Today in federal court, Phillip W. Smith changed his not guilty plea to guilty on all three federal charges he faced in connection with the Nov. 14, 2013 robbery and shooting at Ferguson TV, VCR and Satellite Service in Caseyville.
Philip W. Smith
With his court-appointed attorney Judith Kuenneke at his side, Smith answered “yes” when asked by Magistrate Judge Donald Wilkerson if he did the things the government alleged. The shooting victim, Judy Ferguson, of Caseyville was in the front row for the hearing.
Smith pleaded guilty to robbery, discharge of a firearm in a crime of violence and possession of ammunition by a felon. He faced a minimum of 30 years in prison and over $750,000 in fines if convicted on all three counts.
In exchange for the guilty pleas, Steve Wigginton, the United States district attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, recommended a 25-year prison sentence, fines, restitution to the victim and up to five years of supervised release for the 33-year-old East St. Louis man. The restitution amount, Wigginton told the court, is still being calculated.
Smith is not eligible for bail while he awaits sentencing and will not be eligible for parole under terms of the plea deal. Sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 26.
Smith still faces nine Class X felony counts in St. Clair County for the incident.
On Nov. 14, 2013 at approximately 11:28 a.m., Smith allegedly entered Ferguson TV, VCR and Satellite Service at 105 N. Main St. and shot Ferguson six times. Ferguson was attempting to give Smith the $42 she had when she was shot, authorities said.
Ferguson sustained six entry and six exit wounds during the shooting, suffered a fractured pelvis and nearly lost her right index finger. She later suffered a heart attack during her nearly four-week hospital stay.
The gun used in in the incident was never recovered, but nine spent rounds of 9mm ammunition were, allowing for the charge of possession of ammunition by a felon. Smith was convicted of felony residential burglary in 2002 and felony possession of a firearm by a felon in Oct. 2003.
Smith was charged in federal court under the Hobbs Act Robbery, which makes it a federal crime to obstruct, delay, or affect interstate commerce by robbery, or to commit an act of violence against a person in furtherance of such a robbery.
Wigginton praised the law enforcement agencies that assisted at the scene as part of the Metro-East Armed Robbery Initiative. The agencies included the Brooklyn Police Department, the Fairmont City Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the Belleville Police Department, the St. Clair County Sherriff’s Department and the Illinois State Police.
