OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma City man who has a lengthy criminal record was convicted recently of the armed robbery of an OKC branch of a Lawton bank almost two years ago.
Akin Zhon Wofford, 29, was indicted by a federal grand jury in early 2023 on charges of armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was convicted by a jury last month in federal district court here, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester announced.
Evidence presented during the three-day trial showed that on Nov. 7, 2022, Wofford entered a south Oklahoma City branch of Lawton’s City National Bank and Trust. After waiting for several minutes in the lobby, Wofford jumped over the teller counter, pulled out a firearm, pointed it at a bank employee, and demanded money. Wofford then opened the teller drawer and grabbed handfuls of cash before he exited the bank.
An investigation into the vehicle used during the bank robbery ultimately led authorities to Wofford. Law enforcement later searched his residence and found clothes similar to those worn by the robbery during the bank holdup. Wofford was arrested on Nov. 18, 2022.
At sentencing, Wofford faces up to 25 years in federal prison for the armed bank robbery charge, and no less than seven years and up to life in federal prison for the firearm charge, which is to be served consecutively with the armed bank robbery sentence.
This was Wofford’s second conviction for armed robbery.
In 2014 he was charged in Oklahoma County District Court with armed robbery, using a vehicle to facilitate the intentional discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm, and obstructing a law enforcement officer.
He pleaded guilty in 2015 and was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison, with seven years to serve and five years of probation. Wofford was in the custody of the state Department of Corrections from July 2015 until October 2020, DOC records reflect.
Afterward he was accused of committing seven more state crimes plus the bank robbery.
In April 2021 Wofford was named in an Oklahoma County misdemeanor charge of domestic assault and battery; that case remains active, court records indicate.
Two months later a felony charge of domestic assault and battery by strangulation was filed against Wofford in Oklahoma County, but the case was dismissed eight months later.
In October 2021 Wofford was accused in Oklahoma County District Court of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bond of $10,000 was posted in October 2021 but was forfeited by the court in September 2022.
Four months earlier, in May 2022, Wofford was charged in Oklahoma County with grand larceny and obtaining property by deception or false representation.
In January 2023 Wofford was arrested by Oklahoma City police for motor vehicle theft and for eluding a law enforcement officer.
Subsequently Wofford failed to appear for an August 2023 pretrial conference in Oklahoma County District Court on the 2021 felony firearm possession charge and an arrest warrant was issued.
He was arraigned in April 2024 for failure to appear and his bail was upped to $40,000.
He was released to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on May 7 and is scheduled to return to Oklahoma County District Court on Oct. 16 for pretrial conferences on multiple state criminal charges.