Four members of a Houston criminal street gang were convicted of conspiracy and bank robbery related to a series of ATM robberies and "juggings" in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced on Mar. 9.
The convictions highlight ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address organized crime targeting financial institutions and individuals in the region. The case involved coordinated robberies that resulted in significant cash losses for local banks.
Charles Bernard Byrd, also known as "Doughboy," was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and aiding and abetting bank robbery after a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale. His co-defendants—Kendrick Douglas Warren ("Bullet"), Derrick Deshaun Brooks ("D-Brooks"), and Derramy Deonita Foster—all pleaded guilty prior to trial. Byrd faces up to 25 years in federal prison at sentencing.
Evidence presented at trial showed that the group targeted ATM repair technicians during 2024, including two high-profile robberies in Beaumont where masked men stole $153,000 from PNC Bank on October 8 and $146,000 from Education First Federal Credit Union on December 31. Police investigations linked vehicles used in the crimes back to the suspects, leading to their arrest just over an hour after one of the robberies with stolen cash recovered.
Further investigation revealed that all four men were members of the "100% Third Ward gang," also known as the "103 gang," which operates out of Houston's Third Ward area committing various crimes such as juggings—robberies targeting people leaving banks with valuables—and auto thefts. The group orchestrated multiple such crimes between October and December 2024.
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled following presentence investigations by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating violent crime and transnational criminal organizations nationwide.
