WILMINGTON — An accused shooter in a drug deal gone wrong has been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison.

Ravae Cook, 25, of Cincinnati, entered pleas of guilty to involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, and felonious assault, a second-degree felony, on Friday. Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. Rudduck imposed an agreed and recommended sentence of 15-20 years in prison.

The plea arose from the shooting death of C.J. Jones, then 18, of Chillicothe, and injury to another 17-year-old minor accompanying Jones (the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office does release the identities of minor victims) occurring on Feb. 19, 2022, in Midland.

Investigation into the shooting revealed that Jones made an agreement with Cook through social media to trade marijuana and cash in exchange for a motor vehicle. The exchange was to take place in the early morning hours in Fayetteville, but the parties later agreed to meet in an vacant lot in Midland. Cook was accompanied in Midland by co-defendant Willie Stuckey, 21, also of Cincinnati.

Upon arrival at approximately 2 a.m., Cook, Stuckey and Jones were all armed with firearms. Cook was carrying a .9 mm, Stuckey carrying a .40 mm and the victim Jones was carrying a Taurus Judge loaded with shotgun shells. During the meeting, Stuckey demanded money from the 17-year-old and began to physically assault him.

Cook, Stuckey and Jones all exchanged gunfire. The minor was wounded in his leg from a gunshot by Stuckey. He was treated and released at Clinton Memorial Hospital. Stuckey was also wounded from a shot fired by Jones and was treated at a hospital in Cincinnati and released. Jones died from two gunshots fired by Cook. Cook and Stuckey fled and were later arrested by officers.

Cook initially presented self-defense on a charge of felony murder, but changed his plea to guilty to involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault at a hearing in the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas last Friday.

Stuckey’s case is still pending.

“There is no indication that any party went there that night with the intent to shoot at one another. Unfortunately, guns and illicit drug transactions often lead to tragedy,” Rudduck said. “These cases are difficult when each party has a different version of what occurred that night but our office felt it important to proceed for both the Jones family and the safety of the public at large. One certainty is that one young man lost his life and another will spend the next 15-20 years in prison, all over several thousand dollars in marijuana. The case could not have been prosecuted without the hard work of the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, specifically Lt. Doug Eastes and Sgt. Robert Gates.”

The state was represented by Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew McCoy. Cook was represented by Ohio State Public Defenders Greg Meyer’s and Kandra Roberts.