Two men have admitted their involvement in a fatal robbery of a drug dealer in St. Louis, Missouri, which occurred in 2022. Ralph Ruffin, aged 21, entered a guilty plea on Wednesday at the U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two felony charges: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death. Jamie Gore, aged 37, had already pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The incident took place on December 10, 2022. Gore contacted the victim for drugs and arranged for him to come to his mother's house located on the 5900 block of Romaine Place. Gore had previously purchased drugs from the victim and proposed an exchange involving two guns for more drugs. Inside the home, Ruffin and an associate were waiting and opened fire when Gore led the victim inside. The victim returned fire but was fatally shot in the throat. Following this, Ruffin and his associate stole the victim's gun, cash, and fentanyl.
Gore confessed to assisting Ruffin and others in multiple previous drug robberies. Ruffin would share some of the stolen drugs with Gore while selling the remainder.
Ruffin is set for sentencing on June 4, with both parties agreeing on recommending a 20-year prison term. Gore's sentencing is scheduled for April 23, where he faces a minimum sentence of seven years.
The investigation was conducted by the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department along with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoff Ogden is handling the prosecution.
