A Houston man was sentenced on April 15 to five years in federal prison for his role in a series of ATM thefts across Texas and Arizona, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Cody Williams, age 27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft and received a sentence of 60 months from U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan. Williams was also ordered to pay $71,639 in restitution for damages caused during the crime spree.
Court documents show that between June 2020 and June 2024, Williams participated in what authorities called “Hook and Chain” burglaries. These crimes involved stealing trucks, attaching hooks and chains, then using the vehicles to pull doors off ATMs to access cash inside. The spree included several incidents throughout Texas and Arizona, notably targeting the Texas Bank on South Preston Road in Prosper. Authorities estimate losses exceeded $400,000 due to stolen funds and property damage.
Combs said 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.”
The investigation involved collaboration among the FBI as well as police departments from Fort Worth and Pottsboro. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas prosecutes federal crimes—including cases like this—and manages civil litigation across its jurisdiction according to its official website. The office supports victims through dedicated services while working with other agencies on community safety initiatives according to its official website. Covering 43 counties with offices located in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler according to its official website, it employs about 100 staff members including approximately 50 assistant U.S. attorneys according to its official website.
