Feds hand down 24-month sentence in Baton Rouge ATM heist case
Three men used stolen trucks and tow straps to rip machines from concrete bases at local credit unions in 2022.
By Robert Ward ·
Deantae Mason will serve 24 months in federal prison for his role in a series of ATM robberies in Baton Rouge.
The sentencing was announced on Monday by Kurt Wall, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. Mason, 26, was one of three men convicted of bank theft and conspiracy to commit bank robbery. He is the first of the trio to receive his final sentence.
The criminal activity began in early 2022. On February 12, 2022, Mason, Alex Mata, and Brandon Griffin stole a pickup truck near the Pelican State Credit Union on North Lobdell Boulevard. They attached a tow strap to an exterior ATM and pulled the machine from its concrete base. The group removed $106,120 in cash from the device.
A month later, on March 11, 2022, Mason and Mata repeated the tactic. They used a truck with a switched license plate to target an ATM at the Neighbors Federal Credit Union on Howell Boulevard. The pair stole $170,000 from that machine.
Prosecutors stated that the group scouted locations and surveilled areas for large trucks to steal. They also assigned members to serve as lookouts during the break-ins. An indictment noted that the trio attempted three more robberies in late March 2022. Those attempts targeted ATMs at Neighbors Federal Credit Union on Coursey Boulevard, Chase Bank on Plank Road, and Investar Bank on Highland Road.
Mason pleaded guilty to charges related to the two successful robberies. He was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He must pay $285,120 in restitution and forfeit $95,039.
His co-defendants received similar terms during hearings held between September and November. Mata, 23, who also participated in two robberies, was sentenced to 22 months in prison. He faces the same restitution and forfeiture amounts as Mason. Griffin, 26, participated in one robbery and received a sentence of one year and one day in prison. He must pay $106,120 in restitution and forfeit $35,373. All three defendants will serve three years of supervised release after their time behind bars.
