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Lawton Woman Sentenced To 33 Months In Prison For Large-Scale ATM Theft
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Lawton Woman Sentenced To 33 Months In Prison For Large-Scale ATM Theft

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Maria Estelle Martin, 48, of Lawton, has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for embezzling cash from a credit institution, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Martin, who worked as an armed security guard for a security company that serviced Lawton-area ATM machines for local banks and credit unions, embezzled cash by taking it from the vaults and keeping it rather than using it to replenish the ATMs. The theft occurred in late 2011 and early 2012.

According to court records, Martin would often gamble away the stolen money through frequent visits to Lawton-area Indian casinos, where she would sometimes put over $70,000 into a single slot machine.

At today’s sentencing, United States District Judge Robin J. Cauthron sentenced Martin to serve 33 months in federal prison. Upon her release from prison, Martin will be on supervised release for five years and will be required to pay $847,942.50 in restitution to the corporate victims of her theft.

The investigation into Martin’s crimes was a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lawton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and Chris M. Stephens prosecuted the case.

The full extent of Martin’s embezzlement is a stark reminder of the importance of protecting our financial institutions from those who would seek to exploit them for personal gain.

As a result of Martin’s actions, the public can expect a more vigilant and proactive approach to preventing similar crimes from occurring in the future.