A 23-year-old man from Omaha, Nebraska, United States, Deron Lewis-Payne, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for robbing a bank at gunpoint after allegedly using ChatGPT to prepare for the crime.
Lewis-Payne was sentenced on August 13, 2026, after pleading guilty to charges arising from the robbery of i3Bank in Omaha.
According to the United States Justice Department, the sentence comprises 37 months for bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. The sentences will run consecutively.
He will also spend five years under supervised release after completing his prison term.
The robbery occurred on February 10 when Lewis-Payne allegedly entered the bank armed with a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from two employees.
He reportedly pointed the weapon at the tellers and threatened to kill them if they failed to comply with his demands.
The employees handed over about $9,175 after the suspect reportedly instructed them not to include dye packs among the cash.
Investigators later identified Lewis-Payne through surveillance footage from the bank and nearby residential properties.
According to the Justice Department, the bank’s cameras captured his unmasked face and clothing, including distinctive red Nike slides, while nearby cameras recorded the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery, including its registration plate and other identifying features.
The investigation took a new turn when officers examined Lewis-Payne’s mobile phone and allegedly discovered that he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the robbery.
Investigators said his online queries included questions about police response times, how to strip and repair a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun and ways to obtain ammunition despite his status as a convicted felon.
His Google Maps history also reportedly showed that he had searched for directions to i3Bank shortly before the robbery.
Following the incident, investigators said Lewis-Payne went to Westroads Mall, where he spent some of the stolen money on shoes and clothing.
Police later located him near one of his residences, but he reportedly fled from officers, leaving banded cash behind.
A subsequent search of his residences uncovered another bundle of currency, the vehicle allegedly used during the robbery and most of the clothes he was said to have worn during the operation, including the red Nike slides.
Lewis-Payne admitted driving the vehicle but denied taking part in the robbery.
The firearm allegedly used during the robbery has not been recovered, while investigators retrieved $2,397 of the $9,175 stolen from the bank.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The US Justice Department also noted that federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.