SYRACUSE, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — A Utica man faces a long prison term after pleading guilty to federal charges on Thursday, October 5 for his part in a 2022 armed robbery.

25-year-old Nay Thar of Utica pled guilty to committing the armed robbery of the Zam Zam Restaurant on South Street in the city in August of 2022. As part of the plea, Thar admitted that on August 5 of last year, he brought a sawed-off shotgun to the restaurant.

Upon entering the restaurant and under the cover of a ski mask, Thar pointed the shotgun at an employee and demanded they open the cash register. The employee fled to the rear of the restaurant while Thar stole a donation box that was on the counter and exited. Thar subsequently fled in a car.

After responding to the incident, Utica Police — along with New York State Parole officers — engaged in a short vehicle pursuit with Thar, after which he was taken into custody. A search of the car recovered the ski mask and shotgun Thar had used in the robbery, along with the stolen money.

Thar’s sentencing is scheduled for February 7, 2024, at the federal courthouse in Syracuse. At that time, Thar faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years in prison, along with a fine of up to $250,000 for the robbery. He also faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of 10 years in prison and another fine of up to $250,000 for using an unregistered shotgun to commit a federal crime.

Thar would also face a term of supervised release for up to five years following his term of imprisonment.