St. Louis Teen Admits Being Caught with Gun After Police Chase

ST. LOUIS - A teenage felon from St. Louis on Thursday admitted being caught with a machine gun after a police chase.

Juanell Carter, 19, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On the afternoon of Aug. 26, 2025, the St. Ann Police Department was alerted about a stolen 2024 Nissan Altima on Page Avenue. A St. Ann police lieutenant spotted the vehicle backing into a parking spot at a convenience store. Carter was behind the wheel, wearing a yellow and black ski mask. Carter sped away, followed by the lieutenant, who activated his lights and siren. After deploying a Starchase tracker, the lieutenant discontinued the pursuit and monitored the vehicle electronically until it stopped at North Garrison Avenue and Thomas Street in St. Louis. Carter and his passenger ran away, but Carter was later located and arrested.

Carter was wearing a cross-body bag that contained suspected narcotics and a Glock 10mm pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device that rendered it into a fully automatic weapon. Police found the ski mask in Carter's pocket. He is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm. He was on parole at the time of his crime.

Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 2, 2026. His crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The St. Ann Police Department, the North County Police Cooperative and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D'Agrosa is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.