CLEVELAND (PRESS RELEASE) – Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that Jada Hite, 19, Tamara McLoyd, 19, and Jermaine Hagwood, 30, were guilty of several armed robberies in Cuyahoga County from November to December 2021.
“In these five separate aggravated obberies, Tamara McLoyd, Jada Hite, and Jermaine Hagwood terrorized our community and traumatized seven people,” said Prosecutor O’Malley. “These three serial offenders deserve to spend a long time behind bars for their gun-toting, spree of violence. With today’s verdict and their upcoming sentences, our community is a safer place.”
On November 2, 2021, at 9:35 p.m., Jada Hite, 19, drove Tamara McLoyd, 19, and Jermaine Hagwood, 30, to Bunts Road in Lakewood. McLoyd and Hagwood approached the victim, 22, from behind, pressed a gun to the victim’s back, and proceeded to rob the victim taking a debit card, a cell phone, jewelry, and $105 in cash. Afterward, McLoyd, Hagwood, and Hite fled the scene in Hite’s vehicle. The victim called the police and the Lakewood Police Department (LPD) responded to the scene.
Later that evening at 10:54 p.m., Jada Hite, Tamara McLoyd, and Jermaine Hagwood used Hite’s vehicle to drive to Happy’s Pizza on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland. Once arriving, they entered through a back door as the victims, 25 and 32, were closing the restaurant. They approached the employees with two guns and demanded the employees open the drawers. Hagwood struck one victim multiple times in the head with the gun. Afterward, McLoyd, Hite, and the Hagwood stole $300 out of the register. They then forced the employees to the back office where Hagwood struck both victims with the gun. Additionally, McLoyd, Hite, and Hagwood stole a handgun and car keys from the employees before fleeing the scene. The victims called the police and the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) responded to the scene.
Also, on that same evening at 11:49 p.m., McLoyd and Hagwood approached the victim, 58, as she was walking home near Lee Road and Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights. They held the victim at gunpoint and stole her purse. Afterward, Jada Hite drove McLoyd and Hagwood away in her vehicle. A nearby Cleveland Heights police officer witnessed the incident and saw McLoyd and Hagwood run to the vehicle, enter the vehicle, and speed off before being flagged down by the victim on scene. After searching the area and locating the vehicle, the Cleveland Heights police officer attempted to pull them over and they continued to flee. The Cleveland Heights Police Department (CHPD) then responded to the scene.
On November 4, Hite and Hagwood approached the victim, 33, on Edgewater Drive in Lakewood. They robbed the victim at gunpoint and took $60 in cash, a cell phone, a pair of earrings, and a bottle of wine. Afterward, Hite and Hagwood fled the scene. The victim called the police and the LPD responded to the scene. Jada Hite was later arrested by CPD.
On December 11, Hagwood and an unknown individual approached the victim, 34, who was holding her 5-year-old child, near Arden Avenue and Mars Avenue in Lakewood. They held the victim at gunpoint and stole her key fob and purse. They then fled the scene. The victim called the police and the LPD responded to the scene. The key fob was found on the ground and DNA matched to Jermaine Hagwood.
On December 19, McLoyd and Hagwood rear-ended a parked occupied vehicle near Rosalie Avenue and Edgewater Drive in Lakewood. The victim, 23, got out of her vehicle to note any damage and started to walk back inside her vehicle. McLoyd and Hagwood then approached the victim, pointed a gun at her, stole her purse, and then fled the scene. The victim called the police and the LPD responded to the scene. The police found a lighter on the ground and DNA matched Jermaine Hagwood. On January 1, 2022, Tamara McLoyd was arrested by CPD. On January 5, Jermaine Hagwood was arrested by the CPD.