Metro East man convicted of shooting at U.S. Marshals

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (First Alert 4) - An O’Fallon, Illinois, man has been convicted of shooting at U.S. Marshals.

Earl Frank, 57, was convicted of one count of assault on a federal officer, one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors said Frank cut off his ankle monitor in St. Louis in July 2024 while on supervised release. He had previously been convicted of a felony.

About a year later, the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force went to serve an arrest warrant after learning Frank was staying at the Royal Budget Inn in East St. Louis. The Marshals first knocked on the motel room door and announced themselves. When they opened the door, Frank fired a gun in their direction.

“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. “We stand behind our law enforcement partners, which is why this case went to trial with no plea deal. Frank will face the full weight of federal law.”

Frank will be sentenced at a later date.