KMOV is reporting that Devonta Starks has been charged with firing a gun in the parking lot of the Ferguson Walmart. According to court records, Starks resides in the 9700 block of Medford Drive, in an unincorporated area just east of Ferguson and Dellwood. Starks reportedly fired two shots in the parking lot, after an argument with a security guard at Sam’s Club. He is being held on a $50,000 cash only bond.
Starks was charged with trespassing in Ferguson Municipal Court in May 2022. After failing to appear in that case, a warrant was issued in February of this year. Starks was also charged with trespassing in Ferguson in December 2022. He has failed to appear twice on that charge, but no warrant has been issued yet. Ferguson also charged him with trespassing in May 2021. After multiple failures to appear, a warrant was issued in that case in July 2022. He was charged with trespassing in Florissant in 2021, and did appear for that case. He was charged with shoplifting in Berkeley in 2021, but the case has been repeatedly continued by the court.
In January 2020, Starks was charged with trespassing in county court, for an incident in Ferguson. He received a suspended sentence of 90 days in jail and 2 years of probation. A warrant was issued for violating probation in June 2022, but Starks did not appear for the hearing. Dellwood filed charges against Starks 32 times in 2020, many of which were for trespassing. He did not appear in those cases, and warrants were issued in February 2023.
Starks is also on probation for two minor drug offenses. In each case, a probation violation hearing has been scheduled since his arrest in the current case. He was taken into custody on July 16. A bond reduction hearing scheduled for July 21 was canceled, with the following notation: “Defendant’s behavior causing security issue for DJS.” The hearing was rescheduled for today, and bond reduction was denied. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for July 24. The Observer will update this story as it develops.