The third and final defendant in the robbery of more than $100,000 from the Wells Fargo Bonifay ATM has pled no contest to his charges and was sentenced to 9 years in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
Holmes County Chief Prosecutor Jake Cook said the three codefendants in the Bonifay case have now been sentenced to a combined 34 years in prison for the crime.
Traveon Ladarren Burnett, 27, of Pasadena, Texas, was adjudicated guilty Wednesday of Grand Theft of More Than $100,000, Robbery, and Criminal Mischief in the Oct. 18, 2024 robbery of a Bonifay ATM. Circuit Court Judge Russell Roberts accepted the plea and 9-year prison sentence. Judge Roberts also ordered the sentence to be serve consecutive to “any other prison sentences in any other jurisdiction.”
Cook said Burnett was part of a Houston Texas gang linked to ATM robberies across the country. Earlier this year Marcus McLemore pled to the same charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In December, Jacorey DeShawn Hall, 27, entered an open plea on the day of trial to Grand Theft of More Than $100,000 and Robbery, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 30 years of probation.
“Chief Johnny Whitaker and the Bonifay Police Department put a lot of work into what was a very complicated case involving multiple jurisdictions and states,” Cook said. “This crime was well-planned, sophisticated, and the pieces of evidence were spread out all across the country, and now between the three defendants they have a combined 34 years to think about committing crimes in Florida.”
RELATED: Follow us on Facebook for instant updates
RELATED: Man guilty in drug-related robbery that left victim paralyzed
Cook was prepared to call witnesses and present evidence that the defendants caused the Bonifay ATM to malfunction on Oct. 18, 2024, which resulted in a service call for repairs. Burnett and his co-defendants waited over 4 hours after jamming the ATM, and when the technician arrived, they rushed him, beat him away from the ATM, and stole over 100,000 dollars in cash.
Witnesses and video surveillance helped law enforcement identify the getaway car and its tag, and its path of travel back to Panama City Beach. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office found the abandoned car and items in it – like gloves and receipts –that were linked to the Texas gang.
Basford also thanked the Bonifay Police Department and multiple agencies involved for their collaboration.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.