie Schneider is prosecuting the case.
Yates is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4. Both sides are recommending nine years in prison.
The brazen daylight robbery has left many in the community shaken. The fact that the perpetrator admitted to the crime and is set to be sentenced is a relief to many.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of community policing and the need for residents to report suspicious activity to the authorities.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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