A Dallas man has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for his role in a series of violent robberies targeting ATMs across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Joseph George Turner, 31, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and received a sentence of 210 months from U.S. District Judge Richard A. Schell on December 3, 2025.
Court documents revealed that Turner led a group responsible for forcibly removing ATMs from convenience stores between May 16 and June 1, 2023. The group used sledgehammers to break store windows and then employed stolen vehicles to pull the machines out. After taking the ATM, they loaded it into their vehicle and left the scene. Both the ATM and the vehicle were later found abandoned after the cash was taken and divided among those involved.
"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," according to officials.
The investigation was conducted by several law enforcement agencies including the FBI’s Frisco Office, as well as police departments in Plano, Irving, Dallas, Mesquite, Carrolton, and Grapevine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson prosecuted the case.
