Rodrick Miller, a convicted felon from St. Louis County, pleaded guilty on March 11 to lying about the circumstances surrounding the accidental shooting of a toddler last year.
The case highlights concerns about gun safety and the legal consequences for felons found in possession of firearms. According to court documents, Miller, age 36, admitted that he and his girlfriend—who is also the mother of the injured child—were cleaning an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 semiautomatic pistol on March 6, 2025. The firearm was left unattended on a couch in their Wellston home.
Miller’s plea states that he does not know how the toddler was shot but confirms that after discovering the injury, he and his girlfriend took the boy to a hospital for treatment of severe injuries to his calf. On their way, Miller stopped in a wooded area and hid the gun behind a tree before continuing to seek medical help. Both adults then told North County Police Cooperative officers that the child had been struck by a stray bullet during an alleged gunfight between two vehicles while Miller’s girlfriend was walking home. Miller claimed he left work to take them to the hospital. Police later recovered the hidden firearm.
Miller pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm—a charge that carries up to 15 years in prison due to his prior felony conviction barring him from owning guns. Sentencing is scheduled for June.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies including the North County Police Cooperative, St. Ann Police Department, and St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franks is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, described as a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime through coordinated federal efforts.
