Topline: Police say the victim secretly alerted relatives, who tracked her phone and helped officers intercept the vehicle at a Planned Parenthood clinic.
Published: November 20, 2025 8:00 am ET
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EAST ST. LOUIS, IL — Federal prosecutors say Kevin L. Smith spent nearly every mile of a 35-mile drive turning a December morning in 2022 into a nightmare for his pregnant girlfriend — a crime that a federal judge has now punished with more than 15 years in prison.
Smith, 42, of St. Peters, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and was sentenced Oct. 1 to 188 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
Prosecutors said he abducted the woman from her workplace in St. Charles and forced her across the state line to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fairview Heights in a attempt to coerce her into an abortion.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft did not mince words in describing the case, saying in a statement that “it is not easy to shock law enforcement officials because we have pretty much seen it all—but then someone like Kevin Smith comes along,” adding that “this vile crime terrorized the victim and threatened the life of her unborn child.”
Court documents cited by federal prosecutors and by Law&Crime trace the ordeal back to Dec. 6, 2022, when the woman texted Smith a photo of a positive pregnancy test and the message, “Bae im pregnant.”
They initially agreed she would have an abortion, but by morning, she told him she wanted to keep the child. According to Law&Crime, her account of his response was blunt: “I’m going to kill you, b—.”
He followed through on his threats the next day, showing up at her job — a gas station cleaning shift in St. Charles — and, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, kidnapping her at gunpoint. As Fairview Heights police later summarized, he brandished a loaded firearm throughout the roughly 40-minute drive, at one point making statements the victim recalled as, “It will be real motherf— funny when I blow your brains out” and “B—, I’m gonna take you over there and put you in some field,” Law&Crime reported.
Even as the car sped east, the victim managed to text her family.
According to Fox 2 (KPLR), she warned them that Smith “had a gun,” that he was threatening to kill her if she refused the abortion, and that she planned to alert clinic staff once they arrived. A relative tracking her phone drove to the Planned Parenthood parking lot and called 911.
Police were already watching for the white Dodge Charger with Missouri plates. When officers pulled in, they saw a vehicle matching that description, with Smith at the wheel. The Fairview Heights Police Department said he tried to drive off and tossed a Glock 27 out of the window before stopping. Officers arrested him, and, according to body-camera footage described in Law&Crime, he told police on the way to the station, “It’s my son’s birthday and I’m trying to prevent having another kid.”
Fairview Heights Police Chief Steve Johnson called the incident “a disturbing act of violence and abuse,” adding that Smith’s conduct showed him to be “a dangerous and manipulative individual,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He said investigators “worked tirelessly to bring the facts forward,” and that the resulting sentence “sends a clear message that acts of violence will not be tolerated in our community.”
Judge Stephen McGlynn, as quoted in court records referenced by Law&Crime, underscored the deliberateness of the crime, noting that the drive itself offered “time to contemplate what you were doing” and rejecting any notion that the kidnapping represented “the dumbest five minutes of your life.” Smith, the judge said, “had time to plan” at every stage — from driving to her workplace, to sitting in the car, to forcing her toward the clinic.
Prosecutors said Smith’s sentence was heightened because he repeatedly harassed and threatened the victim even from jail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized his history of domestic violence, noted in court documents, and said those continued threats further justified the nearly 16-year punishment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case, while the Fairview Heights Police Department led the investigation. As Weinhoeft put it, Smith “deserves every minute of that prison sentence.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Man Held Pregnant Girlfriend at Gunpoint to Make Her Get an Abortion
Police say the victim secretly alerted relatives, who tracked her phone and helped officers intercept the vehicle at a Planned Parenthood clinic.
By Jacob Charles
Published: November 20, 2025 8:00 am ET
EAST ST. LOUIS, IL — Federal prosecutors say Kevin L. Smith spent nearly every mile of a 35-mile drive turning a December morning in 2022 into a nightmare for his pregnant girlfriend — a crime that a federal judge has now punished with more than 15 years in prison.
Smith, 42, of St. Peters, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and was sentenced Oct. 1 to 188 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
Prosecutors said he abducted the woman from her workplace in St. Charles and forced her across the state line to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fairview Heights in a attempt to coerce her into an abortion.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft did not mince words in describing the case, saying in a statement that “it is not easy to shock law enforcement officials because we have pretty much seen it all—but then someone like Kevin Smith comes along,” adding that “this vile crime terrorized the victim and threatened the life of her unborn child.”
Court documents cited by federal prosecutors and by Law&Crime trace the ordeal back to Dec. 6, 2022, when the woman texted Smith a photo of a positive pregnancy test and the message, “Bae im pregnant.”
They initially agreed she would have an abortion, but by morning, she told him she wanted to keep the child. According to Law&Crime, her account of his response was blunt: “I’m going to kill you, b—.”
He followed through on his threats the next day, showing up at her job — a gas station cleaning shift in St. Charles — and, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, kidnapping her at gunpoint. As Fairview Heights police later summarized, he brandished a loaded firearm throughout the roughly 40-minute drive, at one point making statements the victim recalled as, “It will be real motherf— funny when I blow your brains out” and “B—, I’m gonna take you over there and put you in some field,” Law&Crime reported.
Even as the car sped east, the victim managed to text her family.
According to Fox 2 (KPLR), she warned them that Smith “had a gun,” that he was threatening to kill her if she refused the abortion, and that she planned to alert clinic staff once they arrived. A relative tracking her phone drove to the Planned Parenthood parking lot and called 911.
Police were already watching for the white Dodge Charger with Missouri plates. When officers pulled in, they saw a vehicle matching that description, with Smith at the wheel. The Fairview Heights Police Department said he tried to drive off and tossed a Glock 27 out of the window before stopping. Officers arrested him, and, according to body-camera footage described in Law&Crime, he told police on the way to the station, “It’s my son’s birthday and I’m trying to prevent having another kid.”
Fairview Heights Police Chief Steve Johnson called the incident “a disturbing act of violence and abuse,” adding that Smith’s conduct showed him to be “a dangerous and manipulative individual,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He said investigators “worked tirelessly to bring the facts forward,” and that the resulting sentence “sends a clear message that acts of violence will not be tolerated in our community.”
Judge Stephen McGlynn, as quoted in court records referenced by Law&Crime, underscored the deliberateness of the crime, noting that the drive itself offered “time to contemplate what you were doing” and rejecting any notion that the kidnapping represented “the dumbest five minutes of your life.” Smith, the judge said, “had time to plan” at every stage — from driving to her workplace, to sitting in the car, to forcing her toward the clinic.
Prosecutors said Smith’s sentence was heightened because he repeatedly harassed and threatened the victim even from jail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized his history of domestic violence, noted in court documents, and said those continued threats further justified the nearly 16-year punishment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case, while the Fairview Heights Police Department led the investigation. As Weinhoeft put it, Smith “deserves every minute of that prison sentence.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Held Pregnant Girlfriend at Gunpoint to Make Her Get an Abortion
Police say the victim secretly alerted relatives, who tracked her phone and helped officers intercept the vehicle at a Planned Parenthood clinic.
By Jacob Charles
Published: November 20, 2025 8:00 am ET
EAST ST. LOUIS, IL — Federal prosecutors say Kevin L. Smith spent nearly every mile of a 35-mile drive turning a December morning in 2022 into a nightmare for his pregnant girlfriend — a crime that a federal judge has now punished with more than 15 years in prison.
Smith, 42, of St. Peters, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and was sentenced Oct. 1 to 188 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
Prosecutors said he abducted the woman from her workplace in St. Charles and forced her across the state line to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fairview Heights in a attempt to coerce her into an abortion.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft did not mince words in describing the case, saying in a statement that “it is not easy to shock law enforcement officials because we have pretty much seen it all—but then someone like Kevin Smith comes along,” adding that “this vile crime terrorized the victim and threatened the life of her unborn child.”
Court documents cited by federal prosecutors and by Law&Crime trace the ordeal back to Dec. 6, 2022, when the woman texted Smith a photo of a positive pregnancy test and the message, “Bae im pregnant.”
They initially agreed she would have an abortion, but by morning, she told him she wanted to keep the child. According to Law&Crime, her account of his response was blunt: “I’m going to kill you, b—.”
He followed through on his threats the next day, showing up at her job — a gas station cleaning shift in St. Charles — and, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, kidnapping her at gunpoint. As Fairview Heights police later summarized, he brandished a loaded firearm throughout the roughly 40-minute drive, at one point making statements the victim recalled as, “It will be real motherf— funny when I blow your brains out” and “B—, I’m gonna take you over there and put you in some field,” Law&Crime reported.
Even as the car sped east, the victim managed to text her family.
According to Fox 2 (KPLR), she warned them that Smith “had a gun,” that he was threatening to kill her if she refused the abortion, and that she planned to alert clinic staff once they arrived. A relative tracking her phone drove to the Planned Parenthood parking lot and called 911.
Police were already watching for the white Dodge Charger with Missouri plates. When officers pulled in, they saw a vehicle matching that description, with Smith at the wheel. The Fairview Heights Police Department said he tried to drive off and tossed a Glock 27 out of the window before stopping. Officers arrested him, and, according to body-camera footage described in Law&Crime, he told police on the way to the station, “It’s my son’s birthday and I’m trying to prevent having another kid.”
Fairview Heights Police Chief Steve Johnson called the incident “a disturbing act of violence and abuse,” adding that Smith’s conduct showed him to be “a dangerous and manipulative individual,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He said investigators “worked tirelessly to bring the facts forward,” and that the resulting sentence “sends a clear message that acts of violence will not be tolerated in our community.”
Judge Stephen McGlynn, as quoted in court records referenced by Law&Crime, underscored the deliberateness of the crime, noting that the drive itself offered “time to contemplate what you were doing” and rejecting any notion that the kidnapping represented “the dumbest five minutes of your life.” Smith, the judge said, “had time to plan” at every stage — from driving to her workplace, to sitting in the car, to forcing her toward the clinic.
Prosecutors said Smith’s sentence was heightened because he repeatedly harassed and threatened the victim even from jail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized his history of domestic violence, noted in court documents, and said those continued threats further justified the nearly 16-year punishment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case, while the Fairview Heights Police Department led the investigation. As Weinhoeft put it, Smith “deserves every minute of that prison sentence.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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