A Florissant man pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal drug and gun charges after fleeing St. Louis police in a stolen vehicle and injuring a city employee during the pursuit.
Jorden M. Owens, 23, admitted to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. According to court documents, on December 12, 2024, officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department observed Owens near Page Boulevard and Vandeventer Avenue driving a stolen Lexus RC350 coupe. Officers attempted to stop him using spike strips on Grand Boulevard, but Owens fled at high speed.
During the chase, about 60 employees from a local business had to move quickly out of the way as Owens drove recklessly near Tucker Boulevard and Chouteau Avenue. At the intersection of 7th Street and Cerre Street, he struck an employee from the City of St. Louis Traffic Division before crashing into her work truck. He then tried to escape on foot but was arrested after resisting arrest.
Police found a Glock .40-caliber pistol equipped with an auto sear—making it fully automatic—in Owens’ bag. Inside the car were three cell phones, approximately 824.7 grams (1.8 pounds) of methamphetamine, and 342 grams of fentanyl.
Owens is scheduled for sentencing on November 3. Each charge carries a potential sentence ranging from five to forty years in prison.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Delworth.
