St. Louis felon admits being caught in stolen car with 2 shotguns (DOJ)

ST. LOUIS - A convicted felon from St. Louis on Thursday admitted being caught in a stolen car with two shotguns.

Maurice Brown Jr., 27, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On April 12, 2026, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers learned that a recently stolen Audi A4 was spotted driving in St. Louis. After following the car, Brown was seen by officers walking away from the car and a local resident identified him as the driver. Brown had an active warrant and was on probation at the time. When officers searched Brown, they found the keys to the car in his pocket. In the car, they found two shotguns. As a felon, Brown is barred from possessing firearms.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Freedlund is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

Contact

Robert Patrick, Public Affairs Officer, [email protected].