Omaha man sentenced for $1 million bank robbery spree

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A serial bank robber was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Nebraska.

Demetrius Alston, 34, of Omaha got 19½ years in prison for bank robbery, attempted bank robbery and conspiracy to commit interference with interstate commerce by way of robbery.

Alston was part of a group that robbed banks in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and North Carolina.

From 2015 to 2020, they stole more than $1 million from 17 banks, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Alston is the last defendant to be sentenced, bringing an end to a yearslong federal case.

Authorities said the group typically carried out “takeover-style” robberies, brandishing weapons to gain control of employees and customers and get access to the vaults.

In September 2018, the robbers hit two banks in Omaha, authorities said.

First, they tried to rob the Metro Credit Union on North 72nd Street.

Then they held up a Wells Fargo, wearing disguises and demanding money. They made off with over $16,000, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Law enforcement started to catch up to Alston after a robbery in North Carolina.

On July 29, 2019, Alston and one of his accomplices robbed a Wells Fargo in Fayetteville of over $77,000.

They fled in a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina, authorities said.

Later that day, Alston went to the Fayetteville Regional Airport, but he had a problem getting through security.

A Transportation Security Administration agent inspected his bag and found a large amount of money.

Alston then grabbed the bag from the agent, authorities said, and made a break for it.

Money was falling from the bag as he ran, and he also dropped his backpack.

All told, investigators recovered $38,100 in new bills, about half of the money stolen from the bank.

They also found Alston’s ID, cellphone and boarding pass in the security bin.

The FBI searched his Omaha home and found the title to the getaway car used in the Fayetteville robbery.

Alston’s co-defendants were sentenced in 2022 and 2023.

Charles Ware got about 14 years in prison, Kevin Brown was sentenced to more than 10 years, Tristen Coleman got more than eight years and Brealon Goodwin received 5¾ years.

After his prison sentence, Alston will spend three years on supervised release.

He will also pay a restitution amount that is yet to be determined.