A jury in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis has convicted Ronald O. Perkins, a 29-year-old man from Black Jack, Missouri, on nine charges linked to a series of armed robberies. The crimes occurred across Missouri and Illinois in 2023.
Perkins faced four robbery charges, alongside one count of discharging a firearm in a crime of violence, three counts of brandishing a firearm, and one count of transporting a firearm across state lines with the intent to commit a felony. Testimony in the trial revealed that Perkins used a handgun during each heist, often pounding it on countertops while demanding money and intimidating victims.
His crime spree began on September 8, 2023, at a gas station and convenience store on Riverview Drive in St. Louis. There, he brandished a weapon, demanded money, and fired it before fleeing with cash. Perkins continued on November 8, 2023, with robberies at a Richmond Heights gas station and a 7-Eleven in St. Louis County, the latter occurring just hours apart. He robbed another gas station in St. Louis County on November 12 and a liquor store in Collinsville, Illinois, on November 17.
Authorities secured surveillance footage that repeatedly captured Perkins in action. They found clothing in his home matching what the robber wore in the videos and confiscated a gun from Perkins’ pants that matched one used in the first crime. Investigators also discovered a distinctive scar on Perkins that aligned with the suspect in the footage. They traced an electronic link from Perkins' residence to each robbery location.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone emphasized the "staggering amount of evidence" on the final day of the trial. The session began on Monday, and Perkins’ sentencing is slated for July 3. Each robbery could result in up to 20 years of imprisonment. Additionally, discharging a firearm during a robbery incurs a minimum 10-year consecutive sentence, brandishing at least seven years, and transporting a firearm up to another 10 years. Perkins faces a minimum of 31 total years behind bars, with the potential for life imprisonment.
Comprehensive investigations were conducted by multiple police departments, including those from St. Louis County, St. Louis Metropolitan, Collinsville, Richmond Heights, Columbia (Illinois), and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bluestone and Tiffany Becker are handling the prosecution.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that collaborates with law enforcement at all levels to mitigate violent crime and gun-related violence while enhancing neighborhood safety. The Department of Justice initiated a strategy to reduce violent crime on May 26, 2021. The strategy builds on PSN by fostering community trust, supporting organizations aimed at violence prevention, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and tracking outcomes.
