St. Louis Man Who Shot Locksmith Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

ST. LOUIS – A felon who was wounded while shooting a locksmith in St. Louis was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison.

Donnel Trotter, 51, pleaded guilty in July to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. He admitted that on Nov. 12, 2024, a locksmith had been dispatched to help unlock Trotter’s truck in an alley behind the 4700 block of Nebraska. Trotter and the locksmith argued over payment, and Trotter charged towards the locksmith while reaching for his gun. The locksmith pulled his own gun and fired at Trotter. Trotter returned fire, continuing to shoot as the locksmith retreated. Both men were wounded.

The locksmith fled and called police. Officers found Trotter at a hospital seeking medical care. They also found two 9mm casings that matched the locksmith’s firearm and 12 spent .40 caliber shell casings.

Trotter is convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms or ammunition. He also has a criminal history dating back to 1993 and three prior federal convictions for serious drug offenses, a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke says. As an armed career criminal who used the ammunition in connection with a crime of violence, he faced enhanced penalties.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.