Show-Me State Times

A St. Louis County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in the death of his pregnant girlfriend, who was killed with an illegally acquired firearm. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey handed down the sentence to Darius Carter, 30, after determining that he used a pistol obtained through illegal means to commit the crime.

Carter was convicted in May on two felony charges: aiding and abetting false statements in the straw purchase of a firearm and conspiracy to make false statements in such purchases. The trial lasted three days.

The court heard evidence showing that Carter enlisted his mother, Lynn Hooks, and friend, Dakota Carr, to purchase firearms from Piazza Jewelry and Pawn on July 14, 2017. At that time, Carter was prohibited from owning a gun due to probation restrictions. Carr worked at the pawn shop and collaborated with Hooks and Carter to bypass background checks by having Hooks purchase the weapons.

They bought a Heckler & Koch model VP9 9mm for Carter and a .380 caliber Glock pistol for Sarah Mason, Carter's girlfriend.

On October 31, 2017, Mason—who was eight months pregnant—was shot fatally in the back of her head. Her unborn daughter also died as a result.

Testimony revealed that Mason planned to leave Carter due to disputes over his infidelity. Evidence showed that on the day of her death, Carter traveled near their shared home in St. John, Missouri before returning without his jacket or pistol—the same type used in Mason's murder.

A neighbor testified about Carter's emotional display upon discovering Mason's body but noted a lack of genuine emotion or tears. Court records indicated Carter had a history of abusive behavior toward women.

Judge Autrey remarked during sentencing that the case bore similarities to first-degree murder. The sentence comprises ten years for making false statements and five years for conspiracy—the maximum penalties allowed for each charge.

Hooks received probation while Carr was also sentenced similarly after both pleaded guilty to their roles in acquiring firearms illegally for Carter. They admitted Hooks falsely claimed ownership on purchasing forms while Carr facilitated this process knowing it contained falsehoods.

The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; St. John Police Department; and St. Louis County Police Department with prosecution led by Assistant U.S Attorneys Michael Reilly and Nino Przulj.