Man Sentenced To 15+ Years For Kidnapping His Pregnant Girlfriend With Firearm To Force Her To Get An Abortion  

EAST ST. LOUIS — A St. Peters, Mo., man was sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison after admitting to kidnapping his pregnant girlfriend at gunpoint and forcing her to obtain an abortion in Fairview Heights, Illinois.

Kevin L. Smith, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and was sentenced Oct. 1, 2025, to 188 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The case stemmed from an incident on Dec. 7, 2022, when Smith allegedly abducted his girlfriend from her workplace in St. Charles, Mo., and drove her to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fairview Heights.

According to court documents, Smith used a loaded firearm during the car ride to intimidate and threaten to kill the victim by shooting her in the head. Prosecutors noted that Smith continued to harass and threaten the victim while incarcerated, which contributed to his increased sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft condemned the crime and said, “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. It is difficult to find words adequate to describe someone who would kidnap his pregnant girlfriend to force her to have an abortion at gunpoint and then continue to threaten her from jail. This vile crime terrorized the victim and threatened the life of her unborn child. Smith deserves every minute of that prison sentence.”

Fairview Heights Police Chief Steve Johnson described the case as “a disturbing act of violence and abuse,” emphasizing that Smith’s actions were “those of a dangerous and manipulative individual.”

Johnson praised the efforts of investigators and prosecutors in holding Smith accountable and said the sentencing “sends a clear message that acts of violence will not be tolerated in our community.”

The Fairview Heights Police Department led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case.

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