Three St. Louis City Men Face Federal Armed Bank Robbery Charges

ST. LOUIS, MO—The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that two St. Louis City men have previously pleaded guilty, and a third man was convicted by a jury last night for the March 2009 armed robberies of the Bank of America in Clayton, and Commerce Bank in University City.

Michael Wesley, 46, St. Louis, 63116, was convicted late Thursday of two felony counts of armed bank robbery and two felony counts of possession of a weapon in furtherance of those crimes of violence. The two-day trial was held before United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry.

Shamir Houston, 28, St. Louis, 63116, pleaded guilty in February to two felony counts of bank robbery and one felony count of possession of a weapon in furtherance of a crime of violence. He will be sentenced next week.

Ura Clerk, 27, St. Louis, 63115, was sentenced on May 3rd to 171 months in prison after pleading guilty in February to two felony counts of bank robbery and one felony count of possession of a weapon in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Wesley now faces up to 25 years in prison for the armed bank robberies and 32 years in prison on the gun counts when he is sentenced in August, 2010.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clayton and University City Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Mehan and Michael Bert are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.