St. Charles County Man Indicted for Pointing a Laser at an Aircraft

ST. LOUIS, MO—Michael Brandon Smith, of O’Fallon, Missouri, was indicted for allegedly pointing a laser at Metro St. Louis Air Support Police helicopter on May 18, 2012.

Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury June 6 on one felony count of aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft. The indictment was sealed until the arrest of the defendant earlier today.

If convicted, this charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

This case was investigated by the O’Fallon Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Howard Marcus is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Local Woman Sentenced on Charges Involving the Stolen Money from the Robbery of ATM Solutions

ST. LOUIS—Latunya Wright was sentenced to 51 months in connection with her purchase of a Hummer to drive and hide the stolen ATM Solutions money in a locker.

According to court documents, within minutes of the robbery of ATM Solutions in August of 2010, the four armed robbers drove a stolen ATM van to Wright’s residence with the stolen $6.4 million. That night, at the request of one of the robbers, Wright took a large portion of the stolen money to a storage locker in north county. Later she had associates remove most of the money from the storage locker and conceal it in another location. About a week later, Candi Goodson went to the home of Cathy Goodson with Latunya Wright in a truck containing some of that stolen money. The Goodsons assumed that it was money stolen from ATM. Cathy Goodson agreed to store the money at her house for a couple of days. A few days later they returned with James Wright and Annkesha Welch to Cathy Goodson’s house to count and repackage the money with the intent to further conceal the stolen money. Candi Goodson and Welch were promised $3,000 each for their assistance. The money was counted and placed in bundles of $20,000 in freezer bags and placed in a storage container. Wright had the money taken to Texas and buried. Wright, Welch, and Candi Goodson drove to Texas and then to Atlanta, Georgia with the stolen money, where it was hidden in a storage locker. It was later recovered by the FBI. When interviewed by the FBI, Cathy Goodson lied to them about her involvement.

LATUNYA WRIGHT, St. Louis, pled guilty April 7, 2011, and appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Jean C. Hamilton.

The following co-defendants previously pled and were sentenced:

Annkesha Welch, St. Louis, was sentenced April 2 to 18 months in prison on one felony count of transportation of stolen property. Candi Goodson, was sentenced April 9 to 18 months in prison on one felony count of conspiracy to transport stolen property. Cathy Goodson was sentenced April 9 to one year of probation for lying to a federal agent.

Co-defendant Yolanda Willis pled guilty last November to making false statements to the FBI about her assistance in the packaging and concealment of the money. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 23, 2012.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Mehan is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Serial Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested and Charged

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Dennis L. Baker has announced the arrest of 37-year-old Timothy Shaw, of St. Louis. The FBI, St. Louis County Police, and St. Louis Metropolitan Police arrested Shaw today without incident at a hotel in St. Louis.

Shaw has been charged with Monday's robbery:

Montgomery Bank at 3808 Union in St. Louis County on 5-16-2011.

Alert witnesses provided a description of the getaway vehicle. The vehicle, which was located yesterday, led investigators to Shaw this morning. Investigators believe Shaw may be responsible for at least 10 other bank robberies in the St. Louis area:

First Bank at 7435 Watson Road in Shrewsbury on 3-18-11

Regions Bank at 4706 S. Kingshighway in St. Louis on 3-4-11

Regions Bank at 3547 Hampton Avenue in St. Louis on 2-22-11

Regions Bank at 4706 S. Kingshighway in St. Louis 1-31-11

Southern Commercial Bank at 6969 S. Lindbergh in St. Louis 1-12-11

First Bank at 2909 Telegraph in St. Louis County on 12-06-10

Southern Commercial Bank at 3207 Meramec Street in St. Louis on 10-20-10

Vantage Credit Union at 4545 Lemay Ferry in St. Louis County on 10-2-10

Southern Commercial Bank at 3207 Meramec Street in St. Louis on 9-15-10

First Bank at 2909 Telegraph in St. Louis County on 8-27-10

"While there was a spike in bank robberies so far this year, we anticipate the numbers will fall more in line with previous years now that two suspected serial robbers have been arrested," said SAC Baker.

The FBI is looking for additional information on the 11 robberies. Please visit www.bandittrackerstlouis.com for pictures and information. If you have any information, please call Crime Stoppers at 866-371-TIPS.

John Wesley Jones Pleads Guilty to the Robbery of ATM Solutions

ST. LOUIS—The United States Attorney's Office announced today that John Wesley Jones appeared in court this afternoon to enter guilty pleas to the armed robbery, related firearms charges, and his later escape from the Lincoln County jail.

According to court documents, in the early morning of August 2, 2010, four individuals, each armed with a firearm, forced their way into ATM Solutions. They announced a robbery and subsequently took over $5 million belonging to ATM Solutions. They took the firearms from each of two employees and tied them up after forcing them to assist in placing of the U.S. currency into an ATM Solutions van.

The robbers decided that they needed to steal an ATM Solutions van, as there was too much money to put into the vehicle that they drove to the robbery. They loaded the ATM Solutions van with the currency and drove to into a garage on

Page Avenue

and emptied the van. Some of the U.S. currency was hidden in the attic there and some was taken to a storage locker.

On August 3, 2010, Jones placed over a million dollars into his black Dodge Charger and drove out of the driveway at 4032 Page and almost ran into an unmarked police car. Members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were patrolling the 4000 block of Page following the robbery the day before. The Charger accelerated and a police pursuit ensued. During the police pursuit, Jones struck another vehicle, drove on, crashed, ran from police, and was arrested a short distance away. When the police returned to the Charger, they found over one million dollars in the trunk, along with a loaded firearm. Jones admits that he possessed that firearm and the currency. Jones was indicted for the possession of a firearm and ordered detained by a United States Magistrate Judge. While in custody at the Lincoln County Detention Center Jones escaped on November 15, 2010, when he and another inmate climbed into the ceiling area and escaped via an air conditioning duct. He was arrested several days later in Illinois.

Jones, 36, Florissant, MO, pled guilty to one felony count of armed robbery, one felony count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, one felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and one felony count of escape from custody. He appeared this afternoon before United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry. Sentencing has been set for May 12, 2011 before United States District Judge Carol E. Jackson.

"We are pleased with the guilty plea and are highly confident the other individuals involved with the robbery will be brought to justice," said Special Agent in Charge Dennis L. Baker of the FBI St. Louis Division. "We have recovered most of the stolen money but are trying to locate the rest. Anyone who possesses, transports, or conceals the stolen money could face federal charges, just like three others who have already been charged. Anyone with information should contact the FBI."

Robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a penalty range of seven years to life in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; and escape from custody carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, Judge Jackson is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

Because the ATM Solutions case remains under investigation, U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan declined comment, other than to praise the work being done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshal's Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Mehan is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.