David Jones, 20, of St. Louis, MO, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking after a violent hijacking at gunpoint involving a sawed-off shotgun. The plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Ronnie White, marks a swift resolution to a brazen daylight robbery that terrorized two victims in the city’s north side last year.
On May 22, 2018, the victims were sitting in a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu parked in the 1300 block of Ferguson Avenue when Jones and two accomplices approached and ordered them out at gunpoint. One suspect produced a short-barreled shotgun, another flashed a handgun. With weapons drawn, the trio forced the occupants out and sped off in the stolen vehicle, leaving behind shock and trauma in their wake.
Less than an hour after the carjacking, officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spotted the stolen Malibu tearing through city streets in a reckless, high-speed manner. The vehicle eventually spun out of control. Jones, identified as the driver, bolted from the car along with two others. Officers gave chase on foot, witnessing Jones discard a loaded, sawed-off Springfield shotgun before being tackled and taken into custody after a brief struggle.
The recovered firearm, a short-barreled shotgun, is classified as a Title II weapon under federal law, carrying severe penalties for unlawful possession. Its use during a violent crime like carjacking dramatically enhances sentencing exposure—an escalation prosecutors did not overlook.
Jones now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. While the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines will influence the final determination, the violent nature of the offense, use of a modified firearm, and flight from law enforcement are expected to weigh heavily in sentencing calculations.
The investigation was led by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Mehan is prosecuting the case. Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Ronnie White in the Eastern District of Missouri.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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