A stolen minivan, a handgun and a botched getaway from a south St. Louis gas station have ended with a 12-year federal prison sentence for a 49-year-old city man.
U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey handed down the sentence on June 11, 2026, for Rodney Patterson, who pleaded guilty in February to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. The office said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen prosecuted the case.
What Happened at the Jefferson Avenue Gas Station
On August 1, 2023, detectives with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spotted a minivan at a gas station in the 1600 block of South Jefferson Avenue that had been reported stolen earlier the same day, court records show, as reported by KTTN.
Patterson was the only person in the vehicle and was seated in the front passenger seat while the van sat running, according to the station’s report. When officers approached, he tried to drive away, hit a police cruiser, then jumped out and attempted to flee on foot before being arrested.
Officers recovered a Ruger LC Charger handgun from the front passenger seat where Patterson had been sitting, KTTN reported.
Federal Prosecution and Wider Enforcement
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is part of a nationwide effort called “Operation Take Back America,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. The initiative uses federal resources to target violent crime and firearms offenses.
What the Law Says
Federal law bars people convicted of felonies from possessing firearms. The Gun Control Act, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), is the statute most commonly used in these prosecutions, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Sentences vary based on the facts of a case and a defendant’s criminal history, and enhanced penalties can apply in some situations.
Patterson’s 12-year sentence underscores federal prosecutors’ focus on gun cases in the Eastern District, where local police and federal agents often work cases together. For the full rundown, see coverage from KTTN and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
