An 18-year-old Waldorf man is facing seven criminal charges, including four felonies, after authorities say he pistol-whipped a man getting off a bus and stole his iPhones, cash and a designer jacket last month. Mekhi Ulyssess Nathan was arrested Oct. 8 following an investigation into the alleged armed robbery, which happened the night before near October Place in Waldorf.
According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, officers responded to the area of October Place at about 10:21 p.m. on Oct. 7 for a reported armed robbery. The victim told investigators he had just ridden a Vango bus from the Smallwood Park & Ride on Smallwood Drive to a stop near October Place and Saint Ignatius Court, as reported by The BayNet. He was wearing a black Moose Knuckle jacket when, per charging documents, the suspect pulled a black and gray handgun from a Gucci crossbody bag and demanded it.
Victim Beaten, Phones and Cash Taken
When the victim hesitated, the sheriff's office said the suspect displayed the handgun and struck him in the head before again demanding the jacket. The man reportedly tried to comply but wanted to first remove $53 in U.S. currency from the jacket pocket, the same charging documents state. The suspect then also demanded the victim's cellphone and the passcodes to both of his Apple iPhones, which the victim handed over before walking home and reporting the incident to his father.
Charles County Sheriff's officers had also responded to Rescue Station 3 on Saint Ignatius Drive around 10:23 p.m. that night for a related assault report. At about 11:33 p.m., the victim emailed law enforcement location information pulled from Apple's Find My app, which estimated one of the stolen iPhones was near a residence on Red Wolf Place in Waldorf. The victim also told investigators the suspect was transferring money using Cash App from one of the stolen phones to an account associated with the name Mekhi Nathan, the report notes.
Investigators Trace Phone, Detain Suspect
Investigators identified Nathan as a possible suspect using Charles County Sheriff's Office records, and his listed residence turned out to be next to the estimated stolen-phone location. Officers located the phone at a Waldorf residence where Nathan was positively identified, the sheriff's office said, and a search warrant turned up evidence linking him to the case. Deputies detained Nathan without incident at about 12:03 a.m. on Oct. 8.
Nathan initially declined to speak with investigators after being advised of his Miranda rights but agreed to answer questions roughly 15 minutes later following a second warning, per charging documents cited by the same account. He reportedly said he could return the iPhones, the jacket and the cash, and provided specific locations inside the residence where the property could be found, according to the statement of probable cause. Investigators did not say Nathan admitted to the actions explaining how he obtained the property.
Held Without Bond, Indictment Filed
Nathan was ordered held without bond following his initial appearance in Charles County District Court on Oct. 8, and Judge Elizabeth Theobalds ordered him to remain held without bond at a bail review hearing the next day. A preliminary hearing had been scheduled for Nov. 4 before Judge Jonas D. Legum but was canceled after the district court case was closed and transferred to circuit court.
A criminal indictment was filed against Nathan in Charles County Circuit Court on Oct. 23, including seven charges: four felonies and three misdemeanors. The felony counts include armed robbery, robbery, first-degree assault and theft of property valued between $1,500 and $25,000, the indictment states. The misdemeanor charges include two firearm-use counts during a felony or violent crime and one count of second-degree assault.
Nathan's initial appearance in Charles County Circuit Court is scheduled for Nov. 24. The October robbery case is not Nathan's only recent brush with the law: in a separate matter, he was charged with first-degree and second-degree assault in connection with a February 23 incident at St. Charles Towne Center, as previously reported by The BayNet.
