ST. LOUIS — On Wednesday, United States District Judge Henry Autrey sentenced a St. Louis man to 25 years in prison for his role in a fatal 2019 carjacking that was caught on tape. The man also dropped a phone charging cord that had his DNA on it.
The man was indicted on charges related to an attempted carjacking that resulted in a man's death, the U.S. Department of Justice's Eastern District of Missouri said in a 2019 release.
Jalen Exavier Simms, 27, pleaded guilty and was charged with one count of attempted carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of that carjacking.
Autrey ordered the 25-year sentence to run consecutive to any sentence Simms receives for pending St. Louis County homicide charges, an arson charge in Ste. Genevieve County and an aggravated assault charge in Madison County.
According to a press release on Wednesday, Simms admitted that on June 3, 2019, at about 6 a.m., he and another armed man saw 27-year-old Jabari Clark sleeping in the driver's seat of Clark's 2012 Dodge Ram truck in front of his home in the 3000 block of Rauschenbach Avenue.
Simms approached Clark on the driver's side of the truck while the other man approached the passenger's side. Simms tried to remove Clark from the truck at gunpoint. After a struggle, the other man with Simms fired.
“Gun violence and carjackings remain top priorities of this office," said United States Attorney Jeff Jensen in the release. "We continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prevent these senseless acts of violence but, when they occur, we are committed to holding each and every perpetrator accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
Simms faced life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. They are still seeking the identity of the shooter.
Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Division at 314-444-5371 or report information anonymously to CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
Resources for crime victims:
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to "stabilize inner-city neighborhoods." One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program.
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership with St. Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities.
