Houston Trio Charged in Federal Court After Daring Cheyenne ATM Theft

CHEYENNE, Wyoming — A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals from Houston, Texas, following an audacious attempt to steal an automated teller machine (ATM) from a Cheyenne credit union. The suspects, identified as Christopher Parish (41), London B. Beaudoin (19), and Leo Smith (20), are facing charges of federal bank theft and are scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Cheyenne.

The incident began in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 2, 2023. According to Cheyenne Police Department records, officers responded to an automated alarm at the UniWyo Federal Credit Union located on Yellowstone Road. Upon arrival, officers discovered a scene of significant destruction: the facility's ATM had been violently ripped open, with its cash cassettes completely missing.

Investigators quickly located a Ford F-250 pickup truck abandoned nearby. The truck, which had been reported stolen, was still equipped with a heavy-duty chain that the thieves had wrapped around the ATM to tear it from its mounting. A swift search of the surrounding area led police to spot a suspicious Nissan Murano carrying four occupants fleeing the vicinity.

When officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle sped off, triggering a high-speed pursuit through the streets of Cheyenne. During the chase, passengers in the getaway car began throwing items from the windows. Officers observed one passenger, later identified as London B. Beaudoin, discarding the stolen UniWyo ATM cash boxes onto the roadway in an apparent attempt to rid themselves of evidence.

The pursuit came to an end when the Nissan Murano struck a curb, disabling the vehicle and forcing it to a halt. Officers immediately apprehended Parish, Beaudoin, and Smith. A fourth passenger managed to escape on foot and remains at large. Upon booking, police discovered that Smith had an active nationwide extraditable warrant from Tarrant County, Texas, for a probation violation stemming from a previous ATM theft conviction.

The defendants were arraigned on federal bank theft charges on January 18, 2024. A jury trial has been scheduled before U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson. If convicted, the defendants face substantial prison time and fines in federal custody.