Second Man Admits Drug Conspiracy that Killed Three in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS – A second man involved in a drug robbery conspiracy that resulted in the fatal shooting of three people in 2021 pleaded guilty Friday to federal drug and gun charges.
Demorion Little, 24, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to one felony marijuana distribution conspiracy count and one count of aiding and abetting the discharge of one or more firearms in furtherance of the marijuana trafficking conspiracy. Those firearm discharges resulted in the death of Rocoby Rodgers on Feb. 25, 2021 and Kortlin Williams and Johnnie Jones on March 16, 2021, Little’s plea agreement says.
In his plea, Little admitted conspiring with his co-defendant, Antaveon Bernard Le'Vell Kent, to steal and sell marijuana. The pair used Facebook to communicate with each other, pick their targets and then arrange to buy marijuana from their victims.
On Feb. 25, 2021, Little contacted Rodgers via Facebook Messenger to ask about purchasing quarter-pound packages of marijuana. They arranged to meet in the 2300 block of Blair Avenue in St. Louis. Police later found Rodgers dead in his car. That night, Little used his Facebook account to advertise that he had marijuana for sale.
Kent and Little arranged to meet Williams and Jones on March 16, 2021, in the 1100 block of Montgomery Street. When the victims arrived, Kent and Little fired into their vehicle, killing Williams and Jones and injuring a third occupant, Little’s plea agreement says.
Kent pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to distribute marijuana, attempting to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and two charges of possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime that resulted in the fatal shootings of Williams and Jones.
In February, Judge Pitlyk sentenced Kent, now 23, of Florissant, to 26 years in prison. Little is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 3, and both sides have agreed to recommend a 28-year prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police.
