1 Cuyahoga County crime spree suspect found after reward announced; 1 still on loose

Celeste Houmard
·2 min read
2

CLEVELAND (WJW) — The Cuyahoga County prosecutor held a press conference Monday to ask for the public’s help in locating two men who were involved in a November crime spree.

Crime Stoppers was offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of 21-year-old Nathaniel Rush and 21-year-old Damien Mathews.

As of Monday evening, the prosecutor’s office announced Rush was located in a basement in Garfield Heights. He was arrested by the U.S. Marshals and taken into custody after being found with several guns.

Damien Matthews has still not been found.

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Both Rush and Mathews are suspects in a string of 10 aggravated robberies between Nov. 12 and Dec. 1, 2023, according to officials Monday.

These robberies took place at businesses including a Zaza smoke shop, Subway sandwich shop, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Advance auto parts, Family Dollar and gas stations in Northeast Ohio communities including Orange, Shaker Heights and Warrensville Heights.

Deshaun Bethel is currently in custody, according to Cuyahoga County prosecutor Michael O’Malley. There is also a fourth accomplice in one of the robberies that police have not yet been able to identify, according to officials.

According to officials, during the robberies, the men would enter the story, pretend to buy something, hold employees and customers at gunpoint and take money from cash registers.

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In a few of the robberies, employees and customers were assaulted. In one instance, a gun was fired, according to authorities.

Rush and Mathews are facing an 81-count indictment, made up of charges including felonious assault, aggravated robbery, kidnapping charges, robbery, assault, improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and having weapons under disability. Check below to view a full list of charges:

Daeshoun Bethel:

  • 13 counts of Aggravated Robbery

  • Two counts of Kidnapping

  • 26 counts of Robbery

  • Two counts of Felonious Assault

  • Seven counts of Improperly Handling Firearms In A Motor Vehicle

  • Eight counts of Having Weapons While Under Disability

  • One count of Receiving Stolen Property

Damien Matthew:

  • 15 counts of Aggravated Robbery

  • Six counts of Kidnapping

  • 28 counts of Robbery

  • One count of Felonious Assault

  • One count of Assault

  • Five counts of Improperly Handling Firearms In A Motor Vehicle

Nathaniel Rush:

  • 11 counts of Aggravated Robbery

  • Six counts of Kidnapping

  • 20 counts of Robbery

  • One count of Felonious Assault

  • One count of Assault

  • Two counts of Improperly Handling Firearms In A Motor Vehicle

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“Our city is only as safe as we make it. Everybody has to step forward,” O’Malley said during the press conference. “It’s important for the public to step forward”

If you have any information, officials ask that you call Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463 or the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-866-4WANTED.

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