Jurors Convict St. Louis County Felon Caught with Guns, Drum Magazines

ST. LOUIS - Jurors in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Wednesday found a St. Louis County felon caught with two guns guilty of a firearm charge.

Evidence and testimony at the trial, which started Tuesday, showed that a Hazelwood police officer stopped Paris D. McPeters on June 18, 2024, after he failed to stay in his lane. After learning that McPeters had an active warrant, the officer arrested him. Before the vehicle was towed, the officer asked McPeters whether there were guns or drugs in the vehicle and McPeters responded, "yeah." A search revealed a 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle with a loaded 100-round drum magazine, five additional loaded large capacity magazines, a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a loaded 50 round drum magazine and extra ammunition, evidence and testimony showed. McPeters has numerous prior convictions. As a felon, he is barred from possessing firearms.

McPeters, 44, was found guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced December 9. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

The Hazelwood Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Christian Goeke and Joseph Green are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.