Judge Sentences Armed Robber to 15 Years

November 30, 2009
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(Anderson, SC). Before jury selection could begin today, twenty-nine year old Michael Ervin Cleveland pled guilty in Oconee General Sessions Court to Armed Robbery (2 counts) and Possession of a Weapon during the Commission of a Violent Crime. The Honorable Alex Macaulay sentenced him to 15 years on each Armed Robbery to be served concurrently and 5 years on the Weapons charge. 

In January of this year, Cleveland and a co-defendant robbed J&Z Food Mart in Seneca at gunpoint taking beer and cash. On the following day, the same two men entered Belks in Seneca wearing masks and took clerks to the rear of the store at gunpoint, forcing them to open the safe. They escaped with $15,000 in cash. As part of a separate investigation, the Sheriff’s Office was able to obtain information leading to the arrest of Cleveland.