Two Twin-City-area men are facing felony charges for allegedly robbing an undercover Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office detective outside the Festus Public Library on June 5. One of the men reportedly threatened the detective with a knife, and the other allegedly stole money the detective was going to use in a drug sting, court records show.
On June 6, Brandon Maurice Jackson, 34, of Festus and Travis Mitchell Wallace, 36, of Crystal City each were charged with first-degree robbery, a class A felony punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison; and armed criminal action, an unclassified felony that carries a penalty of three to 15 years in prison, according to court documents.
On Tuesday, Jackson and Wallace were being held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, court records said.
According to the probable-cause statement in the case, the detective contacted Wallace on June 5 to set up a drug sale and agreed to purchase an ounce of methamphetamine for $250 from Wallace.
The two agreed to meet at the Festus Public Library, 400 W. Main St., and Wallace arrived at the library at about 5 p.m. and got into the detective’s vehicle, the report said.
Wallace told the detective he didn’t have the meth and would arrange another meeting. However, Wallace then told the detective to go into the library’s bathroom to complete a transaction, according to the report.
The detective refused to enter the library, but Wallace went inside. Then, Wallace and Jackson came out of the library moments later and stood outside the passenger-side door of the detective’s vehicle, the report said.
Wallace reportedly tried to grab the money the detective was holding. When the detective wouldn’t let go of the money, Jackson lifted his shirt and allegedly displayed a knife and bag that appeared to contain narcotics, according to the report.
The detective then let go of the money, and Wallace and Jackson ran away. The two were later arrested, the report said.
When Jackson was searched, an officer allegedly found one of the $20 bills the detective had been holding and a 4-inch knife. Jackson refused to talk to investigators following his arrest, according to the report.
Wallace, on the other hand, reportedly admitted to being involved in the robbery. He also allegedly was seen in a video the detective took with a cell phone attempting to sell a liquid that Wallace told him was narcotics and then provided instructions on how to heat it to crystalize the substance, the report said.