CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a Cuyahoga County grand jury has returned an indictment charging Cartier Pickens, 31, and Ariel Miller, 29, for planning and robbing money from Marc’s Store in Euclid.

On February 5, 2023, around 6 p.m., Cartier Pickens entered Marc’s Store on Lakeshore Boulevard in Euclid and walked towards the back of the store. He approached Marc’s Store employee Ariel Miller while she was heading towards the cash office. He pressed a firearm to her back and said, “keep walking.” They entered the cash office and Pickens gave Miller his book bag and demanded she “fill it up.” She opened the safe and put the money inside his book bag. After she was done, he pushed her away from the safe and pistol-whipped her in the head – causing her to fall to the ground. He then exited the store and fled the scene. Ariel Miller called the police and the Euclid Police Department responded to the scene.

Further investigation revealed Pickens and Miller, who were in a romantic relationship, planned to rob Marc’s Store. Between February 4, 2023, and February 5, 2023, numerous messages were exchanged between Pickens and Miller including:

• February 4, 2023: “tomorrow .. stick to plan”
• February 5, 2023: “Have your hood on”
• February 5, 2023: “Make sure yu delete everything out your phone including this”

In total, they stole over $147,000 from the store. Pickens and Miller were arrested on October 10, 2024, by the Euclid Police Department and the Shaker Heights Police Department with assistance from the FBI and US Marshals Service’s Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force. The investigation was conducted by Euclid Police Department and the Shaker Heights Police Department with assistance from the FBI.

On October 2, 2024, Cartier Pickens was indicted on the following charges:

• One count of Aggravated Robbery
• One count of Robbery
• One count of Aggravated Burglary
• One count of Burglary
• One count of Conspiracy
• One count of Grand Theft
• One count of Telecommunications Fraud
• Three counts of Having Weapons While Under Disability
• Three counts of Receiving Stolen Property

On October 2, 2024, Ariel Miller was indicted on the following charges:

• One count of Aggravated Robbery
• One count of Robbery
• One count of Conspiracy
• One count of Grand Theft
• One count of Telecommunications Fraud
• Two counts of Unlawful Transactions in Weapons
• Three counts of Receiving Stolen Property

They will be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center at a later date.