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ST. LOUIS COUNTY — A man shot by police during a shootout on I-70 last year, who once faced as much as 45 years in prison, this week pleaded guilty to lesser charges, and will serve one year in county jail.

The man’s attorney said Friday that the case against his client was weak, the evidence incomplete.

“This case was a goat rodeo from the word go,� said defense attorney Robert Thomas Topping. “Justice was served.�

In October 2024, Je’von Henderson was hit seven times by police gunfire — cops fired 87 rounds in total — after Henderson sped away from a traffic stop. Police said Henderson may have fired two shots at them first.

On Thursday morning, Henderson pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, aggravated fleeing and two counts of unlawfully using a weapon.

Judge John Borbonus sentenced him to one year in county jail, substance abuse treatment and five years of probation.

The shootout happened Oct. 30 near I-170 and Natural Bridge Road.

At about 4:30 p.m., Henderson was driving a 2014 Lexus when Breckenridge Hills officer Nate Mullins pulled him over in the 9300 block of Calvert Avenue in Woodson Terrace for a license plate violation and excessively tinted windows.

Mullins walked to the driver’s window and talked with Henderson for about six minutes. According to edited-down police body camera footage released by St. Louis County police in December, the officer said he thought Henderson smelled like liquor, but Henderson wouldn’t get out of the car to take a field-sobriety test

As Henderson searched on his phone for a photo of his insurance card, which he told Mullins was expired, the officer returned to his patrol car, got a spike-strip and put it in front of a tire on the Lexus.

Henderson then sped off, immediately puncturing the tire.

Mullins gave chase.

Henderson led police on a 1.5-mile chase and eventually crashed in a grassy ditch along the ramp in Bel-Ridge.

Police said Henderson fired at officers first and police answered with a barrage of gunfire.

Three municipal officers, from the Woodson Terrace and Breckenridge Hills, fired shots. No cops were injured.

The municipal officers were cleared by their chiefs, who deemed the shooting justified and said the officers followed policy.

Prosecutors originally charged Henderson with first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action and resisting arrest. Henderson faced a minimum of 13 years and a maximum of 45 years in prison if convicted.

The office of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price Smith presented the grand jury with additional evidence after Henderson was indicted on those more serious felony charges.

During that second presentation to the grand jury, Price Smith said they did not find that there was proof that Henderson fired at an officer.

Price Smith also noted that one of Henderson’s bullet wounds appeared to be self-inflicted.

In May, prosecutors dismissed those higher-level charges and filed an amended indictment with the four charges Henderson pleaded guilty to this week.

Henderson should be released from jail in November, Topping said.