JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) Unit has secured the civil commitment of Herrell Birts following a successful jury trial in the City of St. Louis. The jury found that Birts meets the legal criteria to be classified as a Sexually Violent Predator under Missouri law, resulting in his commitment to the Department of Mental Health (DMH) for control, care, and treatment.
“This commitment ensures a dangerous repeat offender is securely confined and no longer able to threaten Missouri communities,” said General Hanaway. My office remains steadfast in protecting the public, and I’m proud of our team for working tirelessly to keep violent predators off the streets.”
The SVP Unit seeks the civil commitment of sexual offenders who have been previously convicted of a sexually violent offense and currently suffer from a mental abnormality that makes them more likely than not to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence again if not confined in a secure facility. At trial, an expert forensic psychologist testified that Birts suffers from Personality Change Due to Head Trauma and Schizophrenia.
Birts has a long and serious history of violence and sexual violence dating back more than two decades. In 2001, he was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in Minnesota. After relocating to Missouri, Birts was convicted in 2009 of multiple sexual misconduct offenses in the City of St. Louis involving assaults on women. He later returned to Minnesota, where he was again convicted of criminal sexual conduct in 2015 following another incident involving a female victim. After traveling back to Missouri, Birts was charged in the City of St. Louis for the attempted rape of a family member and ultimately pled guilty to sexual abuse in the first degree. In addition to his sexual offenses, Birts’ criminal history includes numerous non‑sexual convictions dating back to the early 1990s, including assault, trespass, robbery, and multiple domestic assault offenses against women.
On September 1, 2026, following a jury trial, Birts was found to be a Sexually Violent Predator and was ordered to be committed to the custody of DMH for care, control, and treatment.
The case was tried by Assistant Attorneys General Ted Bruce and Regan Lourenco, with support from Paralegal Rebecca Sullivan and Investigator Carla Ramshead.
Just as the Sexually Violent Predator Unit exemplifies the Attorney General’s Office’s commitment to protecting Missourians through dedicated and expert advocacy, the office is proud to be home to some of the state’s most skilled attorneys. The Attorney General’s Office continues to develop legal talent whose work strengthens the rule of law and delivers justice for victims across Missouri. Attorneys interested in joining this tradition of excellence and public service are encouraged to explore current opportunities at https://ago.mo.gov/about-us/jobopportunities/.