By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
EL RENO – A felon who’s already in prison has been convicted of conspiring to rob a Yukon retailer and threatening to shoot a store employee.
Oklahoma City’s Nathaniel Hunter Zorn, 24, pleaded no contest April 11 to felony charges of first-degree robbery and conspiracy in Canadian County District Court.
Special Judge Charles Gass sentenced Zorn to serve six years in state prison followed by four years suspended. The defendant appeared with his attorney Jason Spanich for the recent court hearing.
After his release from prison, Zorn will be supervised for two years by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Zorn was charged in March 2022 for his role in a conjoint robbery at Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, 1605 Garth Brooks Blvd. Yukon Police investigated the crime.
Zorn and Midwest City’s Matthew Ryan Bartee, 28, were both charged with first-degree robbery and conspiracy. The Canadian County case is pending against Bartee.
Zorn has been convicted of conspiring with Bartee to steal $1,990 worth of merchandise from the Yukon Lowe’s store.
The two men took five, 250-foot rolls of electrical wiring as one of them threatened to shoot an employee “thereby putting her in fear of immediate serious bodily injury,” according to charging documents.
Zorn is now housed at the Lawton Correctional Facility after pleading guilty in June 2022 in separate Oklahoma County District Court cases.
He was sentenced to eight years for first-degree robbery, conjoint robbery and discharging firearm into dwelling and seven years for second-degree burglary (two counts).
Judge Gass ordered the Canadian County sentences to run concurrent with the Oklahoma County cases.
First-degree robbery is punishable by not less than 10 years in prison.
Conspiracy is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a maximum $5,000 fine.
Assistant District Attorney Austin T. Murrey prosecuted the Canadian County case.
LEFT STORE WITH CART
The conjoint robbery occurred Dec. 22, 2021, at the Yukon Lowe’s store.
Yukon Police learned Bartee had gone to the electrical aisle and placed the rolls of electrical wire in a cart that he left at the end of the aisle, according to an arrest warrant affidavit signed by Yukon Police Det. Dave Carroll.
Zorn then left the store with the cart and didn’t attempt to pay for the merchandise.
While Zorn was walking out, a Lowe’s employee approached and asked to see a receipt.
He then threatened to shoot the employee and left the store.
The victim told investigators she had asked Zorn for a receipt, but he told her to her to “move away” or he would shoot her.
She identified Zorn as the individual who made the threat.
NOT THE ONLY ONE
During their investigation, Yukon Police learned Bartee and Zorn had stolen from other Lowe’s stores in Oklahoma City.
Both men were charged in January 2022 and then pleaded guilty in June for committing a conjoint robbery in Oklahoma County.
While Zorn was sent to prison, Bartee received a 15-year suspended sentence and was ordered to be supervised by the state DOC.
Bartee has previous felony convictions for possession of controlled dangerous substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a stolen vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, altering license plate/registration, and possession of stolen property.
Bartee also has pending felony charges in Cleveland County for possession of forged instrument, aggravated trafficking in illegal drugs and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; and in Coal County for unlawful possession of controlled drug with intent to distribute.
