Two individuals found themselves in hot water after being accused of filching a collection of prized baseball cards worth over $2 million from a local hotel in Strongsville. Jacob Paxton, a 27-year-old employee of a Best Western hotel, and Jason Bowling, aged 50 and another suspect in the case, both entered not guilty pleas during their recent appearance at the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
Paxton, the hotel employee in question, asserted his innocence against charges of aggravated theft totaling $1.5 million or more, alongside tampering with evidence. The court set his bond at $50,000, with a scheduled return to the courtroom on July 15 for further proceedings. On the other hand, Bowling faced allegations of possessing stolen property, with a bond set at $100,000. Like Paxton, his court date was also marked for July 15, continuing the legal saga.
According to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley, the entire ordeal began when a FedEx delivery worker mistakenly left a package containing 54 vintage baseball cards valued at an astonishing $2,123,447 at the Best Western hotel on April 17. The parcel was originally intended for Memory Lane Inc., a company involved in a sports card convention located nearby.
The intricate puzzle started to unravel the following day when a representative from Memory Lane Inc. arrived at the hotel to collect the package, only to find it conspicuously missing. Sensing foul play, law enforcement was brought in to conduct a thorough investigation into the disappearance of the valuable baseball cards.
After diligent work by the Strongsville police force, it was revealed that Paxton had sorted through multiple packages delivered to the hotel and made off with the high-priced baseball cards to Bowling’s residence in Cleveland. In a turn of events on May 23, police acted on a search warrant executed at Bowling’s home, successfully recovering 52 out of the 54 stolen cards.
However, the plot thickens as two cards are still at large—the elusive 1909 Ramly Walter Johnson card and the sought-after 1941 Ted Williams card. Investigators are on the lookout for any leads or information that could aid in the recovery of these missing pieces of the puzzle.
For those who may have details regarding the whereabouts of the two missing cards, the Strongsville Police department is actively seeking assistance and can be reached at 440.580.3247; individuals can reference report #2024-000693. The case remains open as the search for the final pieces of the stolen baseball card collection continues.
