June 24, 2019

Melvin Tillman receives a 75 month prison sentence for committing 10 commercial burglaries

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 64-year-old Melvin Tillman received a 75 month prison sentence for committing 10 separate commercial burglaries in Portland, Oregon during an eight month period in 2018.

Tillman previously appeared before Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Gregory Silver and pleaded guilty to 10 counts of burglary in the second degree. The state agreed not to seek a sentence of more than 80 months.

By changing his plea, Tillman admitted that he unlawfully entered, and remained in, the following properties to commit theft:

• January 10, 2018 – A business at 3556 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard;
• January 22, 2018 – A business at 3325 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard;
• February 14, 2018 – A business at 3562 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard;
• April 19, 2018 – A business at 225 Northwest 11th Avenue;
• April 23, 2018 – A business at 333 Northwest 16th Avenue;
• April 23, 2018 – A business at 517 Northwest 23rd Avenue;
• June 15, 2018 – A business at 601 Southeast Morrison Street
• June 18, 2018 – A business at 628 Northeast Broadway Street;
• August 11, 2018 – A business at 622 Northeast Grand Avenue;
• August 12, 2018 – A business at 301 Northeast Knott Street.

“There is an immense psychological impact to these business owners,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Christopher Shull, who prosecuted this case. “Many of these small business owners spend more time at work than they do at home, so the sense of being violated is absolutely real.”

During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Tillman would either kick in doors or smash out windows to make entry into the businesses in the late evening or early morning hours. In many of the burglaries, Tillman would steal, or attempt to steal, money from cash registers.

Tillman had 43 felony convictions prior to the sentencing hearing held on Friday June 21, 2019. Of those, 33 were for burglary in the second degree.

As part of his sentencing, Tillman will have to pay $4,745 in restitution. The restitution will go to a total of five businesses.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes the work of the patrol officers from the Portland Police Bureau’s Central Precinct, the PPB’s Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team, the PPB’s Detective Division and the PPB’s Forensic Evidence Division for their dedicated efforts investigating these cases.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Phone: 503.988.6567