A Missouri man has admitted to defrauding two investors out of a total sum of $830,000 and engaging in illegal weapons dealings. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Dennis Latour, 41, a convicted felon, along with Jennifer Keegan, 50, pleaded guilty to their roles in an elaborate scheme that included wire fraud and violating firearms regulations.
Latour entered his guilty plea last Wednesday, recognizing one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to purchase firearms for a convicted felon, and multiple counts of wire fraud. Keegan followed suit by pleading guilty to one felony count of conspiracy yesterday. The pair has been actively purchasing firearms since February 2023, despite Latour's criminal past, which precludes him from legally possessing guns. They cleverly tried to acquire a high-caliber rifle which was denied before successfully purchasing multiple firearms through Keegan's name in Missouri.
During a search of the couple's home in Des Peres, Missouri on September 26, 2023, 27 firearms were discovered in a secured "vault" room and two pistols in the bedroom, as revealed in their plea agreements. The ATF spearheaded the investigation, uncovering evidence of the firearms purchases and the larger fraudulent scheme.
Latour's deceit extended beyond illegal gun possession. He began in June 2022 to falsely convince two investors to "piggyback" on his non-existent cannabis industry investments. These investors lost a substantial sum, with totals of $718,271 and $112,340. The funds were not funneled into profitable investments but financed Latour's pleasures, including firearms, vehicles, and jet skis. Latour is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2025, while Keegan faces sentencing on March 11, suggesting severe repercussions for their actions.
The case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative designed to decrease violent crime and gun violence through collaborative law enforcement efforts and community involvement. The Department of Justice reinforced PSN with a violent crime reduction strategy introduced in May 2021, highlighting the importance of trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, and strategically focusing enforcement and result measurement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case under this initiative.
