Suspect acquitted in fatal 2021 shooting in St. Paul’s Mac-Groveland neighborhood

Nick Ferraro, Pioneer Press
·3 min read
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A Ramsey County jury has acquitted a Chicago man in a 2021 fatal shooting during a marijuana deal in St. Paul’s Macalester-Groveland neighborhood.

The jury returned not-guilty verdicts Wednesday in the case of Julante Sales, 23.

Sales, along with Jalan Wells, also of Chicago, was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting second-degree murder in the killing of Devonte Steven Ingram, 28, who was shot in his car.

Ingram, who lived in Brooklyn Park and was the father of three young children, was pronounced dead at Regions Hospital. He died of two wounds from 9mm bullets, according to court documents.

Testimony in Sales’ trial began Feb. 10, and jurors were sent to deliberations Tuesday afternoon.

The prosecution maintained that Sales shot Ingram while robbing him of marijuana.

Sales’ attorney Timothy Maher argued that Ingram tried to grab Sales’ .22-caliber gun, a struggle ensued and that Wells ran over to help and fired the fatal shots from his own 9mm handgun.

“Mr. Wells said he had a 9mm handgun,” Maher said Thursday. “Mr. Sales said he had a 5.7 handgun, and the evidence corroborated that theory.”

In November, Wells, 22, was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison after reaching a deal with the prosecution and pleading guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder-while committing a felony. At his plea hearing, he admitted to brandishing a 9mm handgun and blocking a car door so Ingram could not get out. He did not admit to pulling the trigger.

The charges

According to the criminal complaints, officers responded to the July 26 shooting on St. Clair Avenue, just east of Fairview Avenue, at 1:30 p.m. and found Ingram unresponsive, lying face-down on the driver’s seat of a Kia Forte. A Ruger handgun with an extended magazine was found in his right front pants pocket.

Ingram’s girlfriend told police he left West St. Paul between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to meet a marijuana buyer after making arrangements the night before; she didn’t know with whom. She said he carried a backpack, and thought he had his gun.

A witness said a shorter Black man, who police later identified as Sales, got into the front passenger seat of the Forte. A tall Black man, later identified as Wells, tried to open the driver’s door before running to the passenger side of the car.

The witness heard a gunshot that he thought came from inside the car as it sounded “muffled.” He then saw Wells run back to the driver’s door with a black handgun in his hand, then heard two more gunshots. The two men ran in the same direction.

Police went to a gas station just down the street and reviewed surveillance video. Employees said a “tall guy” frequently came into the store and was last seen there three days earlier. Through investigation, police identified him as Wells, who was staying in an apartment on St. Clair. A man with him in the store was identified as Sales, who also was seen on video walking alongside the Kia a short time before the shooting.

Two cellphones recovered from the Kia were discovered to belong to Wells and Sales. Wells’ phone showed he had a text conversation with Ingram about buying marijuana, and Wells asked Ingram to meet him at the gas station.

After the shooting, Wells and Sales fled to Chicago, where they were arrested and extradited back to Minnesota.

‘Relieved’

Maher said Thursday Sales was “excited and relieved” after the verdicts, and that he was planning to return to the Chicago area, where his family lives.

“I’m sure the family of the victim was upset,” Maher said of the verdicts. “It was probably painful for them. But hopefully they get some closure, too.”

Dennis Gerhardstein, Ramsey County attorney’s office spokesman, said in a Thursday statement: “While we are disappointed in the verdict, we must respect the jury’s decision. Our hearts go out to the victim’s family as well as the community, some of whom showed great courage in coming forward to testify.”

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