Overview:
A Dallas man who led a regional ATM theft ring has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for his role in a violent crime spree across the Eastern District of Texas. The crimes involved smashing convenience store storefronts with sledgehammers and stealing cash machines in a coordinated Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy. The case was prosecuted as part of the nationwide Operation Take Back America initiative targeting organized and violent crime.
Stealing Machines: ATM Crime Ring in Eastern District of Texas Leads to 17-Year Sentence
Authorities have sentenced the leader of a regional ATM crime ring operating in the Eastern District of Texas to 17 years in federal prison following a violent crime spree involving stolen cash machines.
The Details
Joseph George Turner, 31, of Dallas, carried out multiple ATM thefts as part of a Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy between May 16 and June 1, 2023. Turner and his accomplices used sledgehammers to smash the glass storefronts of convenience stores before forcibly removing ATMs from inside the buildings.
The group dragged the machines outside, loaded them into vehicles, and fled the scenes. Investigators later recovered both the stolen ATMs and the vehicles, which had been abandoned after the cash was removed.
Important to Know
Federal investigators prosecuted the case under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative targeting organized crime, violent offenses, and coordinated ATM crime networks.
Sources:
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
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Editor’s Disclaimer: This article is based on official information from the U.S. Department of Justice. All facts reported reflect government sources as of the time of publication
