Dollar General Robber Indicted on Federal Gun Charges | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Skip to main content Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Search form Search Main menu Who We Are About Executive Staff Organization Structure Our History Diversity & Inclusion Contact Hotlines Licensing Services For Media & Congress For Victims & Witnesses Careers Special Agent IO Investigator Attorneys Professional/Technical Locations HQ Offices Field Divisions Local Offices International What We Do Mission Areas Firearms Explosives Arson Alcohol & Tobacco Regulations Laws Regulations Federal Register Rulings News Advisories Press Releases Social Media Media Contacts Laboratories Fire Research Forensics Firearms Examiner Academy Most Wanted Reward Notices Resources Download Forms Order Paper Forms Photo Galleries Firearms Gallery K-9 Gallery Publications Fact Sheets Regulations Library FOIA Q&A Firearms Explosives Careers Data & Statistics U.S. Firearms Trace Data U.S. Firearms Commerce Report AFMER You are here Home » What We Do » News News Menu News Home Media/Congressional Contacts Press Releases Advisories Reward Notices ATF Stories Social Media Infographics Resources - Fact Sheets, Videos and More Data and Statistics Lists of Federal Firearms Licensees Department of Justice U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Missouri For Immediate Release Wednesday, August 15, 2018 Jeffrey B. Jensen , United States Attorney www.justice.gov/usao-edmo Dollar General Robber Indicted on Federal Gun Charges St. Louis, MO – Lawrence K. Patterson, 25, of St. Louis, was charged in a federal indictment charging him with one felony count of interference with commerce by threats or violence and one felony count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. According to the indictment, on or about July 16, 2018, Lawrence Patterson walked into a Dollar General Store and approached two employees with a firearm. Patterson demanded that they open the store safe and give him the money contained therein. Patterson was arrested by the St. Louis Police Department in the 5900 block of Delmar on the city’s west side shortly after the robbery. If convicted, the charge of interference with commerce by threat or violence carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine and the charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a penalty of not less than 7 years, not more than life, consecutive to all other counts. As is always the case, charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Roy is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. ### Kansas City Field Division Keep up with the latest ATF updates: facebook twitter instagram youtube email Who We Are About Executive Staff Organization Structure Our History What We Do Firearms Explosives Arson Alcohol & Tobacco News Press Releases Advisories Reward Notices Media/Congressional Contacts Careers Special Agent Industry Operations Investigator EEO and Disability Information Resource Center Statistics FOIA Most Wanted Download Forms Open Government Privacy Policy Legal Policies & Disclaimers USA.gov No Fear Act Whistleblower Rights & Protections Site Map Accessibility & Plug-Ins ATF.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice