ATM Hitmen: Texas Duo Nabbed for Tech Heists

SEATTLE – Two men are cooling their heels in a federal holding cell after a brazen, multi-state ATM robbery scheme finally caught up with them. Ahmon Hogg, 22, of Humble, Texas, and Seth Coles-Body, 23, of Houston, made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Seattle Thursday, charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. These weren’t smash-and-grab jobs; these guys were preying on the people *fixing* the machines.

The pair allegedly operated as part of a larger ring, systematically disabling ATMs with a sticky, glue-like substance. Their MO? Wait for the inevitable repair call, then strong-arm the technician out of the cash cassettes – the containers holding the actual money. The first documented incident occurred December 23, 2024, in Renton, Washington. A Bank of America technician arrived to fix a jammed card reader, only to be confronted by two masked men wielding a screwdriver. The tech refused to open the machine and escaped a scuffle, but the robbers fled, leaving behind only a glimpse captured on bank surveillance.

The next day, the same crew struck again in Vancouver, Washington. This time, they weren’t thwarted. They shoved a Bank of America technician aside and made off with five cash cassettes. A similar ATM tampering incident was reported in Battleground, Washington, the same day. Investigators quickly linked the incidents, noting matching vehicle descriptions and suspect clothing. But the pair didn’t stay put. By January 3, 2025, Hogg and Coles-Body were connected to ATM tampering cases in Phoenix, Arizona, involving Bank of America and Wells Fargo. The FBI caught them casing another ATM, waiting for a technician, but were forced to release them after a brief stop.

The brazenness continued. On March 7, 2025, a technician at a Redmond, Washington Bank of America was robbed after repairing a glue-damaged card reader. Five stolen canisters were later found, wrecked, on the shoulder of Highway 520. Just days later, Coles-Body attempted to flee to Mexico via Greyhound bus, lugging a whopping $209,000 in cash. Border Patrol seized the money, but again, he was released. This wasn’t a lack of evidence; it was a calculated risk on their part, believing they could outrun the law.

They were wrong. A criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued July 2, 2025. Hogg and Coles-Body were finally apprehended during a traffic stop in Mississippi, with stolen firearms discovered in their vehicle. They were transported to Seattle and made their initial court appearance July 3rd. If convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, both men face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The FBI and the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force are continuing the investigation.

The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly minor acts of vandalism can be a prelude to violent crime, and that federal agencies are actively working to dismantle these organized rings.