Two men from Houston are heading to federal prison after what prosecutors say was a cross-country cash grab that netted more than $400,000 from ATMs on Indianapolis' north side in 2022. R’Vonte Berryman was sentenced to seven years behind bars, and Cregarius Jackson received five and a half years. A federal judge also ordered the pair to repay roughly $407,339 in restitution.
Sentences, Pleas and Restitution
Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery, bank robbery, and aiding and abetting, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana. Federal court imposed a seven-year sentence for Berryman and a 5½-year sentence for Jackson. As part of the judgment, they were ordered to pay a combined $407,339 in restitution.
How the Thefts Unfolded
Prosecutors say the defendants traveled from Houston in 2022 and used a scheme that disabled freestanding ATMs so technicians would be called out to fix them. Once the workers arrived, the men forced them to open the machines and hand over the cash stored inside.
On June 9, 2022, the pair allegedly forced a technician at a PNC ATM on West 38th Street to surrender about $107,339. On Aug. 9, 2022, they used the same method at a Bank of America machine in the 8500 block of River Road to get roughly $300,000, as reported by FOX59.
Officials Say Workers Were Endangered
U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler said the defendants "traveled hundreds of miles across the country to prey on financial services that everyday Hoosiers rely on," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana. FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley noted that the pair put employees in fear while targeting the cash machines.
The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath prosecuted it in federal court.
Broader Pattern and Public-Safety Notes
Prosecutors tied the case to Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal effort aimed at reducing violent crime, and said the tactic of targeting technicians raises alarms about the safety of bank employees and the communities that rely on them. Federal agents and local partners say they intend to keep pursuing cross-state crews that go after ATMs, a pattern highlighted in reporting by FOX59.
Legal Notes
Because both defendants pleaded guilty, their prison terms reflect negotiated federal plea agreements and application of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. The restitution order is part of the formal judgment entered by the court. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Indiana, the sentences are meant not only to punish these robberies but also to deter future attacks on financial-service workers and infrastructure.
