Jeffrey Grant faced up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder, improper discharge of a firearm, criminal gang activity and using a gun in a drive-by shooting. He testified against another gang member who was convicted last week. 18-year-old Cleveland man was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison for his role in gang-related shootings that injured four people, including a man in a wheelchair. "I am sorry," Grant said as he stood before Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Janet Burnside. "I made a mistake. I would like another chance to become a better man. I will spend the time to educate myself to be a better man." Grant was a member of the Nelson Boys gang, based on East 116th Street. The gang feuded last fall with the Benham Miles Family gang, from nearby Benham and Miles avenues. The territorial battle erupted Nov. 14 in gunfire after BMF members shot at a Nelson Boy's van, putting two holes in it on Miles Avenue. Grant and Dasean Jenkins, 19, joined the van's owner, AlMichael Woods, 21, in seeking revenge. The Nelson Boys armed themselves with an SKS semi-automatic rifle, TEC-9 semi-automatic pistol and Glock 9-mm semi-automatic pistol and opened fire on a group of men in a field on Miles Avenue, shooting a man in the neck. Then they fired at another group of people near Benham Avenue. A man in a wheelchair unaffiliated with the gangs was shot in the forearm. Cleveland police officers and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents already investigating local gangs responded immediately, interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence that resulted in more than a dozen felony charges against each shooter. Investigators found an assault rifle and the SKS and Tec- 9, but weren't able to find the Glock. Agents learned that the weapons were first purchased in the early 1990s, but couldn't track them further. Assistant County Prosecutor Mahmoud Awadallah lauded the investigators and said the defendants were lucky no one was killed. Jenkins pleaded guilty to the same charges as Grant and is awaiting sentencing. They testified against Woods, who was convicted last week of attempted murder, felonious assault, shooting into a habitation, criminal gang activity, carrying a concealed weapon and using a gun in a drive-by shooting. He will be sentenced Wednesday to 11 to 51 years in prison.trio opened fire on a group of men in a field on Miles Avenue, hitting a man in the neck. Then they shot at another group of men near Benham Avenue. A man in a wheelchair unaffiliated with the gangs was shot in the forearm. Cleveland police officers and ATF agents investigating local gangs responded immediately, interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence that resulted in more than a dozen felony charges against each shooter. Assistant County Prosecutor Mahmoud Awadallah said the defendants were lucky no one was killed. Jenkins pleaded guilty to the same charges as Grant and is awaiting sentencing. He also testified against Woods, who was convicted last week of attempted murder, felonious assaults, discharge into a habitation, criminal gang activity and carrying a concealed weapon. He will be sentenced Sept. 16 to 11 to 51 years in prison.
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