District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man to 35 years in prison for his involvement in drug-related robberies that resulted in the deaths of three individuals in St. Louis in 2021.
Demorion Little conspired with his co-defendant, Antaveon Bernard Le’Vell Kent, to steal and sell marijuana. They utilized Facebook to identify their targets and then arranged to purchase marijuana from them.
On Feb. 25, 2021, Little reached out to Rocoby Rodgers via Facebook Messenger inquiring about buying quarter-pound packages of marijuana. They agreed to meet on the 2300 block of Blair Avenue in St. Louis. Rodgers was later found deceased in his car. That same evening, Little posted on Facebook advertising marijuana for sale.
Kent and Little set up a meeting with Kortlin Williams and Johnnie Jones on March 16, 2021, on the 1100 block of Montgomery Street. Upon the victims’ arrival, Kent and Little opened fire on their vehicle, resulting in the deaths of Williams and Jones and wounding a third person.
Judge Pitlyk described Little’s actions, which claimed the lives of three young men and left another injured, as “beyond heinous.”
“This case seems unbelievable – murder over marijuana,” stated Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, head of Drug Enforcement Administration investigations in Eastern Missouri. “Sadly, the DEA has seen that the type of drug or its amount is irrelevant to drug dealers’ motives. They will resort to any measures to earn profits or safeguard their unlawful operations, including the use of violence or threats.”
At 24 years old, Little pleaded guilty in August to a single count of felony marijuana distribution conspiracy and one count of aiding and abetting the discharge of firearms in connection with the marijuana trafficking conspiracy.
Kent admitted to conspiracy to distribute marijuana, attempting to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and two counts of possession and discharge of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime that led to the deaths of Williams and Jones.
In February, Judge Pitlyk sentenced Kent, 23, from Florissant, to 26 years in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police conducted the investigation.
