The United States Attorney's Office announced that Demarlon Richardson, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and Germonde Brunner, Arlandus Howard, Norlando Jackson and Antywan Seawood, of East St. Louis, Illinois, were sentenced for the burglary of a federally licensed firearms dealer known as Instapawn, which is located near Poplar Bluff, Missouri and for a carjacking crime that occurred in Clayton, Missouri.
The burglary of Instapawn occurred on Feb. 28, 2017, when the five men stole over 60 firearms. Howard was found guilty by a jury and the other four men entered guilty pleas. During Howard’s trial, the evidence disclosed that the five men committed the Instapawn burglary by breaking a window and entering the store. Around twelve of the firearms were recovered. The remainder of the firearms are still missing.
Brunner, Howard, Jackson and Seawood were also found guilty of committing Carjacking and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence for a carjacking crime that occurred in Clayton, Missouri, on Feb. 27, 2017. The men used the stolen car during the commission of the firearms theft. During Howard’s trial, the evidence disclosed that Brunner, Howard, Jackson and Seawood approached a young woman sitting in her car in Clayton, Missouri, late one night. The men had just finished breaking into several parked cars in the neighborhood and needed a vehicle to get back to their home in Illinois. Jackson and Seawood pointed pistols at the woman and threatened to harm her if she did not open her car door. When she did, Jackson reached in, grabbed the victim by her arm and threw the victim to the street. Brunner and Howard acted as lookouts during the carjacking.
Demarlon Richardson was sentenced on May 1, 2018 to 12 months imprisonment for Possession of Stolen Firearms. Germonde Brunner was sentenced on May 15, 2018 to 48 months imprisonment for Possession of Stolen Firearms, Carjacking, and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Norlando Jackson was sentenced on May 29, 2018 to 300 months imprisonment for Possession of Stolen Firearms, two counts of Carjacking, and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Antywan Seawood was sentenced on Sept. 18, 2018 to 240 months imprisonment for Possession of Stolen Firearms, Carjacking, and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Arlandus Howard was sentenced on Oct. 2, 2018 to 240 months imprisonment for Possession of Stolen Firearms, Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. All five men were sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. All five men were ordered to make restitution for the firearms theft in the amount of $57,169.10.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Butler County Sheriff’s Office; the Poplar Bluff Police Department; the Clayton, Missouri Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Keith D. Sorrell handled the prosecution for the Government.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
