Two culprits involved in the $2.1 million baseball card heist at a Strongsville hotel earlier this year have faced the consequences on Monday. Jacob R. Paxton, a 28-year-old from Brunswick who was employed at the hotel, admitted to aggravated theft in October. His sentencing includes four to six years in prison, followed by two to five years of community control. Paxton was also mandated to pay over $89,000 in restitution. Another charge of tampering with evidence was dropped due to his plea deal.
The theft transpired when vintage sports card dealer Memory Lane Inc. dispatched collectibles to the Best Western Plus hotel on Royalton Road on April 17. The intention was for these cards to be showcased at a sports card expo at the nearby Brunswick Auto Mart Arena. Allegations put forth by prosecutors suggest Paxton, an earnest worker at the hotel, rifled through the parcels delivered to the premises and made off with the valuable cards.
During his court appearance, Paxton expressed remorse for his actions and sought forgiveness, stating, “I just want to say that I’m very sorry to the victim, and this doesn’t show who I am.” He admitted fault in not being truthful with the detectives initially, mentioning his fear as a contributor to his dishonesty. He highlighted his devotion to his 2-year-old child as a driving force to do better in life.
After purloining the cards, Paxton passed them on to Jason Bowling, a 51-year-old resident of Cleveland. Bowling’s defense attorney, Jaye Schlachet, contended that Bowling was under the impression that the cards were discovered in a dumpster and was unaware of their stolen status.
Authorities conducted a search at Bowling’s residence on May 23, successfully locating all but two of the pilfered cards. The investigation relied on various sources such as phone records, CCTV footage, GPS data, and testimony from witnesses to establish the involvement of both men in the criminal activity.
Bowling pleaded guilty in October to receiving stolen property and received a sentence of one year of community control.
The repercussions of the theft were not confined to the perpetrators alone. Memory Lane Inc. suffered substantial financial losses and damage to its reputation in the aftermath. An impact statement from the company revealed the loss of a $2 million loan and $100,000 in interest, along with the tarnishing of its image.
Two cards are still unaccounted for and remain missing:
1. A 1909 T204 Ramly Walter Johnson card graded 5 by PSA with certificate No. 90586922.
2. A 1941 Play Ball No. 14 Ted Williams card in near-mint-to-mint condition graded 8 by PSA with certificate No. 05159693.
Individuals with any information regarding the whereabouts of these missing cards are encouraged to reach out to the Strongsville police at 440-580-3247, citing report No. 2024-000693.
