A St. Louis County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for a drug-related robbery and carjacking incident. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp handed down the sentence on Tuesday to Walter C. Moore, 20, a convicted felon who used a machine gun during the crime.
The incident occurred on April 25, 2024, when Moore arranged to purchase $900 worth of Oxycodone from a woman. The transaction took place at Moore's residence, where he entered the seller's 2014 Mazda6. During the exchange, Moore brandished a handgun, seized the Oxycodone pills, and forced the seller out of her vehicle under threat of violence before fleeing in her car.
Law enforcement located the stolen vehicle near Chambers Road in St. Louis County. As officers approached, Moore attempted to escape on foot and discarded a Glock handgun equipped with an illegal machinegun conversion device, transforming it into a fully automatic weapon with an extended magazine and laser sight. Police swiftly apprehended Moore, discovering images on his phone showing him holding multiple firearms—an act prohibited due to his felony status.
In February, Moore pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to several charges: being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, robbery, carjacking, and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime.
The investigation was conducted by the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.
This case falls under 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 organizations that prevent violence proactively, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
