St. Louis Co. Exec Steve Stenger Resigns After Federal Indictment

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO — St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger resigned Monday after being indicted on federal charges of bribery, mail fraud and theft of honest services, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. The charges, brought by a federal grand jury in St. Louis last week, were unsealed Monday morning and stem from an investigation into a yearslong pay-for-play scheme in which prosecutors allege Stenger traded political favors for campaign contributions.

According to the indictment, Stenger helped campaign donors purchase county-held properties, awarded government contracts to financial backers and took steps to cover up the illicit deals.

Stenger resigned shortly after the charges became public.

"It has been an honor to serve the people of St. Louis County as St. Louis County Executive," he wrote in a letter addressed to County Counselor Peter Krane. "The past four years have been some of the most fulfilling years of my professional career. I have determined after much thought that it is in the best interest of our County and my family that I resign as St. Louis County Executive effective immediately."

Last month, the Post-Dispatch reported Stenger's administration was subpoenaed in a federal investigation into his conduct in office. Stenger was narrowly reelected in August 2018 and has long been at war with the St. Louis County Council, which has increasingly sought to limit his executive power.

Stenger will be arraigned at 1 p.m. at the federal courthouse in St. Louis. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge.

Patch has reached out to Stenger's office for comment and will update this story if we hear back.

Read the indictment below: