Dallas man sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison in ATM crime spree

PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Joseph George Turner, 31, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Schell on December 3, 2025.

According to court documents, Turner was the leader and organizer of a group of individuals involved in a crime spree aimed at forcibly removing ATMs from convenience stores in the DFW area.  From May 16 to June 1, 2023, the defendants participated in a conspiracy that involved smashing the glass from a convenience storefront with a sledgehammer before using a stolen truck or SUV to drag an ATM from the store.  Once the ATM was removed from the store, the defendants would load the machine into the vehicle and leave the scene.  The ATM and vehicle would later be found abandoned after the money was removed and divided among the participants.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Frisco Office, Plano Police Department, Irving Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, Carrolton Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.

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