Notice: Pursuant to Minnesota Rule of Criminal Procedure 7.02, the prosecution provides notice that, at trial, the State will offer evidence of the following offenses, in addition to the offense herein charged, for the purpose of proving the motive, intent, preparation, plan, and identity of the perpetrator. ••-CR-••-•••• On 1/25/24, VILLAFAN was arrested after being spotted driving a 2007 Chrysler Town & County van that had just been reported stolen. When taken into custody, VILLAFAN was in possession of several identification documents belonging to a variety of other people, including; a Mexican Passport, two debit cards, and a credit card.
VILLAFAN also possessed suspected narcotics. VILLAFAN pleaded guilty to Auto Theft, which was sentenced as a Gross Misdemeanor. ••-CR-••-•••• On 1/5/24 VILLAFAN was arrested driving a 2020 Kia Sportage that had just been reported stolen. The vehicle’s left rear window had been broken out, which is a means by which auto thieves commonly gain access to Kias. A female passenger told police that she and VILLAFAN were planning on trying to sell the vehicle. This Auto Theft case was dismissed pursuant to a plea deal in ••-CR-••-••••. Current Offense On 12/02/2025 at about 1148 hours, St. Paul Police saw a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe (MN/LGA938) that was running and parked in the middle of the street near Rose St E and Burr St. In St. Paul Ramsey County.
A male suspect was slumped over in the driver’s seat. When the officer ran the license plate, the vehicle came back as reported stolen out of Minneapolis on 11/29/2025. According to TrueCar.com prices for a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe range from $5,990 to $10,997. Officers blocked the Tahoe in and woke the driver who was later identified as Edgar Alejandro De Anda VILLAFAN ([DOB REDACTED]). VILLAFAN repeatedly said he was asleep, said that he would be deported, and refused to come out of the vehicle. VILLAFAN, however, finally exited after police deployed pepper balls.
He was taken into custody and uttered "I got to stop doing meth". During a search of the vehicle, police saw that there were no keys, the steering column was broken open, and the ignition was visibly damaged. Auto thieves commonly break a steering column and damage a vehicle’s ignition so that it can be operated without a key. In a post-Miranda statement, VILLAFAN said he was with a friend, whom he refused to identify, who was driving the vehicle. He said the unnamed friend parked the car, said he would be right back, but never returned.
So, said VILLAFAN, he took the vehicle and drove "to get something to drink." VILLAFAN said he must have fallen asleep and did "not remember much." VILLAFAN said he was driving the vehicle for “a few hours” but never had a key for it.
