Deron Lewis-Payne, a 23-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for using ChatGPT to plan a bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during the crime. The sentence was handed down on August 13, 2026, in federal court in Omaha by District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr., following Lewis-Payne's guilty plea to bank robbery and brandishing a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun during a crime of violence.
Details of the Sentence and Charges
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the sentence, stating that Judge Rossiter imposed 37 months for the robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing the firearm, with the terms to run consecutively. The federal prison system has no parole, and upon his release, Lewis-Payne will serve five years of supervised release.
Court documents detail that Lewis-Payne entered i3Bank at 15645 Spaulding Street, Omaha, on February 10, 2026, brandishing a black semi-automatic handgun. He demanded money from two bank employees, pointing the firearm at the tellers and threatening to kill them if they did not comply. He ordered them to empty their cash drawers and warned them not to include dye packs.
The Robbery and Immediate Aftermath
The tellers complied, and Lewis-Payne fled with approximately $9,175 in cash. Bank surveillance footage captured his unmasked face and distinctive clothing, including red Nike slides, and clearly showed the handgun he used. Residential surveillance cameras near the bank also captured the vehicle used in the robbery, including its registration plates and distinctive features such as a toolbox and specific rust spots.
Investigators later determined through surveillance footage and transaction records from retailers at Westroads Mall that Lewis-Payne went on a shopping spree after the robbery, using cash to purchase shoes and clothing. When officers later located him near one of his residences, he fled, leaving banded cash behind.
Use of ChatGPT in Planning the Crime
A search of his residences uncovered another currency band, the vehicle used in the robbery, and most of the clothing he wore during the crime, including the distinctive red Nike slides. Although Lewis-Payne admitted driving the vehicle, he initially denied involvement in the robbery. He later consented to a search of his phone, which investigators said revealed that he had used ChatGPT in planning the robbery.
According to the US Department of Justice, his use of the AI chatbot included seeking information about law enforcement response times, how to strip and repair a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun, and how to obtain ammunition as a convicted felon. Investigators also found that his Google Maps history showed that he had recently searched for directions to i3Bank.
Recovery and Investigation
The firearm used in the robbery was not recovered. However, investigators recovered $2,397 of the approximately $9,175 stolen from the bank. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
