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Date: 12-13-2022
Case Style:
United States of America v. Richard Cotton
Case Number: 4:21-cr-00387
Judge: Stephen R. Clark
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Rashaad Cotton, 25, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a felony charge of attempting to commit arson. Cotton admitted that on April 30, 2021 at approximately 6:20 p.m., he threw a Molotov cocktail on a residential street in a suburban area in St. Charles.
Twenty minutes later, Cotton threw a Molotov cocktail on the northeast side of the Sauce on the Side restaurant on Beale Street in St. Charles, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware said in court Tuesday. He threw another near the front door. A juvenile female with Cotton threw a Molotov cocktail at a patio area, Cotton’s plea agreement says. The restaurant was open and serving customers. The pair then ran back to Cotton’s vehicle and sped away, but crashed into a curb and were arrested.
Cotton told police that he had been fired from the restaurant the night before and wanted to scare people.
At his sentencing, scheduled for April 19, Cotton could face five to 20 years in prison for the crime.
The case was investigated by the St. Charles Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware is prosecuting the case.
DAMAGING OR DESTROYING BY FIRE OR EXPLOSIVE ANY BUILDING, VEHICLE OR OTHER REAL PROPERTY USED IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE
(1r)
POSSESSION OF AN UNREGISTERED DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE MEETING THE DEFINITION OF A FIREARM
(2r)
Outcome: 12/13/2022 60 ELECTRONIC MINUTE ENTRY (no pdf attached) for proceedings held before District Judge Stephen R. Clark: Change of Plea hearing as to Rashaad Cotton held on 12/13/2022. Defendant sworn. Age of Defendant: 25; Level of Education: 12th grade. The Court finds the defendant competent to enter a plea of guilty. By leave of Court, defendant withdraws former plea of not guilty and enters a Plea(s) of Guilty as to Count(s) 1. Counts held in abeyance until sentencing: 2. The Court accepts the guilty plea. The Court defers adoption of the guilty plea agreement. Guilty Plea Agreement filed. Objections, if any, to the Presentence Report are due 14 days after receiving the Presentence Report, pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(f)(1). No objections shall be filed after that deadline without leave of the Court. The Parties shall inform the Court, in writing, and no less than ten (10) days prior to the sentencing date, whether testimony is to be presented at sentencing and, if so, the anticipated number of witnesses and the estimated length of such testimony. The Parties must file any memoranda no later than seven (7) days before the sentencing date except that a response to a sentencing memorandum may be filed no later than five (5) days before the sentencing date. (Sentencing set for 4/19/2023 02:30 PM in Courtroom 14N - St. Louis before District Judge Stephen R. Clark.) (Court Reporter:Kristine Toennies, Kristine_Toennies@moed.uscourts.gov, 314-244-6701) (proceedings started: 2:38 pm) (proceedings ended: 3:38 pm)(Deputy Clerk: L. Jones) (Defendant Location: CUSTODY)(Appearance for Government: John Ware)(Appearance for Defendant: Kevin Gau) (LNJ) (Entered: 12/13/2022)
12/13/2022 61 GUILTY PLEA AGREEMENT by USA, Rashaad Cotton as to Rashaad Cotton (LNJ) (Entered: 12/13/2022)
12/13/2022 62 GUILTY PLEA AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT as to Rashaad Cotton (LNJ) (Entered: 12/13/2022)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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