Nashville Man Convicted of Possession of Ammunition as a Convicted Felon in Relation to a 2022 North Nashville Shooting

NASHVILLE - Zantaun D. Horton, 35, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, was convicted by a federal jury on November 6th of unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon in connection with a July 2022 shooting in North Nashville, announced U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. Horton previously pleaded guilty to separate federal drug and firearms charges.

According to evidence presented at trial, Horton had supplied heroin to the victim, identified in court as M.A., for approximately one year before the shooting. On July 1, 2022, M.A., who owed Horton money from a previous drug transaction, contacted Horton to purchase two grams of heroin. Following a series of text messages and phone calls, Horton directed M.A. to meet him at 1125 38th Avenue North in Nashville.

When M.A. arrived, Horton approached the driver's side window of his vehicle. M.A. paid Horton $200 through Cash App, and Horton handed him the drugs. A dispute arose when M.A. complained that the amount provided was less than what they had agreed upon. Horton then reached into the vehicle and attempted to take back the drugs.

Horton threatened to shoot M.A.'s vehicle if he moved. Moments later, Horton fired two shots, striking M.A. twice in the left side of his chest. Horton then told M.A., "You better get out of here." Despite his injuries, M.A. managed to drive a short distance down 38th Avenue North before calling 911.

Responding officers recovered two spent .380-caliber cartridge casings near the scene, one manufactured by Winchester and the other by Speer.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Department detectives interviewed M.A. at the hospital and obtained his cellphone, which contained text messages with Horton leading up to the shooting. Investigators also recovered a $200 Cash App transaction receipt associated with an account bearing the name "$40thblock" and displaying Horton's photograph. M.A. subsequently identified Horton as the shooter in a photographic lineup.

On July 5, 2022, detectives arrested Horton on warrants related to the shooting and executed a search warrant at the residence where he had been staying. Investigators recovered three cellphones from Horton, along with an empty box of Winchester .380-caliber ammunition, a live Winchester .380-caliber round, a live Speer .380-caliber round, and a custom "40th Block Wam" necklace associated with Horton.

A forensic examination of Horton's cellphones revealed additional evidence, including messages exchanged with M.A. and multiple internet searches concerning the July 1, 2022, shooting in North Nashville.

Horton is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2026. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the ammunition conviction. Horton also faces up to 40 years in prison for a related drug offense and up to life imprisonment for a related firearms offense, both of which he pleaded guilty to before trial.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel M. Stephens and Brian T. Enright prosecuted the case.

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