A 23-year-old Omaha, Nebraska man who used ChatGPT to help plan a bank robbery has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison after robbing a bank at gunpoint and threatening two employees with death.
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.
The US Department of Justice said Lewis-Payne received 37 months for bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The sentences will run consecutively.
He will also serve five years of supervised release following his prison term. The federal prison system does not have parole.
The robbery occurred on February 10, when Lewis-Payne entered i3Bank in Omaha carrying a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from two employees.
“He pointed the handgun at the tellers and told them he would kill them if they did not comply,” the Justice Department said.
He allegedly ordered the employees to empty their cash drawers and warned them “not to include any dye packs with the cash.”
The employees complied, allowing Lewis-Payne to escape with approximately $9,175.
Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage from the bank and nearby residential cameras to identify the suspect and the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery.
“i3 Bank surveillance captured his unmasked face and distinctive outfit, including red Nike slides,” the Justice Department said.
Residential surveillance cameras also captured the vehicle, including its registration plate and what investigators described as distinctive features, including a toolbox and particular rust spots.
Investigators Find ChatGPT Searches
The investigation took a further turn when officers examined Lewis-Payne’s phone and discovered that he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the robbery.
“Officers examined the contents and determined Lewis-Payne used ChatGPT to plan the robbery,” the Justice Department said.
According to prosecutors, his queries included requests for 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.
His Google Maps history also showed that he had most recently searched for directions to i3Bank.
Following the robbery, investigators said Lewis-Payne went on a shopping spree at Westroads Mall, using cash to purchase shoes and clothing.
When officers later located him near one of his residences, he fled, “abandoning banded cash in his wake,” according to the Justice Department.
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 crime, including the red Nike slides.
Lewis-Payne admitted driving the vehicle but denied taking part in the robbery.
The handgun allegedly used during the robbery was never 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 sentence highlights the growing role of digital evidence in criminal investigations, with investigators using information recovered from Lewis-Payne’s phone and location history alongside surveillance footage to build the case against him.
