ST. LOUIS — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Missouri, Eastern), published as received.
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge Tuesday and admitted possessing a Glock handgun and a stolen AR-15-style pistol while fleeing from police in a stolen car.
Eric Davis, 31, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Ross to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In his plea agreement, Davis admitted driving a stolen Jeep Cherokee on May 4, 2021 and possessing a handgun and an AR-15-style pistol. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers initially spotted the Jeep because it had no license plate, and it then sped away from a stop sign at Minerva and Hamilton Avenues.
Officers tried to stop the Jeep in a parking lot, but Davis accelerated away recklessly and continued to flee even after officers used a spike strip. After Davis ran a red light at the intersection of Kingshighway Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, the Jeep collided with another vehicle, injuring that driver.
Police found a stolen American Tactical Omni Hybrid AR-style pistol on the backseat and a .357-caliber Glock 32 under the passenger seat. Both had large-capacity magazines.
Officers then discovered that Davis had several prior felony convictions and bench warrants for his arrest and confirmed that the Jeep had been stolen less than 48 hours earlier.
Davis’ sentencing is set for March 13. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. If Davis is determined to be an armed career criminal, he could face 15 years to life in prison.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachry Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
