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A 23-year-old Nebraska man who used ChatGPT while planning an armed bank robbery has been sentenced to 121 months in a United States federal prison.
Deron Lewis-Payne, of Omaha, was sentenced on August 13, 2026, after pleading guilty to bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
US District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. handed Lewis-Payne a 37-month sentence for the bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm. The two sentences will be served consecutively.
According to the US Department of Justice, Lewis-Payne will also serve five years of supervised release after completing his prison term. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
The case stemmed from a February 10, 2026 robbery at i3Bank on Spaulding Street in Omaha.
Court documents said Lewis-Payne entered the bank carrying a black semi-automatic Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun and demanded money from two employees.
He allegedly pointed the weapon at the tellers and threatened to kill them if they failed to comply with his demands. He instructed them to empty their cash drawers and specifically warned them not to include dye packs.
The employees handed over approximately $9,175 before Lewis-Payne fled the bank.
Surveillance cameras captured his face and clothing, including a distinctive pair of red Nike slides. Cameras around the area also recorded the vehicle he allegedly used, including its registration plates and identifiable features such as a toolbox and rust spots.
Investigators later traced his movements following the robbery and found evidence that he went on a shopping spree at Westroads Mall, using cash to buy shoes and clothing.
When officers eventually found Lewis-Payne near one of his residences, he fled and left behind banded cash.
A subsequent search of his residences uncovered another currency band, the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery and most of the clothing he was seen wearing during the crime.
Although Lewis-Payne admitted driving the vehicle, he initially denied participating in the robbery.
However, investigators said a search of his phone revealed that he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the crime.
The Justice Department said his interactions with the AI chatbot 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 convicted felon.
His Google Maps history also showed that he had recently searched for directions to the bank.
The firearm used during the robbery has not been recovered. Investigators, however, recovered $2,397 of the approximately $9,175 stolen.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
US Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced Lewis-Payne’s sentence following the federal court proceedings in Omaha.
