ST. LOUIS – A man pleaded not guilty in federal court on Wednesday for a carjacking earlier this summer in downtown St. Louis.
Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Bradley McKinney, 34, carjacked a 2015 Chevy Cruze on July 29. The indictment further alleges McKinney had possession of a machine gun the following day.
McKinney and another man are accused of brandishing handguns when stealing the Cruze, as well as wallets from the driver and passenger and a cellphone. Immediately following the carjacking, police claim a white GMC Terrain pulled up and then both the Terrain and Cruze drove into Illinois.
The very next day, St. Louis police conducted a traffic stop on the Terrain. McKinney was driving the SUV. Police found a Glock handgun that had been illegally modified with a switch or auto sear device to become fully automatic.
Prosecutors filed a motion with the court asking that McKinney be held until trial.
McKinney was charged with carjacking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, being a felon in possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal, and possession of a machine gun.
The carjacking charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison; possession of a firearm carries a seven-year term; being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a minimum 15-year sentence; and the machine gun charge has a 10-year sentence.
