A 23-year-old man from Omaha, Nebraska, who used ChatGPT while planning a bank robbery has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for robbing a bank and brandishing a firearm during the crime.
Deron Lewis-Payne was sentenced on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in federal court in Omaha after pleading guilty to bank robbery and brandishing a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun during a crime of violence.
US Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the sentence, saying District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. sentenced Lewis-Payne to 37 months for the bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing the firearm. The sentences will run consecutively.
There is no parole in the US federal prison system. Following his release, Lewis-Payne will also serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Lewis-Payne entered i3Bank at 15645 Spaulding Street, Omaha, on February 10, 2026, carrying a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from two bank employees.
He pointed the gun at the tellers and threatened to kill them if they failed to comply. He ordered them to empty their cash drawers and specifically warned them not to include dye packs.
The tellers complied, and Lewis-Payne escaped with approximately $9,175.
Bank surveillance footage captured his unmasked face and distinctive clothing, including red Nike slides. The footage also clearly showed the handgun.
Residential surveillance cameras near the bank 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 from 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 and left banded cash behind.
A subsequent search of his residences uncovered another currency band, the vehicle allegedly 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 while planning the crime.
According to the US Department of Justice, Lewis-Payne used the AI chatbot to seek information 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.
Investigators also found that his Google Maps history showed he had recently searched for directions to i3Bank.
The firearm allegedly 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.
