Caleb Schanz, 24, of Pevely has been charged with five felonies for allegedly shooting a man at the victim's home in the 3600 block of Glenview Drive east of De Soto during an armed robbery on Dec. 19.
The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Schanz on Dec. 20 with first-degree robbery and first-degree assault, each one a class A felony, as well first-degree burglary, a class B felony; unlawful use of a weapon, a class E felony; and armed criminal action, an unclassified felony.
He was being held in the Jefferson County Jail today (Jan. 2) without bond, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell said.
Schanz was arrested at about 4:30 a.m. Dec. 31 in the 400 block of Fifth Street in Festus, but not before he allegedly tried to flee from the back of the house. However, authorities were waiting behind the house and caught him, Bissell said.
According to a Sheriff’s Office press release and the probable-cause statement in the case, Schanz was among three to four suspects who showed up at the victim’s home around 4:20 a.m. and kicked in the kitchen door. Then, Schanz reportedly shot the victim – a 22-year-old man – in the knee with a pistol while the other suspects allegedly stole money from the home and destroyed property while looking for money to steal, the report said.
Schanz also allegedly grabbed a second victim, a 22-year-old woman, by the hair and “forced her down on a bed pushing the pistol to her temple,” according to the report.
Bissell said the shooting victim’s injury was not life threatening and he was treated and released.
“We’d like to commend our investigators for their work on this case and to thank the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for issuing charges in a timely manner,” Sheriff Dave Marshak said.
If convicted, Schanz faces sentencing of 10 to 30 years or life in prison for each of the class A felonies; five to 15 years for the class B felony; up to four years for the class E felony; and a minimum of three years for the unclassified felony.
The Sheriff’s Office is still seeking other suspects in the case, Bissell said.