ST. LOUIS • A federal judge ordered the city of St. Louis to pay nearly $1.5 million in damages Tuesday to a man from St. Louis for a false arrest made by a city police officer in 2002.

The ruling could end a four-year legal battle in which Michael J. Banks and his attorney Bob Herman sought damages from the city and the Board of Police Commissioners over the false arrest.

Banks alleged that he was punched and robbed of $1,100 by then-city Officer Reginald A. Williams during a traffic stop. He was later acquitted of the only charge that arose from the stop, illegal use of a weapon.