Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Three Cleveland men were sentenced to prison for more than a decade for committing armed robberies in Solon, Bath and North Olmsted, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division.

Stephone D. Tillman, 25, Matthew S. Bowen, Jr., 25, and Christopher R. Jones, 26, were previously found guilty of multiple counts of interfering with interstate commerce by means of robbery and brandishing firearms during a crime of violence. Tillman was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Tillman was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Bowen was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison.

Jones was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison.

“These men deserve to be locked up for a long time after using loaded guns to rob hard-working people,” Rendon said.

“There is no place in our society for those who use firearms for illegal purposes,” Velinor said. “The cooperative efforts between ATF and the Solon, North Olmsted, and Bath Police Departments are a positive example that we have more impact when we work together to bring violent criminals to justice.”

Tillman, Bowen, and Jones robbed the Circle K, located at 29605 Aurora Road, in Solon, on September 15, 2015.

On October 3, 2015, Bowen and Tillman robbed the Zip Thru drive-through store located at 30781 Lorain Road, in North Olmsted.

On October 8, 2015, all three defendants robbed the Circle K, located at 791 Cleveland-Massillon Road, in Bath, according to court documents.

Each of the robberies involved the use of a firearm, according to court documents.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Solon, North Olmsted, and Bath Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin R. Filiatraut and Kelly L. Galvin.

###