Lenoir Man Gets 7 To 9 Years In Prison For Attempted Armed Robbery

31-year-old Jayson Christopher Corpening of Lenoir, was sentenced to a prison term of seven to nine years following a guilty plea to attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. The plea was entered during Catawba County Superior Court Thursday, November 6th. The Honorable Nathaniel J. Poovey, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County, imposed terms of the sentence following Corpening’s guilty plea.

The offense occurred on February 3, 2025, at a hotel in Hickory when the armed defendant had interaction with a female victim in a parking lot along with a co-defendant. The victim told investigators that Corpening was involved with an attempt to sell her drugs and rob her. When she refused, the co-defendant tried to rob her before she was able to leave in her vehicle.

The co-defendant fired two shots into the vehicle, and Corpening, standing beside his vehicle, also fired a shot that did not strike it or the victim. As previously reported, the co-defendant, Marquel James Jackson, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, November 4 to attempted first-degree murder, attempted robbery with dangerous weapon and discharging a weapon into occupied dwelling/moving vehicle and was sentenced to 12 to 15 years.

Richard Helderman led the investigation for Hickory Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Melanie Earles prosecuted the matter for the State with aid from Legal Assistant Jordan Arney.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY