U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig sentenced Randy Wilkes, a 43-year-old convicted felon, to 40 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing follows an incident on October 5, 2022, when Wilkes was apprehended with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol by the U.S. Marshals Service and St. Louis County police.
Wilkes' arrest occurred at his residence on Gardo Court in Bellefontaine Neighbors while law enforcement sought to execute outstanding felony warrants related to two violent domestic assaults. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin's sentencing memo, Wilkes resisted arrest by hiding in his basement, leading to a standoff that lasted over two hours.
During the standoff, officers removed several children from the premises and employed various nonlethal methods, including K-9 units and robots equipped with cameras, as well as pepper balls and gas canisters, to ensure their safety while locating Wilkes. He was ultimately arrested after officers gained entry through an exterior basement door.
Following his prison term, Wilkes will undergo three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service and St. Louis County Police Department, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting preventive community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
