Attempted murderer gets six years in prison

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — A man who pleaded guilty to attempted murder after shooting another man in the stomach has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Lamarcus M. Belcher, 27, of East High Avenue, drew the sentence Thursday from Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The prosecution had recommended and the judge imposed three years for the attempted murder of Phillip Johnson and the mandatory three consecutive years for the gun specification.

The prosecution dropped aggravated burglary and felonious assault charges against Belcher.

Johnson, 27, of East Dewey Avenue, was shot Jan. 8 at a house in the 900 block of McHenry Street. Witnesses said two men burst through the front door, while two more kicked in the back door, after a group of people argued in the home’s driveway.

Two other men charged in the same indictment, Lamarcus Belcher’s uncle, Steven L. Belcher, 33, of East High Avenue, and Sirtan Alli, 19, of Woodside Avenue, pleaded guilty to improperly handling a gun in a motor vehicle.

Steven Belcher was sentenced Thursday to three years’ probation.

Earlier this month, Alli was placed on probation for two years.

Alli and Steven Belcher were arrested when police stopped the car they occupied shortly after the shooting and found a loaded pistol and two revolvers in it.

Johnson initially told police Lamarcus Belcher shot him after a dispute over a stolen video game, but later Johnson said he didn’t know why Belcher shot him, according to J. Michael Thompson, assistant county prosecutor.