Philadelphia man convicted of aiding Norristown man in armed robbery of undercover trooper

NORRISTOWN — Despite his alleged plan to cause a mistrial, including what prosecutors argued was a feigned suicide attempt at the courthouse, a Philadelphia man was convicted by a jury in absentia of charges he aided a Norristown man during the gunpoint holdup of an undercover state police trooper during a drug investigation in the borough.

Bobby Lee Tillman Jr., 29, of the 4500 block of North Gratz Street, was convicted in Montgomery County Court on Monday of charges of robbery, carrying a firearm without a license, aggravated assault, theft by unlawful taking and conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in connection with the May 29, 2024, incident during which his accomplice, Elijah Omar Jordan, of Norristown, pointed a gun at the abdomen of an undercover trooper who was posing as a methamphetamine purchaser.

The jury deliberated about 3½ hours before reaching the verdict after a three-day trial.

Assistant District Attorney William Harry Highland III and co-prosecutor Libby Ann Hemler were pleased with the verdict.

“There’s no doubt Mr. Tillman knew what was going to happen that day. He set up the drug deal and there’s no doubt in my mind that when the opportunity presented itself, they then saw that rather than make a drug deal, they could make this a robbery,” Highland said. “I think this was a crime of opportunity.”

Judge Wendy G. Rothstein deferred sentencing until later this year so court officials can complete a background investigation report about Tillman, who will undergo drug, alcohol and mental health evaluations.

“Both legally and factually, this is a very challenging matter. We truly stand firm in our position that Mr. Tillman did not conspire to commit a crime on that day and we’re extremely disappointed in the verdict, however, we respect the jury’s decision,” defense lawyer Paul Jared Mallis, who was court-appointed to represent Tillman, reacted to the verdict afterward.

Prosecutors vowed to utilize so-called “Second or Three Strike” laws to seek a mandatory prison sentence of at least 25 to 50 years for Tillman, given that he had two previous convictions for robbery of a motor vehicle and burglary. Potentially, the judge could sentence Tillman to a term of up to life in prison.

During the trial, Hemler argued the incident represented “an undercover cop’s worst nightmare.”

“Undercover troopers put their lives at risk every day. People don’t pull guns on them normally. But when you’re learning to be an undercover, they warn you about the worst thing that could happen to you, and in this case, it did happen,” Hemler said.

Tillman was not present for the verdict because he had been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for evaluation as a precaution last Friday.

That evaluation was ordered after Tillman, during a break at his trial, used an article of clothing to fashion a makeshift noose while in the courthouse lockup and attempted to place his neck in the noose. Sheriff’s deputies intervened and Tillman suffered no injuries, according to testimony.

Highland successfully argued on Monday that Tillman feigned the suicide attempt and also threatened an overdose to delay his trial or obtain a mistrial.

“I believe this was calculated. I submit it’s all an act. It’s a willful attempt to mistrial,” Highland argued as he asked the judge to allow Tillman’s trial to proceed without Tillman being present. “This defendant made numerous attempts to postpone this trial.”

Highland and Hemler presented additional testimony from county jail officials and county detectives who uncovered evidence that Tillman, during jailhouse phone calls to others in the days leading up to the trial, questioned how he could cause a mistrial. Tillman, according to testimony, also went to the law library at the county jail to research how to obtain a mistrial in a case.

Tillman also conspired with a person outside the jail in an alleged scheme to create counterfeit money that he hoped to use to hire a psychiatrist who could find that he was incompetent to proceed to trial, according to testimony. Tillman is awaiting a preliminary hearing on charges of conspiracy to commit forgery in connection with that alleged scheme.

Rothstein agreed with prosecutors and found that Tillman’s actions were indicative of “bad faith attempts” to avoid or delay the trial or to cause a mistrial. Rothstein ruled that the trial could proceed and that the law permitted Tillman to be tried in absentia.

When jurors returned on Monday, the judge presented them with a special instruction that they could not make an inference of guilt by the fact that Tillman was not present in court.

Jordan, 28, of the 1200 block of West Washington Street, Norristown, was convicted last week by Rothstein during a nonjury trial of charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, persons not to possess a firearm and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance in connection with the incident. Jordan is awaiting sentencing on the charges and faces up to 12 to 24 years in prison.

On Friday, Jordan, whom Tillman wanted to call as a defense witness, out of earshot of the jury, asserted his Fifth Amendment right under the U.S. Constitution to remain silent and told the judge he would not testify at Tillman’s trial.

Prosecutors alleged it was Jordan who pointed a gun at the abdomen of the undercover trooper, who was posing as a methamphetamine purchaser, and that Tillman was the accomplice in a robbery plot to steal $3,200 that the trooper brought to what was supposed to be a drug deal. After taking the cash, Tillman handed the trooper a bag that was empty and contained no drugs during the transaction.

“(Tillman) is an accomplice and a co-conspirator. It was an agreement between Mr. Tillman and Mr. Jordan to make a play for a couple thousand bucks,” Highland argued during his closing statement to the jury. “If this was a drug deal and only that, where are the drugs? It simply is not here because it was a robbery.”

Seeking an acquittal for Tillman, Mallis argued it was Jordan who brandished a gun and turned the incident into a robbery. Mallis argued prosecutors did not present sufficient evidence that Tillman agreed to commit a robbery.

“Elijah Jordan saw a way to make some cash. Elijah Jordan committed a robbery…You cannot associate Bobby Tillman with that kind of conduct in this case. If you have any questions about how this went down, then that’s reasonable doubt,” Mallis argued.

According to trial testimony and court documents, the undercover trooper was involved in an ongoing narcotics investigation with the goal of making a purchase of two pounds of methamphetamine from a man known as “H,” the primary target of the investigation who was later identified as Dominic Tyrek White, 33, of Philadelphia, for about $3,200.

White, who is still awaiting court action on drug-related charges, allegedly agreed to meet the undercover trooper posing as the buyer at about 2 p.m. on May 29, 2024, in the area of the 300 block of Hamilton Street in Norristown.

However, when the undercover trooper got to the area, he was met by Tillman and Jordan. Tillman told the trooper they were “H’s people,” according to testimony.

When the undercover trooper showed the men the cash and asked to see the drugs Tillman allegedly walked away from the trooper’s vehicle and returned a short time later with a white grocery-style bag that turned out to be empty.

Authorities alleged that while Tillman was counting the buy money, Jordan brandished a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the abdomen of the undercover trooper and instructed him to leave the area.

“I’m scared at this point. I know he doesn’t have to be a great marksman to end my life,” the undercover trooper testified, referring to Jordan.

At the time, Tillman allegedly stated to the trooper, “It’s not personal,” according to testimony.

No shots were fired during the incident that suddenly turned chaotic. Jurors watched video surveillance footage that captured part of the interaction between the trooper and the men.

Other members of law enforcement, who had the area under surveillance, converged on the location and Jordan and Tillman fled on foot.

Pursuing officers caught up to Jordan a few blocks away and observed him dispose of a handgun, a Glock 19, loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition and an extended magazine, underneath a vehicle, according to testimony.

The Glock also had a so-called “switch,” a mechanism that allows a semiautomatic weapon to become fully automatic, similar to a machine gun.

Officers who pursued Tillman observed him flee toward an alley off West Lafayette Street where he jumped over a fence. Police found a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver at the location where Tillman jumped the fence, according to testimony.

Tillman was taken into custody a short time later.