Three People Indicted on Attempted Carjacking in which James Anthony Sapone was Shot and Killed

            St. Louis, MO – Demario Hunter, 33, of East St. Louis, IL; Keombra James, 25, of East St. Louis, IL; and Surrayah Hill, 21, of East St. Louis, IL were indicted last week by a federal grand jury for attempted carjacking in the 3400 block of Iowa Street in St. Louis, MO during which James Anthony Sapone was shot and killed.  The three defendants were also indicted on weapon charges relating to the March 18, 2019, incident. The indictment was unsealed September 23, 2019, once all defendants were arrested.

            If convicted, the charge of attempted carjacking resulting in death carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the imposition of death. The charge of murder in the course of a crime of violence also carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the imposition of death.  The charge of possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a minimum penalty of ten years imprisonment.  All three defendants were charged with each of those crimes.  Additionally, Hunter faces a charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment. All charges carry a potential fine of $250,000 per count.

            Charges set forth in the Indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

            “Gun violence and carjackings remain top priorities of this office.  We continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prevent these senseless acts of violence but, when they occur, we are committed to holding each and every perpetrator accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Jeffrey B. Jensen, United States Attorney following the indictment’s unsealing.

            This case was investigated by the FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.  Assistance was provided by St. Louis County Police and Illinois Department of Corrections Parole.