Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison After Using ChatGPT To Plan $9,175 (₦12.36m) Bank Robbery

By Usman HARUNA ✔

A 23-year-old man from Omaha, Nebraska, Deron Lewis-Payne, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison after using ChatGPT while planning an armed bank robbery in the United States.

Lewis-Payne was sentenced on August 13, 2026, after pleading guilty to bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. US District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. handed him 37 months for the bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing the firearm. The sentences will be served consecutively, bringing the total to 121 months…10 years and one month. He will also serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. There is no parole in the US federal prison system.

The case followed a February 10, 2026 robbery at i3Bank on Spaulding Street in Omaha. Court documents said Lewis-Payne entered the bank carrying a black semi-automatic Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun and demanded money from two employees.

He pointed the firearm at the tellers and threatened to kill them if they did not comply. He ordered them to empty their cash drawers and specifically warned them not to include dye packs. The employees handed over approximately $9,175…about ₦12.36 million at the August 24, 2026 USD/NGN rate of about ₦1,347 to $1.

Surveillance cameras captured Lewis-Payne's unmasked face and distinctive clothing, including red Nike slides. Nearby residential cameras also captured the getaway vehicle, including its registration plate and distinctive features such as a toolbox and rust spots.

Investigators said Lewis-Payne later went on a shopping spree at Westroads Mall, where he used some of the stolen cash to buy shoes and clothing. Officers eventually located him near one of his residences, but he fled and left behind banded cash. Searches of his residences uncovered another currency band, the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery and most of the clothing he wore during the incident.

The investigation took a major turn after officers examined Lewis-Payne's phone. Investigators said they found that he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the robbery. His queries included questions about law enforcement response times, how to strip and repair a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun and how to obtain ammunition despite being a convicted felon.

His Google Maps history also showed that he had searched for directions to the targeted i3Bank before the robbery.

Lewis-Payne initially admitted driving the vehicle but denied participating in the robbery. The firearm used during the robbery has not been recovered. Investigators recovered $2,397 of the approximately $9,175 stolen from the bank. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The US Justice Department said Lewis-Payne will serve the 121-month federal sentence followed by five years of supervised release.

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