EAST ST. LOUIS – Two East St. Louis residents have been charged in separate cases with possessing handguns modified into fully-automatic “machine guns.”
Jerell C. Brown, 24, of East St. Louis, was charged on Oct. 21, 2024 with unlawful use of weapons – possession of a machine gun (a Class X felony), reckless discharge of a firearm (a Class 4 felony) and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer (a Class 4 felony).
On June 5, 2024, Brown allegedly possessed a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun which was “modified with a switch to make the weapon automatically fire more than one shot without manually reloading” and located in a motor vehicle. He was additionally charged with firing the gun down an alleyway in the 400 block of Broadway in Venice.
A petition to deny Brown’s pretrial release states Venice Police officers responded to a report of shots fired adjacent to “a public thoroughfare in Venice.”
“Officers located multiple 40 caliber discharged shell casings in that area,” the petition states. “Officers obtained a description of the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop of a Dodge Charger, later found to be registered to Jerell Brown.
“The vehicle fled at speeds of 90 mph in a 35 mph zone, eventually crossing the Eads Bridge into St. Louis. The vehicle continued to flee on busy city streets, until it swerved to avoid a vehicle in traffic, lost control and crashed into a utility pole.”
Shortly after the crash, police dash cam footage captured Brown and a passenger fleeing from the vehicle on foot. Officers searched the vehicle and discovered the firearm with a switch device “on the driver’s side floorboard.” Brown was later located and arrested by police before reportedly admitting to “being in the vehicle and running from police.”
Brown’s case was presented by the Venice Police Department. Madison County Sheriff’s Office records indicate he has since been released from custody.
In a separate case, Ezra D. Protho, 19, also of East St. Louis, was also charged on Oc. 21, 2024 with unlawful use of weapons – possession of a machine gun (a Class X felony).
On Oct. 20, 2024, Protho allegedly possessed another Glock 22 handgun which had also been “modified with a switch to make the weapon automatically fire.” Protho was identified as the rear passenger in a vehicle stopped for a series of traffic infractions; the weapon was located under the passenger seat directly in front of Protho.
Protho had previously been convicted of aggravated battery of a peace officer in a Madison County case from 2023. In this latest case, a Detention Order was filed granting the state’s petition to keep Protho detained, finding his possession of the weapon violated the terms of his probation from the previous case.
The Granite City Police Department presented the case against Protho, who currently remains in custody.
The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an indication of guilt. All subjects charged with criminal offenses are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
