ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A St. Louis County man allegedly posed as a woman on dating apps to lure other men into meetups, only to rob them at gunpoint, authorities say.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Ernest Johnson, 26, with first-degree robbery, vehicle hijacking and two counts of armed criminal action amid the investigation.
Johnson is accused of planning armed robberies on at least two occasions last summer in north St. Louis County after connecting with victims through the BLK dating app.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, one victim agreed to meet a person on June 21 that he believed was a woman. When the victim arrived to the arranged meetup spot, he was robbed by three men at gunpoint. The group took his phone and other items.
On June 27, a second victim was planning to meet a person that he also believed was a woman through the BLK dating app. He acquired a phone number, though belonging to Johnson, to arrange a meetup. After his arrival, the victim was ordered out of his car at gunpoint by two men.
The victim, however, attempted to drive away and was shot by an armed man, per court documents. Police later reviewed the case and determined that Johnson’s IP address was linked to communications with both victims.
Johnson was booked into jail in St. Louis County on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
