The man accused of stealing more than $2 million worth of rare baseball cards just prior to the Strongsville Sports Card Show last spring has entered plea negotiations with Cuyahoga County, OH prosecutors.
Jacob Paxton, 27, of Brunswick, OH, was arrested in May after an investigation by Strongsville Police. He was a night desk clerk at the Best Western Plus in Strongsville when a box containing 54 vintage cards disappeared from the hotel after it was delivered by FedEx.
The cards had been shipped to Strongsville by Memory Lane, which was planning to display them at the show as part of the promotion for the company’s Spring catalog auction.
Despite a no questions asked reward being offered by Memory Lane, police say Paxton took the cards to a home in the Cleveland area where they were later recovered after police received a tip.
Jason Bowling, 51, of Cleveland was also arrested and charged with receiving stolen property after police recovered all but two of the stolen cards in his possession.
Both men were indicted by a grand jury in June.
A pretrial conference was held last week and continued until Sept. 10 while plea negotiations continue for both men.
—-
Tony Kozelichki will be parked on his couch this weekend, watching a new era of Chicago Bears football kick off. He’ll be surrounded by 50 years of (mostly) Chicago sports memorabilia, thanks to a lifetime of collecting and rubbing elbows with some former greats.
WMBD-TV in Peoria paid him a visit:
—–
As the 2024 season kicks off, 20 footballs from past seasons are now being offered by MeiGray. The game-used balls date as far back as 2013 but several are from the team’s current partnership with the New Orleans Saints.
Two of the footballs date to the Detroit Lions’ march to the NFC North title with a December win over the Saints. Another is photo-matched to use in three different games. There are some used in the ‘Salute to Service’ games from past seasons through a previous partnership with other NFL teams.
—–
The demand for Victor Wembanyama rookie jerseys continues. An ‘Icon Edition’ jersey was worn in a half of the San Antonio Spurs’ April 9 game at Memphis sold for $57,600 via Sotheby’s/NBA Auctions Thursday night.
That was nearly $10,000 more than the realized price for a jersey worn by LeBron James in the NBA’s in-season tournament.
Related Stories:
Second Man Arrested in $2.1 Million Card Theft
Grand Jury Indicts Two Accused in $2.1 Million Baseball Card Theft
2 Indicted in $2 Million Card Theft Plead Not Guilty
NBA All-Star Game Jerseys Hit Auction Block to Help Kobe’s Charities
First NBA “Bubble” Jerseys Hit Auction Including LeBron, Zion
Notes: New eBay Shipping Option Edging Closer; Bucks’ New Auction Platform; NBA Gamers, NHL Pucks
Warriors, MeiGray Extend Game-Used Deal
MeiGray to Open NBA Jersey Auctions
