ST. LOUIS – In the midst of a jury trial on a gun charge, a St. Louis rapper pleaded guilty and was immediately taken into federal custody.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Arthur Pressley, who goes by the stage name 30 Deep Grimeyy, was a felon in possession of a firearm when he was pulled over on the night of Jan. 5, 2021.

Pressley and others were in a 2008 Pontiac G8 when a St. Louis police officer stopped the vehicle because the car had a taillight out and had license plates that were registered to a Jeep.

While searching the vehicle, police found a Beretta 92FS 9mm pistol between Pressley and another passenger.

As part of his plea deal, Pressley admitted to having the gun with him multiple times between Oct. 4, 2020, the day after it was purchased, and the date of the traffic stop.

Investigators also found pictures of Pressley and the gun on social media accounts belonging to Pressley and his associates.

Prosecutors said Pressley was twice convicted of a charge of unlawful use of a weapon, making him a convicted felon.

Pressley, 25, will be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2023. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said prosecutors will argue during the sentencing hearing that Pressley had sent texts to the original purchaser of the gun shortly after the traffic stop. Pressley asked that person to lie about his owning the gun and to falsify a bill of sale to one of the other people in the Pontiac.