A St. Louis man has admitted to robbing a store with a shotgun, an act that occurred in 2023. Divontay Scott, 34, pleaded guilty to three felony charges, including robbery, possession, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Scott confessed to entering the Family Dollar store on South Grand Boulevard on October 17, 2023. He ordered an employee to open the cash register and stole approximately $114. Though his face was partially concealed, witnesses identified him as a frequent customer. Surveillance footage from earlier that day also captured him at the store. Later that evening, a witness saw him at a nearby business, leading to a police alert. As stated in the plea agreement, Scott had texted his partner his intention to rob the store and shared an image of the money he stole.
Sentencing for Scott is scheduled for July 8. Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Scott’s lawyer have agreed to propose a sentence of 11 years in prison.
The case was handled by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department with Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake prosecuting.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement at all levels and the communities they serve. Launched on May 26, 2021, the strategy emphasizes building trust and legitimacy within communities, supporting organizations that work to prevent violence, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and evaluating outcomes.