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Press Release

St. Louis man pleads guilty to armed robbery at Family Dollar and brandishing a firearm

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri

ST. LOUIS – Michael Saffold, 27, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  Saffold appeared today before United States District Judge John A. Ross who accepted the plea and set sentencing for February 25, 2021. 

On June 23, 2019, Saffold approached the register of the Family Dollar at 8971 Halls Ferry Road in St. Louis, Missouri.  Saffold gave the cashier money for Starburst candy.  The cashier opened the cash register to complete the transaction.  Saffold then displayed a black semiautomatic handgun to the cashier, demanding money.  The cashier complied with Saffold’s demands, giving him all of the money in the cash register drawer.  Saffold then escaped. 

Family Dollar surveillance footage later revealed that Saffold took a glove from the store, in the moments before the robbery.  Saffold then wore that glove during the robbery, leaving the open package of gloves in the store.  Investigators took fingerprint lifts from the box of gloves.  Those lifts were later matched to Saffold.  Saffold was subsequently arrested and charged.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.

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Contact

Venton Blandin 314-539-6805

Updated August 5, 2024

Topic
Violent Crime