Gunman and leader of city and county-wide armed robbery conspiracy pleads guilty

ST. LOUIS – Lloyd Wings, 41, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to seven counts of armed robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of armed robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Wings appeared today before United States District Court Judge Ronnie L. White and admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies and committed a series of armed robberies.

Beginning in July 2018, Wings and five co-defendants conspired to commit a series of armed robberies in the City of St. Louis. Wings and his co-conspirators would choose a location to rob and drive to the location in separate cars. Once there, the conspirators would enter the business armed with firearms and demand the employees provide the contents of the safe and/or cash registers. The conspirators would take U.S. currency from the businesses by the threatened use of deadly force. Wings and his co-conspirators would also forcibly steal the personal property of customers or employees. They would then flee in their respective vehicles, meet elsewhere, and divide the proceeds of the robberies.

On August 31,2018 Wings and two co-conspirators robbed a Domino's pizza restaurant on Lindell Boulevard. Wings and one of the co-conspirators entered the business through an unlocked employee entrance. Both tried to disguise their identities. They demanded an employee remove money from the cash registers. As he demanded the money, Wings brandished a handgun. A co-conspirator then demanded an employee open the safe. After the safe was opened, the co-conspirator took all of the U.S. currency and fled with Wings and another co-conspirator who drove the getaway car.

On September 3, 2018 Wings and a co-conspirator robbed a Subway sandwich restaurant on South Kingshighway. Wings went into business, produced a purple handgun, jumped over the counter, and demanded employees open the safe. The employees indicated they did not know the safe’s location, so Wings demanded they give him the money from the registers. Wings, while jumping the counter, knocked over an elderly customer causing her physical injury. After getting money from the registers, Wings jumped back over the counter, knocking over an employee, and left. The co-conspirator, who remained in the car during the robbery, drove the getaway car. He knew Wings was armed with a gun and intended to rob the Subway. The co-conspirator drove himself and Wings away from the scene.

On September 9, 2018 Wings and three co-conspirators robbed a Metro PCS store on DeBaliviere Avenue. Wings went into the store, produced a purple handgun, and pointed it at a Metro PCS employee and customers. He demanded money and produced a purple Crown Royal bag. An employee complied and took U.S. currency from the cash register to put into the Crown Royal bag. Wings left the store. One co-conspirator stood outside the store. A co-conspirator drove a getaway car. A third co-conspirator drove a second getaway vehicle.

On September 9, 2018, approximately an hour after robbing the Metro PCS on DeBaliviviere, Wings along with three co-conspirators robbed the Metro PCS located on Page Ave in St. Louis County. After dropping off Wings outside of the business, three co-conspirators waited in the getaway vehicles. Wings entered the Metro PCS store and pointed a handgun at a store employee. While brandishing the firearm, Wings ordered the employee to open the cash register. The employee complied and took U.S. currency from the register. Wings then fled the store with the money, jumped inside one of the getaway vehicles and all co-conspirators fled.

On September 7, 2018 Wings along with one co-conspirator robbed the Family Dollar in the 5900 block of Delmar Boulevard. Wings, armed with a mini-Draco (AK-47 styled assault weapon), entered the store and demanded access to the safe. Wings held multiple customers and employees at gunpoint for almost ten minutes while waiting for the safe to open. He demanded an employee empty the cash drawers and then the safe. He then tried to rob the employee. He fled on foot after the robbery.

On September 10, 2018 Wings, along with his accomplices robbed the Family Dollar located in the 5300 block of Virginia Avenue. Armed with a semiautomatic handgun, Wings entered the store and brandished the gun. He demanded money from the cash register and also robbed an employee.

Judge White has set sentencing for September 14, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Pagedale Police Department, North County Cooperative and St. Louis County Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is handling the case.

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