ST. LOUIS 鈥 Four brothers were sentenced Monday to prison terms stemming from a 2017 cigarette and synthetic marijuana trafficking sting that ensnared 35 people.
Among those sentenced was Mohammed Almuttan, 40, who co-owns several convenience stores in north 果酱视频 and north 果酱视频 County and two properties that feature prominently in the federal bribery case against three former members of the 果酱视频 Board of Aldermen.
The Post-Dispatch has previously identified him as the federal informant in the June indictment that charged former 果酱视频 Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed and former aldermen Jeffrey Boyd and John Collins-Muhammad with accepting bribes from the properties鈥 owner in return for helping to pass lucrative tax breaks. The same informant was also involved in a case that led to charges against former 果酱视频 County official Tony Weaver, who had been appointed to a job by 果酱视频 County Executive Sam Page and was charged with trying to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 business grants.
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Almuttan was facing charges related to what federal prosecutors said was a scheme to manufacture synthetic drugs in Jefferson County and sell them at the stores he and his family owned, as well as a scheme to buy cheap Missouri cigarettes and sell them in high-tax states such as Illinois and New Jersey.
After pleading guilty in April along with three of his brothers, prosecutors dismissed money laundering charges, a conspiracy to traffic controlled substances charge and cigarette trafficking charges against Almuttan. A charge of conspiracy to traffic contraband cigarettes remained.
Nothing about his cooperation was mentioned in court Monday, and prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office declined to make any statements about him or his brothers during the back-to-back sentencings in the case.
But U.S. Judge Ronnie White described Almuttan as a 鈥渞ingleader, if not the mastermind鈥 of the cigarette and synthetic drug trafficking operations, and sentenced him to four years in federal prison. Almuttan, who was born in Palestine, is not a citizen and has a naturalization application pending. His guilty plea includes a provision where prosecutors expressly say his crime is not one of 鈥渕oral turpitude,鈥 a class of offenses that can lead to deportation.
Almuttan鈥檚 attorney, Justin Gelfand, declined to comment. But in court, he described Almuttan as a hardworking immigrant and the father of five children who donates to the primarily low-income communities where his stores operate.
The Rev. Elston McCowan, vice president of the 果酱视频 branch of the NAACP, wrote a letter on NAACP letterhead asking for leniency for Almuttan, saying he donates school supplies and money to needy families.
鈥淗is stores are the reason some north 果酱视频 City neighborhoods are no longer food deserts,鈥 McCowan wrote Sept. 22.
But 果酱视频 NAACP President Adolphus Pruitt sent his own letter to the court Friday, saying the 果酱视频 branch of the NAACP did not support leniency. Pruitt worked with Reed on a failed 2020 effort to allow 果酱视频 Lambert International Airport to be leased to a private operator.
Pruitt wrote that when Almuttan asked McCowan about writing a letter on his behalf, McCowan asked Almuttan if he was part of 鈥渢he wide ranging public corruption cases before the courts, and Mr. Almuttan assured him that he was not.鈥
鈥淭hus, Mr. Almutton (sic) has acted to deceived (sic) not only Mr. McCowan but also the Court,鈥 Pruitt wrote.
White, the judge, also said that the letters from supporters only show one side of his character, and 鈥渢here鈥檚 another side to you the public needs to know about.鈥
鈥淭he harm you caused is immeasurable,鈥 White said.
Dozens of other defendants in the case appeared before White, and they now all have criminal convictions because of Almuttan鈥檚 trafficking schemes.
鈥淭hese folks who appeared in front of me, they trusted you to do right by them,鈥 White said.
Three of Almuttan鈥檚 brothers and business partners also were sentenced Monday. All are U.S. citizens and there is no indication they cooperated with the government in the public corruption probe.
White sentenced Rami Almuttan to four years in prison for a count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Money laundering and a cigarette trafficking charge were dismissed in exchange for his plea.
Among those writing leniency letters for Rami Almuttan was Steven Miltenberger, owner of Wildwood-based Torch Electronics. Torch operates thousands of unregulated gaming devices in gas stations across the state and has been charged with illegal gambling in at least one jurisdiction.
鈥淢y family has known Rami Almuttan for over 20 years,鈥 Miltenberger wrote. 鈥淗e was one of Torch Electronics鈥 first clients. I know Rami to be a man of his word.鈥
Another brother Hisham Mutan, was also sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to traffic in cigarettes. His other counts were dismissed.
Mutan鈥檚 attorney Neil Bruntrager pleaded with White to give Mutan probation, arguing Mutan maintains the books of the businesses and deals with the banks. Letting him remain free would allow him to continue operating the convenience stores, which include Northway Market and Mally Supermarket on West Florissant Avenue and employ some 40 people.
鈥淗e鈥檚 the person who can keep these businesses open while (his brothers) are gone,鈥 Bruntrager said. 鈥淚f they are all gone, judge, then these businesses fail.鈥
Bruntrager made the same argument for Saddam Mutan, the final brother to be sentenced Monday.
鈥淟eave one brother in place to run the businesses,鈥 Bruntrager said.
White gave Saddam Mutan 46 months in prison for conspiracy to traffic contraband cigarettes. His other charges were dismissed.
