Tulsa Armed Robber Sentenced to Federal Prison

A man who was shot by store employees while robbing a Tulsa liquor store was sentenced Friday to 22 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell further sentenced Tyrone Lee, 37, of Tulsa, to 5 years supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

 “Violent criminals like Tyrone Lee are a threat to the lives of every Oklahoman. This robbery could have ended in tragedy, but it ended with justice,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “We are pleased the court handed down a sentence of 22 years in federal prison. Chalk this up as another success story for Project Safe Neighborhoods, as another ‘Alpha criminal’ was removed from our Tulsa streets.”

In January, Lee pleaded guilty to the Feb. 22, 2018, robbery of Forest Acres Liquor. During the robbery, Lee threatened the store employees with a loaded sawed off shotgun. The two employees shot and injured Lee while the robbery was in progress, but he managed to escape. Tulsa police officers arrested Lee after he was admitted to a hospital for his injuries. Lee pleaded guilty to all four counts of the Indictment, which included the use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, possession of an unregistered firearm and felon in possession of a firearm.

Lee will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

This case is the result of a joint investigation by the Tulsa Police Department, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Fries prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is the nationwide federal initiative to disrupt gun violence strategically and comprehensively, using all available enforcement and prosecutive tools.  The initiative involves a partnership of federal, state, and local authorities, uniting their efforts and leveraging existing and new resources. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners tailor their efforts to meet their own district’s unique needs, helping ensure the safety of communities in the Northern District of Oklahoma.