Nicholas T. Billman, 20, of Flushing, Ohio, pointed a fully automatic AK-47 at a clerk and terrorized customers during a daylight heist at Hilltop General Store in Freeport on October 22, 2015. The brazen robbery, captured in witness statements and forensic evidence, ended with Billman fleeing with cash and cigarettes — and firing three rounds at a man who dared follow him.
On Wednesday, Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham handed down 264 months in federal prison, sending a clear message that brandishing machine guns during violent crimes carries a steep price. Billman pleaded guilty in September to two charges: robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce and carrying and brandishing a machine gun during a crime of violence.
Inside the store, Billman didn’t hide his arsenal. He walked in with the AK-47 in hand, a handgun strapped to his right hip, and a knife sheathed on his left. Witnesses described a scene of panic as he demanded money and smoked his way through stolen cigarettes after stuffing cash into a bag. One man gave chase — then dropped back when Billman spun and opened fire without warning.
Investigators moved fast. Two days after the robbery, acting on tips and witness accounts, Harrison County Sheriff’s deputies raided Billman’s home. They found an AK-47 matching the robbery weapon, other firearms, and evidence linking him directly to the crime. Forensic tests confirmed the rifle was capable of fully automatic fire — a federal offense in itself.
Arrested on state charges initially, Billman quickly became a federal target. The ATF, led by Special Agent in Charge Trevor Velinor, stepped in to pursue federal gun charges. A federal grand jury indicted him in February 2016. Since his arrest by local law enforcement, Billman has remained behind bars, now facing more than two decades in prison.
Benjamin C. Glassman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Prichard, who prosecuted the case. ‘Robberies are violent by nature,’ Glassman said. ‘When you add a machine gun, you’re not just threatening lives — you’re declaring war on public safety.’
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