Crime & Safety

Man Placed on Probation For Role in Breaking Into St. Charles Home

Matthew Wakeman accompanied Andrew Wilson into the house to help him retrieve Wilson's daughter.

A man pleaded no contest to a first-degree burglary charge Wednesday, one day before his trial was scheduled to begin.

Matthew Wakeman, 28, of Affton, was accused of breaking into a St. Charles home April 27 to help Andrew Wilson and Jennifer Temm retrieve their daughter. A relative who had their daughter had been advised by the Missouri Division of Family Services to keep her pending an investigation, according to St. Charles Police.

As part of a plea bargain, St. Charles County Circuit Court Judge Nancy Schneider suspended Wakeman’s sentencing and he was placed on three years probation.

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Previously, Temm pleaded guilty Feb. 21 to first-degree burglary and was sentenced to 16 days in jail and given credit for time served.

“Mr. Wilson was definitely our major bad actor in this,” said St. Charles Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar. “The other two were just along for the ride.”

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Temm sat outside in the car while Wilson and Wakeman broke into the home in the 400 block of Elmhurst, St. Charles Police said.

Once inside the home, Wakeman searched for the couple’s daughter. Meanwhile, Wilson punched a 15-year-old boy in the face and attempted to assault a woman in the house, according to police.

The 15-year-old hit Wilson several times in the head with a fireplace poker in an effort to prevent him from assaulting the woman. Wilson was hospitalized afterward and was treated in Mercy Hospital’s intensive car unit.

Wakeman hit the teenager once, grabbed Wilson and helped him leave, telling him the police were on the way.

Lohmar said a plea deal has been extended to Wilson, but it is not identical to Wakeman’s deal. He said he couldn’t give details regarding the plea deal, but said people generally get probation on this type of case. Lohmar said in some cases the underlying motivation, such as trying to retrieve a child, is taken into consideration.

“But we don’t like it when people try to take things into their own hands and remedy a situation,” Lohmar said.

For more crime information on St. Charles Patch, see the following articles:

  • Child Snatching Attempt Thwarted by Fireplace Poker-Wielding Youth
  • Third Person Charged in St. Charles Home Invasion
  • Couple Indicted After Breaking Into St. Charles Home To Retrieve A Girl


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