Judge sentences St. Louis man for carjackings and possession and brandishing a firearm

 ST. LOUIS – United States District Judge John A. Ross sentenced Ramonte Willey to 17 years in prison today. The 24-year-old St. Louis, Missouri resident pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking and one count of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Willey committed two carjackings in the City of St. Louis.  On December 7, 2018, Willey approached a victim’s Chevrolet Impala, which was parked in a Family Dollar parking lot in the 5000 block of Enright Avenue.  Willey demanded the victim’s money.  Brandishing a handgun with an extended clip, Willey then forced his victim out of the vehicle, saying “Get out of the f**king car!” Willey took the Impala from his victim, driving away from the scene of the crime.

On January 27, 2019, Willey arrived at a gas station in the 2000 block of N. Florissant in a stolen Kia Optima. Willey then got out of the Optima, approached a victim who was pumping gas, and put a gun in the victim’s side.  Willey then took the victim’s car, a Toyota Camry.  As the victim fled, Willey fired shots at him.  Willey drove off in the Camry.  The driver of the Optima also drove off, following Willey.

The next day, St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers saw a Kia Optima consistent with the vehicle used in the carjacking. Willey was driving the Optima. When detectives tried to pull over the vehicle, Willey sped off.  Even after detectives deployed spike strips. Willey continued to drive recklessly, throughout the City of St. Louis, violating stop signs and endangering others. Ultimately, the Optima became disabled in the 2900 block of Marcus.

Detectives demanded the occupants of the vehicle place their hands in the air. Willey, the driver of the vehicle, opened the door of the vehicle and placed his hands in the air, before reaching back into the vehicle. Willey ultimately exited the Optima and laid on the ground with a bag strapped to his torso. The bag contained two boxes of ammunition.  Detectives also recovered two firearms, including a handgun with an extended clip and another handgun, and a box of ammunition from the vehicle.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.