Woman charged in Ravenna McDonald’s attack previously served time for assaulting her grandmother

RAVENNA, Ohio (WOIO) - 19 News has learned a Kent woman at the center of an assault case, stemming from a fight inside a McDonald’s, previously served time in prison for assaulting her grandmother.

The latest charges relate to a June 14 altercation at McDonalds in Ravenna at 418 W. Main St.

Cherysse Helena Cleveland has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault.

Investigators said Cleveland grew upset when workers told her they could not mix together all three slushie flavors as she demanded.

Video captured by another customer, Brian Allen, shows Cleveland going behind the counter and repeatedly attacking the employees.

During a June 15 court hearing, Cleveland cried and held her face in her hands. She pleaded not guilty. A judge set Cleveland’s bond at $1,000.

The case has now been assigned to Portage County Judge Mark Fankhauser.

This is not the first time Cleveland has been in trouble with the law.

Court records show she was charged with felonious assault, kidnapping and disrupting public service in 2014.

A criminal complaint states, in August of 2014, Cleveland caused “serious physical harm to Rebecca F. Biggers by throwing her to the ground and repeatedly hitting her with her hands and fists.” The complaint also states, “victim was lying on ground after the initial attack, the defendant grabbed a glass lamp, stood over victim, and threw the lamp onto her body.”

During the case, Cleveland wrote the judge letters asking for leniency.

A portion of one of Cleveland’s letter said, “I am not an evil or bad person. I had some very difficult things going on in my life… I did not mean to assault my grandmother. In my mind at the time I thought I was fighting the devil. Probation from you is the request. I would like to get back out into the community and help in every way possible”.

In another letter Cleveland said, “Mental illness strongly runs in my family and why I’m in jail. I had a nervous breakdown due to the death of my mother and why I assaulted grandmother. I was not of sound mind and body. Before the incident I worked at my job for 16 years and tried to be a good citizen.”

During the case, the judge granted a request to have Cleveland attend drug and alcohol counseling programs while incarcerated.

According to court records, in October of 2014, there was eventually a plea agreement where Cleveland pleaded guilty to the felonious assault. The other charges of kidnapping and disrupting public service were dismissed.

In March of 2015, Cleveland was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of probation following her release. She received credit for 217 days spent in the Portage County Jail.

In December of 2015, there was a hearing to determine whether Cleveland should be let out of prison early under what is called judicial release.

It was granted with the judge ordering Cleveland to be released on Dec. 7, 2015. Part of the terms included Cleveland going to counseling at Coleman Professional Services, taking all prescribed medications and having no contact with her grandmother unless in presence of other adults.

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