East St. Louis, Illinois: Jury Convicts Earl Frank, 57, of Shooting at U.S. Marshals Serving a Warrant at a Motel

A federal jury in southern Illinois has convicted Earl Frank, 57, of O'Fallon, Illinois, on three counts for opening fire on deputy U.S. Marshals who came to arrest him at a motel in East St. Louis. The jury found Frank guilty of assault on a federal officer, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Illinois announced.

A fugitive for nearly a year

Frank had been a fugitive for nearly a year before the marshals found him. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Frank cut off his ankle monitor in St. Louis in July 2024 while he was on supervised release. In June 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force learned that Frank was staying at the Royal Budget Inn in East St. Louis and went to the motel to serve an arrest warrant.

"Earl Frank is a dangerous criminal who had been on the run for nearly a year. When Deputy U.S. Marshals caught up with him, he opened fire instead of surrendering," said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.

Gunfire at the motel door

As shown on body worn camera, agents knocked and announced themselves three times before using a key to open Frank's motel room door, according to the evidence at trial. When an officer opened the door, Frank fired a gun at the officers. Agents took Frank into custody approximately ten minutes after he fired the shot. They recovered a .380 pistol and a spent .380 shell casing from the motel room, and a box of .380 ammunition from Frank's car parked outside the room.

"Our Deputy U.S. Marshals and task force officers went to that hotel room to execute an arrest warrant and were met with gunfire," said Deputy U.S. Marshal Kyle Schulte of the Southern District of Illinois.

The case after the verdict

Frank had previously been convicted of a felony and was therefore unable to legally possess a firearm or ammunition, prosecutors said. The Justice Department release notes that assault on a federal officer carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation, with assistance from the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karelia Rajagopal and Kathleen Howard are prosecuting the case. Sentencing will be set by the federal court in the Southern District of Illinois.