ST. LOUIS — A 37-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to more than 28 years in prison for a crime spree he committed throughout the St. Louis area two years ago. The hours-long spree involved multiple carjackings, burglaries, and a home invasion.
According to a press release from the Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of Missouri, Drew Clark, 37, was convicted of three counts each of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
Prosecutors said that on May 22, 2021, Clark stole a Jeep Cherokee outside the St. Louis Union Station and took off with the victim's 9mm handgun and guitar that were inside.
Four days later, Clark jumped out the stolen Jeep and carjacked another vehicle from a local business, the release said. He abandoned that vehicle shortly after and then carjacked a third vehicle, a Dodge Ram, at gunpoint in St. Louis' Marine Villa neighborhood.
Clark continued his crime spree in St. Louis' Soulard neighborhood where he burglarized a home. He stole a wallet and debit card among other items, according to the release. He reportedly abandoned the Dodge at the home and then tried to use the debit card to no avail, so he tossed it.
Shortly after, he broke into another home in the same neighborhood, the attorney's office said, where he forced a woman into her own bathroom, zip-tied her and stole her keys and a fourth vehicle, another Jeep Cherokee.
He drove to LaSalle Park where he abandoned that Jeep and headed toward the Purina facility just south of downtown St. Louis, according to the release. After walking around the facility grounds, he found an employee locker and stole clothing, including a Purina vest. He then carjacked a fifth vehicle, a Subaru Impreza, from another employee and later abandoned it near the Soulard Farmer's Market.
St. Louis police spotted Clark at that point and began a foot pursuit to capture him. When police arrested him, they found a backpack with an unused zip tie, keys from Purina, and several stolen items from the start of his crime spree.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen summed up the crimes for jurors at Clark’s January trial as an “absolute rampage.”
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