Federal prosecutors say a 68-year-old St. Louis man pointed a gun at a Vietnam-era veteran in the parking lot of the John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital and robbed him, a case that has now landed in U.S. District Court.
Lafayette Hutchins has been indicted on a federal charge in connection with the alleged robbery. He was arrested, brought before a federal judge, and entered a not guilty plea. Prosecutors have also asked the court to keep him in custody while the case moves toward trial.
Federal indictment and alleged attack
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, a federal grand jury returned an indictment on February 18 charging Hutchins with one count of robbery within the special territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
The release notes that the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated the incident and that Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case. In a motion seeking Hutchins’ detention, prosecutors allege the victim was robbed at gunpoint in the hospital parking lot.
Local coverage and court appearance
Local station FOX 2 reported on Hutchins’ arrest and detailed information drawn from federal court filings, including the allegation that the victim is a Vietnam-era veteran. The station’s report appeared as the U.S. Attorney’s Office posted its public release and court records reflected Hutchins’ not guilty plea.
At the VA campus
The John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital sits at 915 North Grand Boulevard in midtown St. Louis, according to VA St. Louis Health Care. The Department of Justice release does not identify the alleged victim by name. Prosecutors say the case remains under investigation and that further developments will be guided by federal court filings.
Legal process and next steps
The U.S. Attorney’s Office underscored in its release that “an indictment is merely an accusation,” stressing that Hutchins is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. Pretrial detention proceedings are underway in U.S. District Court as prosecutors press to keep him in custody.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is handling the prosecution, and the timing of any trial will depend on future scheduling decisions and additional filings in the federal case.
