ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from East St. Louis on Tuesday admitted shooting a homeless man in 2024.
Travion X. Cutler, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Oct. 21, 2024, he was walking around a tent in downtown St. Louis when the man who shared the tent returned from showering at a friend’s house. The victim’s tentmate was inside the tent. Cutler fired a single shot, striking the victim in the abdomen. Police quickly located Cutler, who turned and ran, dropping a .40 caliber handgun after he fell into some bushes. He was then arrested. Cutler is a felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms.
Cutler is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Voss is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of Missouri — U.S. Department of Justice press release.