A Northern California man who with a partner recruited associates on Instagram to rob banks in Sacramento and the Bay Area pleaded guilty on Wednesday in federal court in Sacramento, court documents show.

Dontae Jerome Jones, Jr., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery in the scheme, which involved heists at at least ten financial institutions, the plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California shows.

One of his associates, JoMya Futch, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and perjury in the deal, announced Thursday by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. Jones’ partner, Yasmin Millett, pleaded guilty in a separate deal last month.

In addition to Sacramento, the group robbed banks and credit unions in Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord and Antioch in a spree that began in June of 2023 and continued through September 2024, the agreement shows.

In the scheme, Millett posted photos of herself and other participants holding up cash on Instagram, recruiting women to go into the banks and demand funds. These women, who were instructed to wear dark glasses and carry purses to hold the money, acted as “note passers,” handing tellers a written letter demanding cash and threatening violence if they did not cooperate.

“Don’t Make eye contact,” read a demand on a crumpled Post-It note found on the front seat of the stolen Audi getaway car the group used to rob a credit union in Suisun City. “Don’t look suspicious Don’t Push emergency Button Put smile on your face or I will shoot.”

Futch was one of the women who went into the banks and handed tellers the threatening notes, the agreement said. She is being charged with perjury in addition to bank robbery because she told a grand jury investigating the case that she thought she was merely going to go into the bank and open an account for Millett.

The statement of facts in the plea agreement, which Futch signed, alleged that Futch knew that the group planned to rob banks.

In an Instagram message to Futch on July 15, 2023, Millett wrote, “Banks hittin! Let’s work,” the plea agreement said.

Futch responded, “Come on boo,” the agreement said.

“Make more money tomorrow,” Millett wrote on July 16, garnering a response of “OK, come on,” from Futch.

They hit a credit union in Suisun City the next day.

Jones and Futch are scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley on Aug. 7. They each face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the bank robbery charge. Futch also faces a 5-year sentence and a $250,000 fine for perjury.

Millett, who is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, also faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.