Press Release
Four Accused of Selling Drugs, Guns in St. Louis and Fenton
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri
ST. LOUIS – Four men from Jefferson County have been indicted on federal charges accusing them of selling guns and drugs in St. Louis, Missouri and Jefferson County this year.
All four were indicted October 19 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis and the final two defendants appeared in court Friday.
Donye “El Baggo” Peace, 18, was indicted on four counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes and one count of unlicensed firearms trafficking. Anneyus D. James, 18, is facing one drug count. Otis M. Patterson, 21, and Theordore Bradford, 18, are facing one drug count and one each of the firearm charges.
Peace advertised illegal drugs on Instagram and met buyers in public areas as his co-defendants stood guard, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen said in court. He also advertised firearms for sale on Instagram, allowing buyers to avoid a background check that would be required during a sale with a licensed firearm dealer, Finlen said.
Undercover agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives bought drugs and guns from Peace and Patterson, with Bradford standing guard with an AR-15 during one sale, a detention motion says.
The drug charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and the gun charges carry possible penalties of up to five years.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
Updated October 28, 2022
Topics
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses