A St. Louis County resident has admitted to possessing a machine gun and committing both a drug robbery and carjacking. Walter C. Moore, 19, entered a guilty plea in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Tuesday to charges that include being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, robbery, carjacking, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Moore acknowledged using Facebook to set up the purchase of $900 worth of Oxycodone on April 25, 2024. The seller arrived at Moore's residence and invited him into her 2014 Mazda6 to finalize the transaction. Moore then pulled out a handgun, seized the Oxycodone pills, ordered the seller out while threatening her with harm, and drove away in her vehicle.
Police from St. Louis County found the car near Chambers Road. Moore attempted to flee but was apprehended shortly thereafter. He had discarded a Glock handgun equipped with an automatic conversion device known as a "switch," along with an extended magazine and laser sight. Photos on Moore's phone showed him posing with this weapon and others; as a convicted felon, he is prohibited from owning firearms.
Sentencing for Moore is scheduled for May 6, with both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and his defense attorney agreeing to recommend a prison term of 15 years.
The investigation was conducted by the St. Louis County Police Department alongside the FBI, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is leading the prosecution.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative designed to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community organizations. The program emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention efforts by local groups, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
