Four men who all took part in several thefts of automatic teller machines, including at least one in which they chained up a machine at a Colonial Drive bank branch, have all been sentenced to multiple years behind bars.
On Monday, September 18, 23-year-old Deontrae Walden and 24-year-old Aqunis Green were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a series of bank ATM thefts that resulted in the theft of $593,650, and over $100,000 in damages.
Walden was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in federal prison, while Green was sentenced to 18 months consecutive to 46 months that was imposed through a related case in Texas.
The sentences bring an end to a case that dates back to late 2021.
According to court records, in October 2021, Green came to Orlando and showed Walden how to commit the ATM robberies. On October 26, 2021, the two stole $104,000 from a bank ATM on East Colonial Drive.
On November 11, 2021, Green and Walden stole $158,000 from a bank ATM on Conroy Road in Windermere.
On November 14, 2021, Walden burglarized another ATM, stealing $108,140 from a bank on South Semoran Boulevard in Orlando.
On December 18, 2021, Walden robbed another bank on State Road 436 in Casselberry. During that incident, Walden stole $107,180.
There were no additional incidents reported for several months until a fifth incident on May 26, 2022.
During that incident, Walden recruited Wendell Harp, 24, and Carlos Tawan Reed, Jr., 23, to hep him burglarize an ATM at a Chase Bank located on East Colonial Drive in Orlando. Using a stolen F-250 truck, the men destroyed the casing of the ATM and stole cash boxes from inside that contained $116,650.
A 24-year-old Orlando man was sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison after he and two others were caught on video chaining an automatic teller machine on Colonial Drive and stealing $116,650. The men fled the scene in a Mercedes rental car driven by Reed.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies were notified of the theft and pursued the men on the ground and in the air. Reed led police on a high-speed chase, which ended when deputies deployed spike strips and disabled the car. All three men attempted to flee on foot, but were arrested a short time later.
Deputies were able to recover all of the money stolen during the fifth burglary.
In April, Harp was sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison. In March, Reed, Jr. was sentenced to 4.25 years in prison.
All of the men pled guilty to charges at various points over the past year.