Matthew John Ortega, 34, of St. Louis County has pleaded guilty to federal charges for robbing a Hillsboro-area gas station.
He admitted to pointing a gun at a gas station clerk and customer at the Tishomingo Quick Stop gas station, 7690 Hillsboro-House Springs Road, and stealing money from the business in June 2023, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office announced.
Ortega, who previously lived in Dittmer, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime on June 20 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, according to court records.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake, who is prosecuting the case, and Ortega’s lawyer, Eric M. Selig, have agreed to recommend an 11-year prison sentence, court documents said.
On June 25, 2023, Ortega arrived at the gas station north of Hillsboro on a 2005 Suzuki motorcycle that had been reported stolen to Clayton Police, the probable-cause statement in the case said.
Ortega entered the store wearing a black motorcycle helmet that completely covered his face and head, a white T-shirt, black hooded sweatshirt, black capris pants and black gloves. He allegedly pointed a Glock 48 gun at the convenience store clerk and demanded money, according to Ortega’s guilty plea.
While waiting for the clerk, he allegedly pointed the gun at a customer. He fled the store with an unknown amount of money and rode away on the motorcycle, the report said.
Three days later, Ortega was riding the Suzuki south at Old Hwy. 21 and Larry Lane when the motorcycle overturned onto its right side. He was seriously injured and taken by Big River Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
He was wearing a helmet, and the motorcycle was moderately damaged.
The highway patrol arrested Ortega that day at the hospital, after he attempted to flee from the hospital, the report said.
According to the guilty plea, the motorcycle Ortega was riding when he had the accident was the same one he rode to the Tishomingo Quick Stop. He also was wearing the same helmet and gloves that he wore at the time of the robbery.
Investigators found the Glock 48 used in the robbery at Ortega’s fiancee’s home. Ortega also sent text messages to his fiancee between July 7-17 discussing the robbery, the plea said.
Court records show Ortega previously was convicted of two felonies in Jefferson County and two felonies in St. Louis County.
In July 2009, he pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary following a September 2008 arrest in Jefferson County. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but that sentence was suspended and he was placed on five years’ probation, court records said.
In March 2021, Ortega pleaded guilty to first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle following a July 2019 arrest in Jefferson County. He was sentenced to six years, but the sentence was suspended and he was placed on five years’ probation, according to court documents.
In June 2021, he pleaded guilty to first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle connected to a May 2019 arrest in Maplewood and to felony stealing of a motor vehicle stemming from a June 2019 arrest in Kirkwood. He was sentenced to one year in the St. Louis County Jail, court documents said.
Ortega also has been charged with stealing, a class C felony punishable by three to 10 years in prison, in St. Louis County following an arrest in December 2021, according to court documents.