Man faces life in prison for robbery

A Kempner High School senior who once faced the prospect of a scholarship to Tulane University was in court this week in Fort Bend County, now looking at the possibility of life in prison.

Eighteen-year-old Justin Cleveland pleaded guilty in the 434th District Court of Judge Cliff Shoemake to first-degree felony aggravated robbery. On April 19, 2007, when he was 17, Cleveland and six other men severely assaulted a doctor in his Sugar Land home, ransacking the house, taking belongings and leaving pools of blood throughout the victim's house.

This week, Cleveland was in Shoemake's court, where he was asking Shoemake to determine a sentence. He faces the possibility of either a deferred adjudication sentence or five years to life in prison. Shoemake on Thursday said he would issue the sentence Monday afternoon, following a review of the case.

Cleveland testified he had been a member of the Kempner football team, the school's student council and has attended Sunday church services.

Prosecutor John Hawkins asked Shoemake to give Cleveland a prison sentence, but did not suggest any particular figure. He lambasted Cleveland for invading what he called the “sacred space” of the victim, and said only murder or rape would be considered more serious an offense.

At the very end of the sentencing hearing, in which witnesses were called to testify about the crime and Cleveland's character, an investigator with Sugar Land Police Department testified Cleveland reported being a member of the Rolling Sixties gang and was able to flash their gang sign. Others involved in the case identified Cleveland as such, said the investigator.