A St. Louis man, Stanley E. Alford, 58, has pled guilty to the gunpoint robberies of two local businesses in St. Louis County last year. In a court hearing on Thursday, Alford admitted to robbing a store and a pawnshop, with the incidents occurring within days of each other in January 2024. According to the details shared by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Alford is now facing substantial prison time for his crimes.
In his guilty plea, Alford confessed to first targeting a store on Gravois Bluffs Boulevard in Fenton, where he initially tried to coax the cashier to open the cash register under the pretense of needing change. Returning shortly after to supposedly return an item, Alford seized the opportunity to pull a handgun on the cashier as soon as the register was opened, demanding the cash drawer. He did not hesitate to physically intimidate the cashier, using the barrel of his gun to push her head. Alford's spree continued two days later, when he boldly attempted to browse for jewelry at a pawnshop in the 8100 block of Gravois Road, before drawing his handgun once again. In this instance, the employee managed quickly to escape, leaving Alford to jump the counter and remove a tray of gold and diamond rings.
Surveillance footage played a crucial role in tying Alford to the crimes. Found in his possession were several of the stolen rings, alongside distinctive clothing that was seen in the robbery footage. The vehicle captured on camera during the getaways was registered to Alford as well. This incriminating array of evidence linked him unequivocally to the crimes he now admits.
Alford's sentencing is slated for October 14, and he's looking down the barrel of a weighty sentence – the robbery charges carry the possibility of up to 20 years, and for brandishing a firearm, each count calls for a mandatory seven year sentence, to be served consecutively. The cumulative punishment means he could end up to significantly stretch his life behind bars. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), under which this case falls, emphasizes the convergence of community and law enforcement efforts to curb violence, notably violent crime that involves firearms, a focus that the U.S. Department of Justice has been intensifying since May 2021.
The investigation was spearheaded by the St. Louis County Police Department alongside the FBI. In prosecuting the case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is intent on holding Alford accountable for his actions that have perpetuated fear and danger in the community. Not only do these crimes impact the immediate victims, but they ripple out, undermining the sense of security within the neighborhoods that PSN is diligently working to protect and serve.
