PLANO, Texas — A 24-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for his involvement in a violent crime spree, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jacobei Townsend pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft and was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on May 26, 2026. From August to September 2020, Townsend participated in a series of “Hook and Chain” burglaries, which involved stealing a truck, attaching hooks and chains to it, and using the vehicle to forcibly remove ATM doors to access cash, according to court documents.
The crime spree included several burglaries in Texas and Arizona, notably at Independent Bank on North Prosper Road and Texas Bank on South Preston Road in Prosper. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, aimed at combating criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations, stated the source…