CAPE GIRARDEAU — A Ripley County man who was robbed at gunpoint at his home in November 2018 pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this week to drug- and weapons-related offenses.
John C. Lovell pleaded guilty as charged Tuesday to the felonies of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before U.S. District Judge Steven A. Clark, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell.
With his plea, Lovell reportedly admitted to possessing six firearms, as well as admitted he “protected the marijuana and/or marijuana sales’ proceeds with the firearms.”
After accepting Lovell’s plea, Sorrell said, Clark set sentencing for April 24.
At that time, Lovell faces up to five years in prison on the possession charge and no less than a two-year period of supervised release.
Lovell’s gun charge carries a punishment range of up to life imprisonment and up to five years of supervised release. The offense also has a mandatory minimum of five years imprisonment.
The agreed-upon facts of Lovell’s case say in November 2018, Ashley Purdom was living with him in Ripley County.
Purdom reportedly called Travis W. Davis of Collinsville, Ill., and asked him to come to Missouri to get her and take her back to Illinois.
“Purdom informed Davis that Lovell was in possession of approximately 8 pounds of marijuana and some firearms that were located in (his) gun safe and that Davis could take the marijuana and firearms by robbery,” the plea agreement signed by Lovell says.
Purdom reportedly took a photograph of the marijuana inside the gun safe.
“Lovell had the marijuana in his gun safe in order to sell to other persons,” the plea agreement further said. “(He) previously sold quantities of marijuana to other persons from his Ripley County home.”
Davis and “his associate,” James M. Judd, reportedly went to the Ripley County home, arriving there late on the evening of Nov. 6, 2018.
Armed with a Mossberg 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun, Davis reportedly attempted to open the front door, but it was locked.
Davis then shot the door three times, striking Purdom with numerous pellets as she went to open the door.
Once inside, Davis and Judd “secured Lovell with zip ties and threatened him with the shotgun in order to obtain the code to unlock Lovell’s gun safe,” the plea agreement further says.
The men reportedly took several pounds of marijuana and firearms from Lovell’s safe. The firearms included a Smith & Wesson . 22-caliber pistol, a Stevens 12-gauge shotgun and a H & K .45-caliber pistol.
Davis, Judd and Purdom were captured the next day in Illinois.
“When officers were called to the scene of the crime to investigate, they noticed the overwhelming smell of raw marijuana in the Lovell home,” the plea agreement says. “They searched Lovell’s cellphone by his consent and discovered several text messages where he discussed selling marijuana to other people.”
The officers reportedly found a Remington .223-caliber rifle and two Ruger .22-caliber rifles inside Lovell’s gun safe.
“The officers also found large quantities of ammunition for firearms in the home,” the plea agreement says.
At sentencing, the government is expected to dismiss an additional felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Lovell was the last of four to plea in connection to the robbery that occurred at his home.
Judd, a 31-year-old Chesterfield resident, was sentenced earlier this month to 210 months in federal prison on the felonies of conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence and interference with commerce by robbery.
Purdom also has pleaded guilty to the felony of aiding and abetting in the possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
The Warrenton woman is to be sentenced Feb. 18.
At that time, she faces up to five years in prison, followed by up to a two-year period of supervised release.
Davis is to be sentenced March 2 after having pleaded guilty to the felonies of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence, robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
At that time, he faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, up to life in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and 20 years on the robbery charge.