Lawton Woman Pleads Guilty to Large-Scale ATM Theft

OKLAHOMA CITY—Maria Estelle Martin, 47, of Lawton, pled guilty today to embezzling cash from a credit institution before United States District Court Judge Robin J. Cauthron, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to court records, Martin worked for a security company that serviced Lawton-area ATMs for local banks and credit unions. Her duties included replenishing ATMs with cash from financial institutions’ vaults. In late 2011 and early 2012, Martin embezzled cash by taking it from the vaults and keeping it rather than using it to replenish the ATMs.

Martin faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine at her January 7, 2014, sentencing hearing. She will also be required to pay $846,670 in restitution to the corporate victims of her theft.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lawton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and Chris M. Stephens.