HILLSBORO, Ore.- On May 26, 2021, Judge Eric Buchér found Jermel Arcilicia Taylor guilty of second-degree robbery and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle following a bench trial. Judge Buchér then sentenced the defendant to 70 months in prison. Senior Deputy District Attorney Allison Brown prosecuted the defendant.

On February 26, 2021, the defendant and another man went to a car dealership in Beaverton, Oregon. They spoke with a salesman and requested to test drive a vehicle on the lot. The car needed fuel, so the three men drove to a nearby gas station. After they left the gas station, Mr. Taylor stopped following the salesman’s directions.  He eventually told the salesman that he had a gun and he was taking the car.

The pair drove off and the salesman immediately called police. Beaverton police located the stolen car shortly after in downtown Beaverton and arrested Mr. Taylor. He told officers he dropped off his partner along the way. Mr. Taylor admitted he took the car and told the victim to get out of the car but denied threatening him. He said he felt entitled to take the vehicle because other dealerships had previously denied him financing. He also told authorities that he planned to commit similar crimes again until he was given what he wanted. Police learned that this pair had indeed visited other dealerships in the metro area and engaged in threatening behavior when they were denied financing. Police have since identified the second suspect. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to acknowledge the work of the Beaverton Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office in apprehending the defendant so quickly. The DA’s Office also thanks the Oregon State Police Forensic Lab for their work on the case and acknowledges the victim’s bravery in facing this defendant in court. 

Mr. Taylor will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.