Man Who Used ChatGPT to Plan Bank Robbery Sentenced to More Than 10 Years

Deron Lewis-Payne, a 23-year-old man from Omaha, Nebraska, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison after carrying out an armed bank robbery in February 2026. What has made the case unusual is not only the crime itself, but the discovery that Lewis-Payne had used ChatGPT while preparing for the robbery. On February 10, he entered the i3Bank in Omaha carrying a black semi-automatic handgun and confronted two employees. He threatened to kill them if they failed to cooperate and ordered them to empty their cash drawers. He also warned them not to include dye packs with the money. The employees complied, and Lewis-Payne escaped with approximately $9,175 in cash.

The investigation quickly began to close in on him. Surveillance cameras inside the bank captured his face because he was not wearing a mask, as well as distinctive clothing and red Nike slides. Other cameras recorded the vehicle he used, including its registration plate and unusual features on the vehicle. Following the robbery, investigators found that Lewis-Payne had visited Westroads Mall and spent some of the stolen money on clothing and shoes. When officers later located him near one of his residences, he attempted to flee, leaving banded cash behind. A search subsequently uncovered additional money, the vehicle connected to the robbery and much of the clothing he had reportedly worn during the crime.

The most striking evidence emerged from Lewis-Payne’s phone. He admitted that he had driven the vehicle but denied participating in the robbery. He nevertheless consented to officers examining his phone. Investigators discovered that he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the crime, including asking questions concerning police response times, a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun and obtaining ammunition despite being a convicted felon. His Google Maps history also showed that he had recently searched for directions to the very bank he later robbed. The combination of surveillance footage, physical evidence, financial activity and digital records created a powerful trail connecting him to the offence.

On August 13, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Lewis-Payne to 121 months in prison. The sentence consists of 37 months for bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, with the terms served consecutively. He will also face five years of supervised release after leaving prison. The case has attracted attention because it demonstrates how digital technology can become part of both criminal activity and criminal investigations. ChatGPT did not physically commit the robbery, but the digital trail left behind by its use became another piece of evidence in the investigation. The case also serves as a reminder that information generated or stored on personal devices can become relevant evidence when law enforcement obtains lawful access to those devices.