ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A man was sentenced to four years in prison for aiding teenagers during an escape at the St. Louis County Juvenile Detention Center last year.
Aaqil Royal, 21, previously pleaded guilty to two felony counts of hindering prosecution.
On May 30, 2022, two teens escaped confinement from the detention center. In an effort to avoid officers, they found Royal, who provided transportation, money and firearms to both teenagers.
“This type of behavior, particularly involving juveniles, is problematic on so many levels and could have easily ended tragically,” said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell.
Another person accused of helping with the escape was Michelle Royal, the mother of one of the juveniles who once served as a corrections officer. She has a pre-trial conference scheduled for Dec. 15 over her charges, which also include two felony counts of hindering prosecution. She has previously pleaded not guilty to charges.
