American jailed 10 years for using ChatGPT to plan bank robbery

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A 23-year-old Omaha, Nebraska man who used ChatGPT to plan a bank robbery has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison after he robbed a bank at gunpoint and threatened two employees with death.

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Deron Lewis-Payne was sentenced on August 13, 2026, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska in a statement published on August 19 and cited by our correspondent on Monday.

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The US Justice Department said Lewis-Payne received 37 months for bank robbery and another 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, with the sentences to run consecutively. He will also serve five years of supervised release after his imprisonment.

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The incident occurred on February 10, when Lewis-Payne entered i3Bank in Omaha carrying a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from two employees.

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“He pointed the handgun at the tellers and told them he would kill them if they did not comply,” the Justice Department said, adding that he ordered the employees to empty their cash drawers and warned them “not to include any dye packs with the cash.”

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The tellers complied, allowing Lewis-Payne to escape with approximately $`9,175 in cash.

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Investigators later used surveillance footage from the bank and nearby residential cameras to identify the suspect and the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery.

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“i3 Bank surveillance captured his unmasked face and distinctive outfit, including red Nike slides,” the department said.

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It added that residential surveillance cameras also captured the vehicle, including its registration plate and “distinctive features to include a toolbox and particular rust spots.”

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The investigation took another turn after officers examined Lewis-Payne’s phone, with investigators finding that he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the robbery.

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“Officers examined the contents and determined Lewis-Payne used ChatGPT to plan the robbery,” the department said.

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According to the Justice Department, his queries included advice on “law enforcement response times,” how to “strip and repair a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun” and how to obtain ammunition despite being a felon.

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His Google Maps history also showed that he had most recently searched for directions to i3Bank.

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After the robbery, investigators said Lewis-Payne went on a shopping spree at Westroads Mall, using cash to purchase shoes and clothing.

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When officers later located him near one of his residences, he fled, “abandoning banded cash in his wake,” according to the department.

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A search of his residences uncovered another currency band, the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery and most of the clothing he wore during the incident, including the red Nike slides.

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Lewis-Payne admitted to driving the vehicle but denied participating in the robbery.

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The handgun used in the robbery was never recovered, while investigators recovered $2,397 of the $9,175 stolen from the bank.

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The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The US Justice Department noted that there is no parole in the federal prison system.

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