Lancaster Man Gets Life Sentence for Stealing Rent Money from Bar Patron

A Lancaster man was sentenced to 35 years to life in state prison for his role in assaulting a bar patron with rocks and robbing him, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Chase Lee Collins (dob 6/16/87) was found guilty on Jan. 29 of one felony count each of second-degree robbery and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.

Deputy District Attorney Steven Mac said Collins also was found to have had two prior strike convictions for robbery in 2009 and assault with a deadly weapon by a prisoner in 2010.

His co-defendant in case MA066649, Robert Gerald Zygo (dob 7/11/86), also was found guilty of the same two felony counts.

Zygo will face eight years in state prison at a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 20 in Department A21 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Antelope Valley Branch.

Shortly past midnight on July 18, 2015, the victim walked into Schooners Patio Grille where he recognized the two defendants as past acquaintances, the prosecutor said. Soon after, the three walked to an isolated area where an argument began over a years-old dispute over marijuana sales and theft, according to evidence presented at the trial.

Collins and Zygo punched, choked, and hit the victim with rocks picked up from the ground, the prosecutor added. Once the victim was on the ground, the defendants went through his pockets and took his cellphone, keys, wallet, and $1,300 in cash which the victim said was rent money, according to court testimony.

Once the assault was over the defendants snuck back into the bar, while the victim attempted to go back in but was denied entry because of his visible injuries, the prosecutor said.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Lancaster Station

Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office PRESS RELEASE