St. Louis Man Caught with Machine Guns Admits Drug, Gun Crimes

ST. LOUIS – A man who was caught with fentanyl, methamphetamine and two fully automatic handguns pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to three felonies Friday.

Courtlend Green, 26, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Green admitted that St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detectives with the Mobile Reserve Unit learned that he was known to sell drugs at a supermarket in the 8300 block of North Broadway. On Jan. 3, 2023, they spotted him driving into the supermarket parking lot. Because of his history of fleeing from police, officers deployed tire deflation devices in front of Green’s Honda Crosstour before activating their lights and trying to approach Green’s car. Green sped away before crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of Broadway and Gimblin Road. Green then got out and ran. Officers caught and arrested him. 

Inside Green’s Honda, officers found two Glock handguns that were equipped with illegal “switches,” or auto sears, that converted them into fully automatic weapons. One Glock, which had been stolen, had a drum magazine and the other had an extended magazine. Green, who is a convicted felon and therefore barred from the possession of firearms, admitted both possessing the firearms and buying the Glock switches for them. Officers also found about 64 grams of meth and at least 18 grams of fentanyl. 

Green is scheduled to be sentenced March 8, 2024.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag is prosecuting the case.

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