A Cleveland teen who was shot by police during a stolen-car investigation is now headed for sentencing after admitting to a slate of felony charges in Cuyahoga County Court. Prosecutors say 16-year-old Jahmez Johnson pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of felonious assault, two counts of receiving stolen property and one count of failure to comply. Sentencing is set for May 18 in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. The case stems from a Dec. 14, 2024 encounter on the 800 block of E. 146th Street, when Johnson, who was 14 at the time, was shot, then treated and released from a local hospital.
Plea and charges
Johnson formally entered his guilty plea to two counts of felonious assault, one count of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and two counts of receiving stolen property. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ashley Kilbane on May 18, according to WOIO.
How police say the encounter unfolded
Cleveland police say the confrontation unfolded as members of the Third District vice unit were digging into more than 30 recent car break-ins. Detectives checked a vacant home and reported finding a recently stolen white Kia Sportage with three people inside. Investigators say the vehicle left and came back hours later, and that when officers approached, the driver, later identified as Johnson, appeared to be sleeping. According to police, when he woke up he put the SUV in drive and hit a police cruiser, then reversed into a garage, then drove forward again toward officers. An officer fired and struck Johnson in the shoulder, and a firearm was recovered from the vehicle, per 13abc.
Court history and juvenile status
Earlier reporting shows Johnson was initially handled in juvenile court, then bound over to be tried as an adult, and later faced a grand jury indictment on a wider set of felony charges before reaching the current plea agreement. That indictment included aggravated robbery, robbery, felonious assault and additional counts, according to WOIO.
Stolen Kia context
The case arrives amid a nationwide wave of thefts targeting certain Kia and Hyundai models, which were repeatedly hit after social media videos circulated showing how easily some of the vehicles could be started. States and consumer advocates pressed the automakers to roll out software updates and repairs to address missing engine-immobilizer protections, as detailed by AP News.
What’s next
Johnson is due back in Cuyahoga County Court for sentencing on May 18. The shooting remains under review by Cleveland Police Use of Force investigators, and the officer who fired the shot was placed on administrative leave following the December incident, according to 13abc.
