U.S. Marshals are searching for a Lakewood man who failed to register as a sex offender in Cuyahoga County. He’s also known for impersonating former NFL quarterback Vince Young.
Stephan Pittman, 38, has a warrant for unrelated fraud charges after a history of posing as a former Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles player.
According to court documents obtained by newsnet5.com, Pittman’s criminal history dates back to a 2009 felony rape charge in Colony, Texas.
In an interview, Detective Bill Bolden of the U.S. Marshal’s Office said Pittman was an acquaintance of the victim and attended the same party. They went to bed in separate rooms but the victim awoke to Pittman sexually assaulting her.
According to the police report, she moved to another bedroom.
“But a short time later she woke up to him actually raping her,” Bolden explained.
Bolden said Pittman was convicted of felony rape, served time and later moved to Lakewood in 2014.
Records show Pittman registered as a sex offender for a period of time, but after notifying the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department that he was going to be traveling, he didn’t re-register when he was required.
In February of 2015, the local police put out a warrant for Pittman’s arrest and the U.S. Marshals Office took over the case.
Bolden said investigators were soon confronted with Pittman’s unique criminal past.
“We found out that on multiple occasions this subject has been accused of impersonating Vince Young,” Bolden said. “Impersonating him to meet people to get into events and commit frauds.”
Court documents showed that on upwards of a dozen occasions dating back as early as 2011, Pittman impersonated Young, sometimes convincing individuals to invest money with him or donate money to what they believed to be charitable organizations.
One Cleveland victim pressed aggravated theft and identity fraud charges against Pittman in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas in June of 2014.
newsnet5.com spoke with another victim who asked not to reveal her name or location. She said Pittman tried to convince her to invest $10,000 while impersonating Vince Young over the course of several months.
Vince Young responded to the identity fraud reports in 2011.
“He’s taken money, taken pictures with kids at hospitals. It’s been real sick,” Young said. “He’s an impersonator and hopefully we can take him down.”
Pittman has been in and out police custody and court since leaving Ohio, but Bolden said his current whereabouts are unknown.
Pittman currently has outstanding warrants in Cuyahoga County and Fairfax County.
Investigators said Pittman frequented bars downtown and spent time in Cleveland Heights, Lakewood, and Mentor in 2014 and early 2015. Pittman may have been impersonating Vince Young at the time.
Pittman is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 215 lbs.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Stephan Pittman is encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED or text keyword WANTED along with your tip to TIP411 (847411).
