Two men have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a drug distribution conspiracy that operated in St. Louis since at least 2019. Dennis M. Davis, 47, entered his plea on Thursday to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. Shem J. Guy, 34, pleaded guilty to a similar charge in June.
Authorities say the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) monitored conversations between Davis, Guy and others regarding drug transactions during the investigation. On September 6, 2023, investigators executed a court-approved search at a property used by Davis as a stash house in St. Louis. Law enforcement recovered $12,323 in cash, four rifles, two pistols and a money counter from the location. They also seized nearly five kilograms of fentanyl along with quantities of marijuana, heroin, cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine. A separate search at Davis’ residence led to the recovery of three pistols and additional fentanyl.
Davis is scheduled for sentencing on January 15, 2026; he faces a sentence ranging from ten years to life imprisonment and up to $5 million in fines. Guy will be sentenced on October 1 and could receive up to twenty years in prison or a fine of up to $1 million.
Both defendants agreed to forfeit cash assets seized during the investigation as well as firearms and a 2020 Ram 1500 Big Horn truck.
The case was investigated by several agencies: the DEA, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), FBI, St. Louis County Police Department, Bridgeton Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and St. Charles County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Delworth is prosecuting the case.
"This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach," according to officials involved with the case.
More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
