ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A Mexican national appeared in federal court in downtown St. Louis on Tuesday and admitted being in the country illegally after a road rage shooting in 2021.
Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Donnovan Mallen, 21, pleaded guilty to illegal entry and unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
The St. Charles Police Department responded to a shooting in the 1500 block of Beale Street on Feb. 26, 2021, when they found Mallen and a Dodge Charger with a shattered rear window. Prosecutors said Mallen initially denied having any involvement with the shooting.
After further investigation, Mallen admitted to police that while he was driving to work, a vehicle followed him and fired four shots at his vehicle. Mallen said he fired his own gun once into the air after being shot at.
Police found a loaded 10 mm semi-automatic pistol under the front passenger seat of Mallen’s Dodge Charger. Mallen later admitted to buying the pistol for protection from an acquaintance for $750 and a fake identification card for $150 to obtain employment.
Prosecutors said there is no record of Mallen lawfully entering the U.S. and that he held a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card and Social Security Card.
Mallen will be sentenced on November 5.
