ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon has admitted illegally acquiring dozens of guns and bilking two investors out of a total of $830,000.
Dennis Latour, 41, pleaded guilty on November 20 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon, and 13 counts of wire fraud. Jennifer Keegan, 50, pleaded guilty Monday, November 25, in U.S. District Court to one felony count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon.
Keegan admitted that starting at least in February of 2023, she and Latour began purchasing multiple firearms. Keegan filled out the required paperwork, despite knowing that many of the guns would be possessed and/or used by Latour, a convicted felon who is barred from possessing firearms.
On Feb. 24, 2023, Latour tried to buy a Barrett .50-caliber rifle and ammunition from an online firearms retailer but was rejected because of concerns about his criminal history. On March 1, 2023, Keegan and Latour bought a Barrett rifle and another rifle from a retailer in St. Charles, Missouri.
Three days later, Keegan bought two rifles from a St. Charles, Missouri sporting goods store. On March 21, she bought five more guns from a Springfield, Missouri sporting goods store, and the next day she returned and bought a pistol.
On April 4, 2023, Keegan picked up a rifle and two pistols from a Pevely, Missouri gun store after buying them online. Latour was with her and had a pistol. Fifteen days later they returned and purchased a shotgun.
On Sept. 26, 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) performed a court-approved search of the home the couple shared in Des Peres, Missouri. They found 27 firearms in a “vault” room, and two pistols in the couple’s bedroom, their plea agreements say.
Latour also admitted as part of his plea agreement that beginning in June 2022, he hatched a scheme to bilk investors. Latour falsely claimed to have made successful investments in the cannabis industry and told two victims that they could participate by “piggybacking” on his investment. Latour used the money to fund his lifestyle and to pay for items such as firearms, vehicles, and jet skis. One victim lost $718,271 and the other lost $112,340, Latour’s plea agreement says.
Latour is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2025. Keegan is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11.
The felon in possession charge and conspiracy charge each carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The wire fraud charges carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
