Texas Men Indicted for Stealing from ATMs at Springfield, Ozark Banks

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A third Texas man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for his role in bank burglary and bank theft conspiracies following thefts from two automated teller machines (ATMs) at Ozark, Mo., and Springfield, Mo., banks.

Nigel Dwane Luchin, 27, and Leo Smith, 21, both of Houston, Texas, and Christopher E. Merchant, 24, of Beaumont, Texas, were charged in a six-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Luchin was originally charged in a Dec. 19, 2023, indictment and Smith was charged in a Jan. 23, 2024, superseding indictment. Merchant was added as a defendant in today's second superseding indictment.

The federal indictment alleges that Luchin, Smith, and Merchant participated in a conspiracy to commit bank burglary and a conspiracy to commit bank theft from Oct. 3 to Nov. 8, 2023.

According to the indictment, Smith stole a heavy-duty Dodge Ram truck from a parking lot in Springfield on Oct. 20, 2023. Smith drove the truck to Wood & Huston Bank in Springfield, the indictment says, where the truck was used on the same day to break open and steal money from the ATM.

In addition to the two conspiracies, Smith is charged with one count of bank burglary and one count of bank theft in relation to Wood & Huston Bank.

On Oct. 29 or 30, 2023, Smith allegedly assisted in the theft of a heavy-duty Ford F-250 truck from a parking lot in Nixa, Mo. On Oct. 29, 2023, the indictment says, Luchin and/or Merchant purchased a tow chain. The truck and chain allegedly were used by Luchin, Smith and Merchant to break open and steal money from the ATM at Southern Bank in Ozark, Mo., on Oct. 30, 2023.

In addition to the two conspiracies, Luchin, Smith, and Merchant are charged together in one count of bank burglary and one count of bank theft in relation to Southern Bank.

According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint that was filed on Nov. 6, 2023, conspirators used a chain and two large hooks to dismantle the door to the ATM at Southern Bank by attaching the chains to the ATM and pulling the chain and hooks with the stolen Ford F-250. They stole $30,700 from the ATM and left the bank, abandoning the pickup truck a short distance away.

Investigators reviewed surveillance videos from businesses in the area where the Ford F-250 was stolen. The videos allegedly showed conspirators arriving at the area in two vehicles - a Chrysler Voyager minivan and a Toyota Highlander - and leaving the area with the stolen pickup. Both the Voyager and the Highlander were identified on a license plate reader and traced to two car rental agencies in Houston. Later the same day, a license plate reader in Houston captured both of those vehicles traveling in the same direction.

Ozark police officers searched the stolen pickup truck, the affidavit says, and found Luchin's Texas identification card on the driver's seat.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.