A Fenton woman and three St. Louis men have been indicted on drug charges in connection with an attempted burglary at a Jefferson County mobile home last year that left one man dead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.
One of the men also was charged with discharging a firearm that resulted in the death of the 26-year-old St. Louis man, who allegedly was an accomplice in the attempted burglary.
In addition, the owner of the mobile home, Chad Coffman, 36, has been charged in connection with the incident, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
All the charges stem from an incident that occurred Oct. 11, 2017, at Coffman’s mobile home in the 700 block of Chancellor Lane.
On that day, Kathleen Marie Hydar, 30, of Fenton, along with Courtney A. Brown, 36, Paris John Earnest Devine, 25, and Raymond Christopher Seay, 39, all of St. Louis, as well as the late Ramone Thomas, allegedly went to Coffman’s mobile home to burglarize it.
While the men allegedly were inside the mobile home ransacking it and Hydar was waiting outside in a car, Coffman reportedly showed up and the four men ran away, headed to the car, but Hydar had already left the scene, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office previously reported.
Before the men fled, however, Thomas reportedly passed a handgun to Brown, who allegedly fired it. The shot struck Thomas, and he was found dead at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
After the suspects were taken into custody, Brown allegedly told authorities he had pointed the gun at the mobile home “to scare” the homeowner and inadvertently fired it, striking Thomas, the Sheriff’s Office said.
At the time, the Sheriff’s Office reported that it appeared there was a connection between the alleged burglars and Coffman.
The Sheriff’s Office also said Hydar had planned the burglary.
Hydar, Brown, Devine and Seay have been charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Brown also was charged with discharging a firearm that resulted in the death of Thomas, and Devine also was charged with brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Devine is further charged with an armed carjacking that occurred Sept. 28, 2017, in the city of St. Louis, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.
Coffman, 36, was charged separately for possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.
If convicted, the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine; the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death carries a penalty of death or life in prison and a $250,000 fine; the charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a minimum penalty of seven years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the charge of possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million; the charge of a felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and the charge of carjacking carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Major Case Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant United States Attorney Angie Danis is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Hydar, Brown, Devine and Seay also are facing charges in Jefferson County stemming from the incident.
The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged all four with second-degree murder, a class A felony, and second-degree burglary, a class D felony. Brown also was charged with armed criminal action, an unclassified felony. Second-degree murder is punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison. The burglary charge is punishable by up to seven years in prison, and the armed criminal action charge is punishable by a minimum of three years in prison.