Third Texas man indicted for stealing ATMs in Springfield and Ozark

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A third Texas man was indicted by a jury today for his role in stealing automatic teller machines (ATMs) in Springfield and Ozark.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Nigel Dwane Luchin, Leo Smith and Christopher Merchant, from Texas, were charged in a six-count indictment.

Luchin was originally charged in a Dec. 19, 2023, indictment and Smith was charged in a Jan. 23, 2024, superseding indictment. Merchant was added as a defendant in today’s second superseding indictment.

According to the indictment, from Oct. 3 to Nov. 8, 2023, Luchin, Smith, and Merchant allegedly participated in a conspiracy to commit bank burglary and conspiracy to commit bank theft.

Smith allegedly stole a pickup truck and used it to break open and steal money from the Wood & Huston ATM. In addition to the conspiracy charges, Smith is charged with a count of alleged bank burglary and one count of bank theft.

A similar crime occurred in Nixa and Ozark on Oct. 29, 2023, with the indictment alleging Luchin, Smith, and Merchant were involved in the theft of a truck and breaking into a Southern Bank ATM.

In addition to the two conspiracies, Luchin, Smith, and Merchant are all charged with one count of bank burglary and one count of bank theft in relation to Southern Bank.

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