Cleveland Shootout Lands Convicted Felons in Federal Prison

OXFORD, Miss. - Jamarcus Miller, 38, of Cleveland, Mississippi, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown, to 80 months in prison. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition as a prior convicted felon. Earlier this year, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Jamario Hodges, 32, also of Cleveland, to 70 months imprisonment followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Hodges had previously pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

The ammunition was recovered by the Cleveland Police Department when officers responded to a shooting at a local convenience store. Video surveillance showed Miller and Hodges, engaging in a shootout near gas pumps before fleeing the area. The shell casings near where Miller had been shooting were seized. When officers located Hodges, he was in possession of a firearm with a Glock switch.

Both Miller and Hodges were convicted felons. The two were charged separately by a federal grand jury for possessing ammunition or firearm as felons and pled guilty.

Miller and Hodges are also under state indictment for the shooting in the Circuit Court of Bolivar County, Mississippi, where the charges remain pending.

U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated, "The Mississippi Delta is an important part of our district. There is no room here for violent criminals such as Jamarcus Miller and Jamario Hodges. They both put innocent people in danger with their actions and we are not going to allow that to happen. As prior convicted felons, a firearm should never have been in their hands. Our office, along with our partners in the federal and local law enforcement agencies, are making sure those who are violent offenders are arrested and taken off our streets."

Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff stated, "Miller's and Hodges' actions instilled fear and put innocent members of the community at risk. Their conduct showed a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of the public. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, remains firmly committed to protecting the community and ensuring that repeat violent offenders are held accountable for their crimes."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cleveland Police Department, along with the United States Marshals Service investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.