American Jailed for 10 Years After Using ChatGPT to Plan Bank Robbery.

American Jailed for 10 Years After Using ChatGPT to Plan Bank Robbery.

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 holding up a bank at gunpoint and threatening two employees with death.

Deron Lewis-Payne was sentenced on August 13, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska said in a statement published on August 19.

He received 37 months for bank robbery and a consecutive 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. He will also serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

The robbery took place on February 10 at i3Bank in Omaha. Lewis-Payne entered the bank carrying a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from two tellers.

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

The tellers handed over approximately $9,175, and Lewis-Payne fled.

Investigators used bank surveillance footage and nearby residential cameras to identify him and the vehicle involved. The bank cameras captured his unmasked face and distinctive clothing, including red Nike slides. Residential cameras recorded the vehicle’s registration plate, a toolbox and specific rust spots.

A search of Lewis-Payne’s phone revealed he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the crime. His queries included questions about law-enforcement response times, how to “strip and repair a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun,” and how to obtain ammunition despite being a felon. His Google Maps history also showed a recent search for directions to i3Bank.

After the robbery, he went on a shopping spree at Westroads Mall, buying shoes and clothing with cash. When officers later approached him near one of his residences, he fled, “abandoning banded cash in his wake.”

A search of his homes turned up another currency band, the vehicle linked to the robbery, and most of the clothing he wore during the hold-up, including the red Nike slides. Investigators recovered $2,397 of the stolen money. The handgun was never found.

Lewis-Payne admitted driving the vehicle but denied taking part in the robbery.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.