A man who was banned from carrying weapons after a domestic violence conviction was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison. for breaking into a farm store in Woodburn and walking out the front door with five AR-15 style rifles.

Police found Nicholas Tilmon, 34, holding two Smith and Wesson AR-15 rifles, a Sig Sauer rifle, an Alex Pro APF-15 rifle and a Ruger AR-553 rifle, according to court records. He told police he heated a window with a blowtorch until the glass shattered, prosecutors said.

U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon on Wednesday sentenced Tilmon to two years in prison after he previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

Woodburn Police Officer Joshua Mitchell saw Tilmon when he responded to an audible alarm at 4:45 a.m. on Feb. 25, 2022, at the Coastal Farms & Ranch store. He ordered him to drop the rifles and lie face down, which he did.

But when asked for his name, Tilmon gave a false name, as well as a false date of birth, according to police.

Officers found a blowtorch still lit when they searched the store, as well as a stack of seven rifles gathered on the floor behind a gun counter, suggesting Tilmon had planned to return to the store and grab them as well, the assistant U.S. attorney said. Nicole. Mr. Bockelman said.

He had been convicted of domestic violence assault in 2008 in Pierce County, Washington state, and was ordered not to have contact with the victim and not to possess any weapons or ammunition.

Tilmon was initially charged in Marion County Circuit Court with robbery and felony firearm. He was released from the county jail in March 2022 due to overcrowding and placed under county pretrial supervision. A warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to return to meet with a pretrial officer, according to court records.

He was taken back into custody more than a year later, in June 2023, after his arrest in Pierce County, Washington. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then initiated federal prosecution against Tilmon.

As part of a plea deal, his federal firearm theft charge was dismissed.

Tilmon has remained in custody since shortly after his second arrest. Prosecutors argued he had a criminal record of violence, lying to police and possessing weapons. His previous convictions include robbery, theft, domestic violence-related assault and harassment, and making false statements to police. Court records indicated he also had a history of opioid use.

Defense attorney Kara A. Sagi and prosecutors jointly recommended the two-year sentence. Tilmon will receive credit for time served beginning in July 2023, his attorney said.

The last year and nine months has been his longest period of sobriety and he is “extremely amenable to rehabilitation,” Sagi said. In 2009, Tilmon suffered a devastating double loss: his father and brother, who died of drug overdoses, he said.

“That’s not the path he wants to go down,” he said.

Tilmon, who is being held at the federal prison in Sheridan, told the judge: “I just want to get this over with, get out and go get treatment.”

The judge will recommend that he serve the remainder of his prison sentence at a federal medical facility in Missouri.

— Maxine Bernstein covers federal courts and criminal justice. Contact her at 503-221-8212, [email protected], follow her on @maxoregonianor in LinkedIn.

Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.