Two St. Louis men have entered guilty pleas in connection with an armed robbery that occurred last year. Orlando Perez, 37, faced a U.S. District Court in St. Louis, acknowledging his role as an accessory after the fact to a robbery on Tuesday. Jason Fox, 39, had already pleaded guilty to charges of possession and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence on September 10, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
During the heist, which took place on Jan. 20, 2023, Fox approached the register of a store on South Kingshighway Boulevard with items, then suddenly drew a handgun demanding "all the money from the registers." He also made off with video games, and two Xbox consoles. A subsequent police investigation led to the discovery of Perez near a shopping center, armed with keys to the getaway vehicle, cash, ammunition, and with 3.54 grams of methamphetamine in his possession. The stolen goods were found in the car, and Fox was arrested nearby. Perez admitted to owning the gun used in the robbery.
Sentencing for Fox is set for December 9, while Perez is set to receive his sentence on January 6. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives carried out the investigation leading to their guilty pleas.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a collaborative initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and specifically, gun violence. The aim is to create safer communities through a partnership among law enforcement at all levels and community organizations. According to the statement, on May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy to enhance PSN. The enhanced strategy focuses on fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting local organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
