ST. LOUIS – Arthur Pressley, a 25-year-old St. Louis rapper known as ‘30 Deep Grimeyy’ or Grimeyy, is headed to federal prison for over seven years. U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark handed down a sentence of seven years and eight months on Wednesday for a firearms charge, adding another layer to the ongoing crackdown on gang activity in the city.
Pressley, identified as a leader within the ‘30 Deep’ gang, was caught with a Beretta 92FS 9mm pistol during a routine traffic stop on January 5, 2021. The stop, conducted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, revealed more than just a busted taillight and mismatched plates – the 2008 Pontiac G8 he was driving had license plates registered to a Jeep. The gun was found right beside him.
But the illegal possession wasn’t Pressley’s only offense. In a desperate attempt to evade the charge, he actively worked to fabricate a paper trail. Following the traffic stop, he bombarded the original purchaser of the firearm with text messages, urging them to create a false bill of sale transferring ownership to another occupant of the vehicle. He even presented a falsified bill of sale on the first day of his trial, a pathetic attempt to muddy the waters.
The scheme failed. Pressley ultimately pleaded guilty, admitting he possessed the weapon on multiple occasions between October 4, 2021 – the day after it was initially purchased – and the date of the traffic stop. Investigators didn’t just rely on the physical evidence. They unearthed a trove of digital evidence, including photos of Pressley with the gun circulating on his and others’ social media accounts, and incriminating messages discussing the firearm. Crucially, one photo clearly showed the gun’s serial number.
As a convicted felon, Pressley was already legally prohibited from owning firearms, having previously been convicted twice on charges of unlawful use of a weapon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) had been monitoring Pressley and the ‘30 Deep’ gang for over a year prior to the traffic stop, building a case against their criminal enterprise. “ATF has no more important mission than working with our law enforcement partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals,” stated Frederic Winston, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Kansas City Field Division. “We will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who illegally acquire and possess firearms, to justice.”
The case was a joint effort, investigated by the ATF and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassandra Wiemken and Jennifer Szczucinski led the prosecution. This sentence sends a clear message: attempting to deceive the court and illegally possessing firearms carries severe consequences in St. Louis, and federal authorities are watching.
RELATED: St. Louis Rapper Grimeyy Sentenced to 7+ Years on Gun Charge
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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