ST. LOUIS — A federal judge sentenced a man to prison Tuesday in connection to an incident that pushed tension between the St. Louis Police Department and prosecutors into the national spotlight last year.
Former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s administration made national news in 2022 after accusing two St. Louis police officers of lying when they said a man tried to carjack them.
U.S. Magistrate Ronnie White sentenced Allen Robinson Tuesday to 27 months in prison -- the maximum sentence -- for possession of a firearm while under an order of protection in connection to the incident in question. Robinson had an order of protection against him at the time, which prohibited him from having a firearm.
As part of a plea agreement, Robinson admitted the government could prove the following facts if he went to trial:
- On March 19, 2022, at about 3 a.m., St. Louis police officers responded to a call for shots fired in downtown St. Louis.
- Officers received a description of the shooter and encountered a man matching the description, defendant Allen L. Robinson, on the sidewalk nearby.
- As a police car drove toward Robinson, he stepped out into the street in front of the police car and displayed a gun to the officers inside.
- The driver of the police car drove forward to get away from the threat and then turned around to face the car toward Robinson.
- Robinson then ran, and other police officers caught him nearby.
- A search revealed a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol in Robinson's waistband.
The St. Louis Police Department sent a statement to 5 On Your Side reacting to Robinson's sentence, which read: "The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is grateful for the US Attorney’s Office and their willingness to seek federal prosecution of Robinson, who was unlawfully armed with a firearm in violation of both Federal and Missouri law. As documented in the plea agreement, Robinson admitted the government could prove, among other things, that he '…stepped out into the street in front of the police car and displayed a gun to the officers inside.' The plea agreement and Robinson’s admission speak for themselves."
Officers sought charges of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and resisting arrest against the 27-year-old suspect, according to an internal memo obtained by 5 On Your Side, but Gardner's office charged him only with unlawful use of a weapon.
Chris Hinckley, Gardner's former chief warrant officer, accused the police of lying about the confrontation during a press conference in which he showed reporters grainy surveillance video.
Then-police chief John Hayden sent a letter to Gardner about Hinckley’s allegations, which read: “The allegations made by Mr. Hinckley could be construed as a crime. In review of this material…we find no indication that our officers committed a criminal offense, nor were their statements intentionally misleading.”
Hinckley resigned from the Circuit Attorney’s Office shortly after Gardner did in May.
Video shown during Robinson’s sentencing hearing Tuesday in federal court shows what happened before police arrived on March 19, 2022. Robinson is seen walking through Kiener Plaza when a van appears to surprise him. It then looks like he fired shots at the van. Police found shell casings where he had been standing.
About 15 minutes later, Robinson is seen confronting a random person on the street, pointing his gun at them and asking them, “Are you trying to kill me?” That person put his hands up and as he walked away, Robinson appeared to fire a shot in the air, which prompted the 911 calls.
The St. Louis Police Officers Association and The Ethical Society of Police issued statements supporting the officers’ version of events.
Court records showed Robinson was facing charges for several incidents over the past few years in St. Louis and Jefferson County, including domestic assault, violating an order of protection and first-degree property damage.
