CLEVELAND, Miss. — Two Cleveland men convicted on federal weapons charges connected to a 2024 shootout at a local convenience store have been sentenced to prison, according to federal prosecutors.
38-year-old Jamarcus Miller was sentenced Thursday by Debra M. Brown to 80 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
Earlier this year, 32-year-old Jamario Hodges,was sentenced by Michael P. Mills to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges stem from a shooting investigated by the Cleveland Police Department after officers responded to reports of gunfire at a Cleveland convenience store. Surveillance video showed Miller and Hodges exchanging gunfire near gas pumps before fleeing the scene, authorities said.
Investigators recovered shell casings from the area where Miller had allegedly fired. When officers later located Hodges, he was found in possession of a Glock handgun, according to court records.
Federal prosecutors said both men were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions. A federal grand jury separately charged the men, and both later pleaded guilty.
Miller and Hodges also remain under indictment in the Bolivar County Circuit Court on state charges related to the shooting. Those charges are still pending.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary said the case reflects law enforcement’s commitment to addressing violent crime in the Mississippi Delta.
“Their actions put innocent people in danger, and our office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue working to ensure violent offenders are taken off our streets,” Leary said in a statement.
Robert Eikhoff said the men’s actions endangered the community and demonstrated “a blatant disregard for the law and public safety.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cleveland Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
The prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and local communities.
