Two Men Charged with Federal Drug and Firearm Crimes

St. Louis – Patrick Fitzgerald Franklin, 21, of St. Louis, and Jacquez Trayvon Love, 22, of St. Louis, were charged by a federal complaint today.  Franklin was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.  Love was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to the criminal complaint and other court documents, on May 13, 2020, investigators with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) Anti-Crime Unit observed a stolen silver 2020 Volkswagen Passat parked at a QuikTrip gas station.  Franklin and Love were identified as the occupants in the stolen vehicle.  Franklin and Love proceeded to depart the QuikTrip in the vehicle, and traveled to the 3900 block of Potomac in St. Louis.  Both Franklin and Love approached a house in the 3900 block of Potomac.

An officer attempted to contact the men, yelled “stop” and “police,” and observed each man to be in possession of an assault-style firearm.  Both men proceeded to flee on foot into a residence in the 3900 block of Potomac.

The complaint further alleges that police took Franklin and Love into custody, recovered the assault-style firearms, and recovered suspected controlled substances, later determined to be fentanyl, in each man’s possession.  The complaint alleges that the quantities of controlled substances are consistent with the intent to distribute.

Franklin and Love are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

These charges are being investigated by the Anti-Crime Unit of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Angie Danis is handling the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.