SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — In a packed courtroom, two men who admitted their roles in the 2024 ambush shooting that critically injured a Scranton police detective were sentenced Tuesday morning in Lackawanna County Court. Both pleaded guilty in October.
Jeremiah Cleveland was sentenced to the maximum penalty on all charges; the longest sentence was 240 to 518 months (20 to 43 years) in prison for aggravated assault and related offenses tied to the incident. He was not charged with directly shooting Detective Gilmartin. Cleveland’s charges also stemmed from actions connected to the night’s events, such as shooting into an occupied home and related crimes, as part of a broader series of offenses linked to the attack.
Prosecutors showed numerous Instagram videos of Cleveland driving around Scranton and shooting out of the car. They also played a video of Cleveland flashing gang signs and saying he would do it again. Every seat in the courtroom was occupied
A woman thought to be the mother of Cleveland’s child cried out as she left the courtroom saying, “This isn’t f*****g fair!”
Loud sobbing could be heard from those in attendance in support of Cleveland.
Cleveland gave a statement saying he was deeply sorry to both Gilmartin and his mother.
Aiden Deininger was sentenced to 300 to 1000 months (25 to 83 years) with probation upon release.
Deininger’s mother addressed the courtroom via Zoom conferencing from a preplanned vacation.
Gilmartin also addressed the courtroom, calling Cleveland and Deininger “pathetic.”
Deininger and Cleveland appeared before Judge Michael J. Barrasse in Courtroom 5 of the Lackawanna County Courthouse. A news conference is currently underway at the District Attorney’s Office on the third floor. FOX56 is at the courthouse and will provide updates as they become available.
Deininger previously pleaded guilty to all 28 charges filed against him in connection with the January 11, 2024, shooting. The charges include three counts of attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, along with numerous related felony and misdemeanor offenses. Prosecutors have described the events as part of a broader series of crimes that escalated into gunfire directed at police.
Investigators said that in the early morning hours of January 11, Deininger opened fire on an occupied police vehicle carrying Deputy Chief Joseph Lafferty and Detectives Kyle Gilmartin and Jason Hyler. The officers had been investigating reports of gang-related activity and gunfire in the Hill Section and South Scranton neighborhoods when they were shot at.
Authorities characterized the shooting as an ambush. Detective Gilmartin was struck twice in the head and suffered critical injuries. The officers returned fire, wounding Deininger.
Cleveland, identified as a co-defendant in the case, later pleaded guilty to five of the six charges filed against him for his role in the incident.
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