A 23-year-old man in Omaha, Nebraska, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for robbing a bank at gunpoint after investigators found that he had used ChatGPT while planning the crime.

Deron Lewis-Payne was sentenced on August 13, 2026, to 37 months for bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The sentences will run consecutively, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.

He will also spend five years under supervised release following his prison term.

The robbery occurred on February 10 at i3Bank in Omaha, where Lewis-Payne entered carrying a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from two employees.

According to the US Justice Department, he pointed the weapon at the tellers and threatened to kill them if they failed to comply. He ordered them to empty their cash drawers and specifically instructed them not to give him any dye packs.

The employees handed over about $9,175, after which Lewis-Payne fled the bank.

Investigators identified him through surveillance footage from the bank and nearby homes. Bank cameras reportedly captured his uncovered face and distinctive clothing, including a pair of red Nike slides, while residential cameras recorded the getaway vehicle, including its registration plate and other identifying features.

Investigators later found evidence linking Lewis-Payne to the planning of the robbery after examining his phone.

The Justice Department said he had used ChatGPT to seek information related to the crime, including questions about police response times, how to strip and repair a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun, and ways to obtain ammunition despite being a convicted felon.

His Google Maps activity also showed that he had recently searched for directions to i3Bank.

Following the robbery, investigators said Lewis-Payne spent some of the stolen money at Westroads Mall, where he bought shoes and clothing.

He was eventually located by officers near one of his residences but fled on foot, leaving banded cash behind.

A subsequent search of his residences led to the recovery of additional money, the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery and much of the clothing he was wearing during the offence, including the red Nike slides.

Although Lewis-Payne admitted to driving the vehicle, he denied taking part in the robbery.

The firearm used during the crime has not been recovered. Investigators, however, recovered $2,397 of the approximately $9,175 stolen from the bank.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation handled the case.

The Justice Department also noted that federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.