A St. Louis man was sentenced on May 7 to a total of 27 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple gun-related offenses, according to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address violent crime and firearm offenses in the region.
U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine sentenced Roosevelt Easley, 40, after a two-day bench trial in October found him guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Easley received a sentence of 25 years for these charges and an additional two years for violating supervised release from a previous conviction involving possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine.
Evidence presented at trial showed that police stopped Easley's vehicle on March 29, 2022, discovering marijuana and a firearm inside. On September 10, 2022, officers again attempted to stop Easley’s car; he fled at high speed before crashing into a tree and running away. Police recovered two firearms from his vehicle after the crash.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Boyce's sentencing memo, "Easley also resisted arrest, threatened police officers, intimidated a potential witness and attempted to bribe a police officer." The court determined that Easley's prior convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses subjected him to enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Boyce and Nichole Frankenberg.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration as well as organized crime groups while protecting communities from violent offenders through coordinated law enforcement resources.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri investigates and prosecutes federal crimes such as terrorism and fraud while enforcing civil rights; it collaborates with law enforcement agencies across its jurisdiction covering 49 counties in Missouri according to the official website.
