A Sacramento County father and son have been convicted for running an armed robbery scheme that targeted people withdrawing cash from ATMs across the region in late 2023, with the son now facing up to 46 years in state prison and his father up to seven. Myahl Chapman-Joseph was convicted of eight counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery, while his father, Deleon Joseph, was convicted of one count of robbery for his role as the getaway driver.
According to CBS Sacramento, prosecutors said the pair carried out nine armed ATM robberies between September 9 and December 25, 2023, targeting Wells Fargo and Golden 1 Credit Union ATM locations. Chapman-Joseph wore a mask and personally used a firearm while ambushing people as they withdrew money, and Deleon Joseph was armed with a firearm during the crime as well, per the outlet's reporting.
How the Scheme Worked
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office described the operation as a coordinated father-son scheme. Chapman-Joseph ambushed people at ATMs at gunpoint as they withdrew money.
Detectives cracked the case by tracing the getaway vehicle through surveillance footage collected from the targeted bank and neighboring businesses in Gold River, the same outlet reported. Gold River is an unincorporated community in eastern Sacramento County where law enforcement coverage falls to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office East Patrol Division, which operates out of Kilgore Road in nearby Rancho Cordova, according to Hoodline.
Arrests and Evidence at the Meadowview Home
Law enforcement officers arrested Deleon Joseph and his son in February 2024. CBS Sacramento reported that investigators later searched a home and found two guns used in the robberies. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests the following month.
The case ultimately resulted in convictions for Myahl Chapman-Joseph on eight robbery counts and one attempted-robbery count, while Deleon Joseph was convicted of one robbery count.
Why the Sentencing Gap Is So Wide
Under California Penal Code § 212.5(b), as detailed by legal resource Eisner Gorin LLP, any robbery committed against a person while using or immediately after using an ATM is automatically classified as first-degree felony robbery, which carries a base California state prison term of up to six years per count. California Penal Code § 12022.53 provides firearm enhancements that vary by use: displaying or striking with a firearm adds 10 years, firing adds 20 years, and causing serious injury or death adds 25 years to life, according to Wallin & Klarich. The reported potential sentences are up to 46 years for Chapman-Joseph and seven years for his father.
Myahl Chapman-Joseph and Deleon Joseph are scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, according to CBS Sacramento.
Prosecution of the Case
In this case, prosecutors secured convictions against Myahl Chapman-Joseph and Deleon Joseph for their roles in the ATM robberies.
