PB man appears in federal court after indictment on gun-related charges

CAPE GIRARDEAU — A Poplar Bluff man made his first appearance in federal court Wednesday after his recent indictment on multiple gun-related felonies.

Butler County deputies reportedly turned Carlos James Wallace, 31, over Wednesday morning to agent(s) with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, who took him to Cape Girardeau.

Wallace subsequently made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Abbie Crites-Leoni on a three-count indictment, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell.

The indictment, which was handed down earlier this month by a federal grand jury, charged Wallace with the felonies of carjacking, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Wallace was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charges, Sorrell said.

“He agreed to be detained,” waiving his right to a detention hearing, Sorrell said.

“He asked for a month to review the discovery,” said Sorrell, who indicated Wallace’s case will be set after pretrial motions are resolved.

The indictment alleges on Dec. 11, Wallace “knowingly took … a motor vehicle from a person of another by means of force or violence and … caused serious bodily injury” to that person and that he

“knowingly used and discharged a firearm” during the theft.

The indictment further alleges on Dec. 23, Wallace knowingly possessed a firearm, “knowing he had been previously convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.”

If convicted, Sorrell said, Wallace faces up to 15 years in federal prison on the carjacking charge; up to 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm and a minimum of five years to a maximum of life imprisonment for possession of gun in furtherance of a crime of violence.

The offenses alleged in Wallace’s indictment stem from investigations by the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Wallace also faces state charges in connection with both incidents, as well as two unrelated incidents.

At about 11:35 p.m. Dec. 11, Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman Matt Kassing contacted a man who reported his vehicle had been stolen at gun point.

The man, according to Kassing’s probable-cause statement filed in Butler County, had been shot in the leg, but declined medical treatment.

The man, Kassing said, reported he was stopped at Washington and Pine streets when an “adult black male (later identified as Carlos Wallace) opened the rear door and got into the back seat and told him to drive.”

Later, while driving on Relief Street, the man told Kassing they saw a police vehicle, and “Carlos became nervous and told him to turn north off Grand” Avenue.

Kassing said the man further reported he kept driving and ended up on a gravel road off of Alice Street, where he was told to stop.

“Once stopped, he was told to get out,” Kassing said. “(The man) told Carlos ‘no’ because the vehicle did not belong to him.

“At that time, Carlos fired a single gunshot, from the back seat, hitting (him). Carlos kept (the victim) at gunpoint, while he got into the driver’s seat and drove away.”

Kassing said the victim subsequently picked Wallace out of a photographic lineup.

Wallace was not located at that time, but later was charged with the Class A felony of first-degree robbery, the Class B felony of first-degree assault, unclassified felony of armed criminal action and the Class D felonies of stealing a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm.

On Dec. 22, according to police Detective Joey Woodruff’s probable-cause statement, officers received information Wallace was driving a silver Toyota Camry and was staying somewhere in South Poplar Bluff.

At about 12:55 a.m. Dec. 23, Sgt. Dusty Johnson saw an older model silver Toyota traveling on Highway 53 near Fair Street.

“The driver, later identified as Carlos Wallace, turned north on 14th (Street) and accelerated at a high rate of speed,” Woodruff said.

Johnson, he said, activated the emergency equipment on his patrol car, but Wallace did not stop and a pursuit ensued.

The pursuit, Woodruff said, ended after Wallace’s vehicle became stuck after he turned down an alley on Center Street.

When Wallace was taken into custody, Woodruff said, Johnson saw a pistol laying in the driver’s seat and another in the driver’s side floorboard.

“Wallace also made a spontaneous statement advising there were two guns in there,” Woodruff said.

The car was towed to a secure location and a search warrant was sought and executed.

Woodruff said a Taurus 9mm handgun, loaded and chambered, was found in the driver’s seat. The pistol had been reported stolen in St. Louis.

A Savage .380-caliber handgun, loaded and chambered, was found in the driver’s floorboard, Woodruff said.

Wallace is charged with two Class D felonies of unlawful possession of a firearm, the Class D felony of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and the Class E felony of resisting arrest in connection with the Dec. 23 incident in Butler County.

At this time, Wallace has two other cases pending in Butler County.

He is charged with the Class A felony of first-degree assault and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action in connection with a Nov. 2 incident and the Class D felonies of unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle and the Class E felony of resisting arrest stemming from an Aug. 11 incident.

Wallace has previous convictions in Butler County on the felonies of third-degree domestic assault, stealing/theft of any controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

He reportedly was released from the Missouri Department of Corrections on May 4.