Robert Eutz III, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Missouri 2024

ST. LOUIS, MO – Robert Eutz III, 44, is headed to federal prison for 12 and a half years after admitting to illegally possessing a firearm and being linked to a shooting that rocked the city last year. U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark handed down the 150-month sentence Thursday, closing the book on a case that began with gunfire in the 3500 block of Lafayette Avenue on March 30, 2023.

The bust went down shortly after the shooting, when St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers pulled over Eutz’s vehicle. Inside, they didn’t just find a gun; they found a cocktail of illegal activity. Officers recovered a 10mm Glock handgun, 10mm ammunition, and spent casings matching those found at the scene of the shooting. But the haul didn’t stop there. A search of a safe in the vehicle revealed 23.67 grams of raw fentanyl and 111 capsules packed with the deadly opioid.

The victim of the shooting, riddled with multiple gunshot wounds, positively identified Eutz as the shooter. Witnesses further corroborated the identification, pinpointing Eutz’s vehicle as being present at the scene. Ballistics confirmed the connection – the casings recovered from Eutz’s car were a direct match to those found at the crime scene. This wasn’t a case of mistaken identity; it was a clear link between Eutz, the gun, and the violence.

As a convicted felon, Eutz was already legally prohibited from possessing any firearm. The guilty plea entered in January to one felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm sealed his fate. The added fentanyl charge only compounded the seriousness of the offenses, painting a picture of a man deeply entrenched in criminal activity.

The investigation was a joint effort between the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski led the prosecution, securing the conviction and ultimately, the lengthy sentence. The case serves as a stark reminder that illegally possessing firearms and dealing dangerous drugs carry significant consequences in federal court.

This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. Anyone with information regarding illegal firearms or drug trafficking is encouraged to contact the ATF or their local law enforcement agency. Robert Patrick, Public Affairs Officer, can be reached at robert.patrick@usdoj.gov for further inquiries.

Related Federal Cases