District of Nebraska
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Lincoln Man Sentenced in Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Spenser Ware, 35, formerly of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 14, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Ware to 42 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ware’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
In October of 2023, investigators received information that Ware was building firearms and selling them to individuals who could not legally purchase them. Ware owned his own security company at the time. Investigators executed a search warrant at Ware’s residence where they found five firearms, several of which were non-serialized “ghost guns” with short barrels. Investigators also found 12 receivers, high-capacity magazines, body armor, more than 1800 rounds of ammunition in different calibers, holsters, firearm assembly equipment, and magazines. Ware admitted that he ordered the gun parts and assembled the firearms himself. Investigators searched his phone and found multiple images of firearms dating back to 2021. An agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives examined the firearms and ammunition and found that they were manufactured outside the State of Nebraska.
Ware has felony convictions out of Florida preventing him from possessing firearms.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Patrick S. Carey, 38, of Lincoln, Nebraska was sentenced on May 14, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual meth and 50 grams or more of meth mixture. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Carey to 188 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Carey’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On the evening of March 16, 2023, investigators were conducting surveillance on Carey’s Lincoln residence. They saw Carey and another man leave Carey’s residence in a vehicle. The vehicle had a broken taillight, so officers attempted to make a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled. Instead of chasing the vehicle, investigators returned to Carey’s residence and waited for Carey and the other man to return. When Carey and the other man returned to the area, investigators approached them. Both men got out of the vehicle and took off running despite orders to stop. Carey was arrested after he tripped, fell, turned his ankle, and injured a finger. The other man was also arrested. Carey told officers he had a gun on his person. A bag containing meth, a handgun and ammunition were found in his pockets. Carey admitted he fled the traffic stop because he had the gun with him.
A search warrant was executed on Carey’s apartment in the early morning hours of March 17, 2023. During that search, investigators found seven additional baggies containing meth. The total weight of the bag found on Carey’s person and the bags found in his apartment was 192.89 grams, and purity testing showed at least 160 grams of actual meth.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Justice Department Finds Nebraska Violates Federal Civil Rights Laws by Unnecessarily Institutionalizing People with Serious Mental IllnessRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it found that Nebraska is unnecessarily segregating people with serious mental illness (SMI) in assisted living facilities and day program facilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The department found that Nebraska is restricting access to critical community-based services that people with SMI need to live and work in the community.
“Far too often, people with mental health disabilities are institutionalized when they could succeed and thrive in the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It’s time to bring an end to the days of funneling people with disabilities down a dead-end road towards institutionalization and unemployment when they could succeed if provided pathways towards independence and dignity. The Justice Department remains committed to protecting the rights of people with disabilities and ensuring that the ADA’s promise of integration becomes a reality.”
“By increasing its investment in community-based services for Nebraskans with SMI, the State can help these individuals become engaged and vibrant members of their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr for the District of Nebraska.
The ADA and the Olmstead decision require states to make their services for people with disabilities available in the most integrated setting appropriate to each person’s needs — places like people’s homes and workplaces. With the right services, people with SMI can live in their own homes. They can also get and keep jobs where they work alongside people without disabilities doing the same work for the same pay.
Instead of helping Nebraskans with SMI find jobs, Nebraska relies heavily on segregated day programs that group these individuals together in facilities. People with SMI may spend years in segregated day programs with no path to employment. Instead of being able to live in their own homes, many people with SMI are forced to enter assisted living facilities to get help.
Nebraska already offers services that could help its citizens with SMI find jobs and live independently. For example, Nebraska offers a service called “supported employment” that helps people with SMI find jobs and supports them in the workplace. Nebraska also offers services that help people with SMI succeed in their own homes. But the department found that Nebraska limits access to community-based services and has not developed sufficient service capacity to enable people with SMI to avoid unnecessary institutionalization. As a result, many Nebraskans with SMI struggle to access community-based services. Instead, for many Nebraskans with SMI, the only options are institutions and unemployment. Nebraska could expand access to its existing community-based services so that people with SMI can get the support they need to live and work in the community.
The department describes its findings and minimum remedial measures necessary in a letter to Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. View the department’s letter of findings here.
For more information about the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information about the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or (TTY 833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint.
Juniata Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Coren C. Potts, 53, of Juniata, Nebraska, was sentenced May 14, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for receipt and distribution of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Potts to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Pott’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release and will continue to be required to register as a sex offender.
In March 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 8 different CyberTip reports from a cloud based storage account, that a user had uploaded at least 50 files of visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct featuring children. NCMEC forwarded the tips on to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
Agents reviewed the files associated with the CyberTips and found they depicted child pornography. Search warrants were obtained for both the wireless account and the cloud account associated with a Kansas phone number which returned to Potts, residing in Juniata, Nebraska. Potts was a registered sex offender, having been convicted in 2008 in the federal district court in Kansas for possession and receipt/distribution of child pornography. At that time, the investigation was turned over to the Nebraska State Patrol.
Potts was interviewed and volunteered there was pornography on his phone. When confronted about information about the CyberTips and shown images included in the NCMEC reports, Potts showed investigators several images of child pornography that he had downloaded two days earlier. Potts’ phone was forensically examined and a review of its contents located 85 video files and 222 still images of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Joseph D. Maciarz, Jr., 63, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 13, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for receipt of child pornography. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Maciarz to 84 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Maciarz’s release from prison, he will begin a 12-year term of supervised release. Maciarz was further ordered to pay a total of $5,100 in special assessments, and $24,000 in restitution.
On November 5, 2022, an investigator with the Nebraska State Patrol was able to download a few files containing child pornography from a peer-to-peer file sharing network. The investigator was then able to obtain the IP address of the computer sharing the files. The IP address traced back to Maciarz’s residence. Police obtained a search warrant for the residence, which was executed on January 19, 2023. Numerous electronic devices were seized. Maciarz was home at the time and interviewed by police. He admitted that he had been downloading and uploading child pornography off and on for the past twenty years. The electronic devices were later examined and found to contain more than 4,000 files depicting child pornography. In some of the files, the victims ranged in age from infant to 9 years old.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Omaha Man Sentenced to more than 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Leonires Perez-Gonzales, age 31, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced May 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha after having pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Perez-Gonzales to 248 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Perez-Gonzales’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On March 30, 2023, law enforcement utilized a confidential source (CS) to purchase one pound of meth from a Mexico-based source of supply (SOS). The drug transaction was arranged through text messages with the CS and Perez-Gonzales, both coordinating with the Mexico-based SOS. The CS met the codefendant in Omaha and purchased 387 grams meth for $2,300.
On April 11, 2023, a CS coordinated with the Mexico-based SOS to purchase one pound of meth. Again, the SOS coordinated with the CS and Perez-Gonzales to set up the controlled purchase. The CS and Perez-Gonzales met at a location in Omaha where he sold the CS one pound of meth for $2,500.
On April 17, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the Perez-Gonzales’s Omaha storage unit. Inside the unit, officers located 3 plastic bags totaling 1,334 grams of meth, a digital scale, multiple venue items for the defendant, a Smith and Wesson Rifle, 2 loaded .22 caliber magazines, and 569 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.
On April 18, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at co-defendant Aleah Meyer’s Omaha apartment. The search warrant revealed three 9 mm handguns, two rifles, and a safe containing 1134 grams of meth, 29 grams of fentanyl, and drug proceeds in the amount of $7,613 in United States currency. DNA records established that Perez-Gonzales’s and Meyer’s DNA were on multiple firearms seized in this case. By pleading guilty, Perez-Gonzales gave up any right or claim to the money and firearms seized in this case.
Aleah Meyer is presumed innocent until proven guilty and is scheduled for trial later this month.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Mexican National Sentenced to more than 11 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Emeterio Sepulveda-Moreno, age 43, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Sepulveda-Moreno to 135 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment Sepulveda-Moreno will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen.
On June 22, 2021, a cooperating defendant was arrested after a search warrant executed on his Omaha residence revealed 28 one-pound packages of crystal meth, and $18,754 in narcotics proceeds. In a post-arrest interview, the cooperator admitted to his involvement in distributing meth and identified Sepulveda-Moreno as an individual responsible for delivering hundreds of pounds of meth to Omaha, including the 28 pounds found in the cooperator’s possession. The cooperator described a June 19, 2021, delivery of drug proceeds to Sepulveda-Moreno at an Omaha gas station in exchange for the meth he was caught with 2 days earlier. Agents retrieved video surveillance from the gas station showing the cooperator giving Sepulveda-Moreno a black suitcase containing drug proceeds. A short time later at a different location, Sepulveda-Moreno delivered the meth to the cooperator.
The $18,754 seized on June 22, 2021, was previously forfeited to the United States as proceeds from narcotics trafficking, and the cooperator was previously sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.
This case was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
Omaha Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jackie Harper, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for making false statements to the Small Business Administration. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Harper to three years’ probation and ordered him to pay $154,247.06 in restitution, nearly all of which has already been paid.
During 2020 and 2021, Harper, assisted by another person, submitted applications for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program loans. Those loan programs were created or expanded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The applications misrepresented how much Harper’s business had paid employees in past compensation and how much revenue Harper’s business had received, resulting in applications for significantly inflated loan amounts under the PPP and EIDL programs. The PPP applications were supported by false tax documents. The fraudulent applications on behalf of Harper resulted in him receiving loans and grants totaling approximately $145,300.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Adrionna Leeper, 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced May 3, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. Chief United State District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Leeper to 75 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After she is released from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,463.67.
On February 24, 2022, at 10:46 pm, Omaha Police Department (“OPD”) officers responded to a robbery and assault at the Midwest Smoke Shop at 7010 Dodge Street #105 in Omaha. The store employee stated that four parties were in the store, and the employee initially thought they were customers. One of the suspects demanded money and a cell phone from the employee. The employee declined and grabbed a baseball bat in order to defend himself. One of the suspects attempted to physically assault the employee. The suspects left the store without any money from the store, but one of the suspects did take money from a tip jar. Investigators believed, based on the video, that Ms. Leeper personally participated in this robbery with Quincy Louis.
On February 25, 2022, at 6:31 pm, OPD Officers responded to a robbery at the Family Dollar at 6618 North 30th Street in Omaha. Witnesses and store employees advised a male wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black shoes, and a black ski mask came into the store with a handgun and demanded cash from the register and safes. The suspect pointed the handgun at several people and even put it to the back of the store manager's head. The suspect then demanded the clerk put the money into a plastic bag from the store and then fled from the store northbound on foot. The suspect also demanded the employee remove the "tracked money" from the bag prior to taking the money and fleeing. The suspect obtained $1,342 from this robbery. Faye Lynn Hardesty worked at this store leading up to the robbery.
On February 25, 2022, at 7:05 pm, OPD Officers responded to a robbery at the Family Dollar at 2601 North 16th Street in Omaha. Witnesses advised a male wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black shoes, and a black ski mask came into the store with a handgun and demanded cash from the register. The suspect then had the clerk put the money into a bag from the store and fled southbound on foot.
A short time later, on February 25, 2022, at approximately 9:26 pm, OPD officers responded to a robbery at the Bucky's/ Casey's Gas Station at 2223 South 24th Street in Omaha. The clerk advised a male wearing a brown hoodie jacket and a black ski mask came into the store with a handgun and demanded cash from the register. The suspect then demanded the clerk put the money into a bag and ran from the store.
Less than an hour later, on February 25, 2022, at 10:01 pm, officers responded to a robbery at the MegaSaver Gas Station at 10707 Blondo Street in Omaha. The clerk advised a male, wearing a black hoodie, black pants and ski mask, entered the store and demanded money from the register. The suspect then had the clerk put the money into a bag from the store and fled southbound on foot. During this robbery, the suspect racked the gun and told a victim, “I’m not joking!”
Within approximately half an hour of the MegaSaver robbery, OPD officers responded to a robbery at the Casey's/ Bucky's Gas Station at 107 South 40th Street in Omaha. The clerk advised a male entered the store, showing a handgun, demanded money from the register and struck her in the head with the base plate of the firearm. The clerk was injured from the assault and received medical treatment for a cut to the right side of her head. Individuals on scene described the clerk as acting disoriented or confused. The suspect demanded the money be put into a plastic store bag and ran from the store. The suspect was described as a thinner male, wearing all black, a black ski mask, and a surgical mask over his mouth.
On February 26, 2022, at 11:58 pm, OPD Officers responded to a robbery at the Valero Select Mart Gas Station located at 2604 S 13th Street in Omaha. The clerk advised a male, wearing a black hoodie, pants and ski mask, armed with a black handgun, entered the store and threatened to shoot the employee. The suspect then demanded the clerk put the money from the cash register and safe into a plastic bag from the store along with Nebraska lottery scratch tickets. The cash taken during this robbery was approximately $4,000. Also on February 26, 2022, the suspect robbed a Kwik Shop in Ralston, Nebraska and took $135.68 from the register, $510 from the safe, Newport brand cigarettes and lottery tickets.
On February 27, 2022, at 1:04 am, Council Bluffs Police Officers were dispatched to a robbery at the Romantix store at 3216 151 Avenue, Council Bluffs, Iowa. The suspect was described as a male, wearing all dark clothing and a dark mask, armed with a handgun. The suspect demanded money from the business, and upon receiving money the suspect fled the business.
On February 27, 2022, at 3:21 am, Bellevue Police officers were dispatched to a robbery at the QuikTrip Gas Station at 1311 Fort Crook Road, Bellevue, Nebraska. Upon arrival officers spoke to the clerk who advised a male wearing all black clothing and a ski mask robbed the store at gunpoint, then fled southbound on foot.
Approximately 90 minutes later, still on February 27, 2022, OPD officers responded to a robbery at a different QuikTrip gas station on 1704 South 72nd Street in Omaha. The clerk advised a male wearing a black hoodie and ski mask entered the store, pointed a black handgun at her and demanded money from the register. The suspect had the clerk put the money into a store plastic bag and ran from the store.
The next day, February 28, 2022, at approximately 10:32 pm, Omaha police officers responded to an attempted robbery call at a Smoke and Vape shop located at 4102 South 24th Street in Omaha. The employee reported a suspect in all dark clothing came to the door of the business, attempted to open it while it was locked, and then pointed a handgun at the employee when the suspect could not get in the business. The suspect said to the employee, “Open the door, and I won’t kill you.” The employee denied admittance, and the suspect fled the area.
Three robberies occurred in Lincoln, Nebraska on March 1, 2022. During the three business robberies, it was learned the suspect description was similar to the description of the suspect in the QuikTrip robbery and also that during one of the robberies, a clerk from one of the businesses had been "pistol whipped" by the suspect. Another customer was kicked in the head during one of the Lincoln robberies. The locations of the robberies in Lincoln were 2710 W Street; 4400 Cornhusker Highway ($500 was taken during this Kwik Shop robbery); and 3500 North 48th Street. Investigators on scene described the pistol-whipped employee as disoriented from the
injury and visibly hurt and bleeding on her face. The suspect with the gun told one customer who was not injured like the other customers, “I’m not going to hurt you because you’re black.”
Following those three robberies in Lincoln, another robbery occurred in Omaha on March 1, 2022, and during this robbery, officers were flagged down while the robbery was in progress. During this robbery, a female customer was ordered to the ground, and the suspect put a gun to her back and asked how much money was in her purse, and she said, “$100,” and the suspect said, “That’s it?” and moved on from her. This allowed officers to identify a suspect vehicle in relation to that robbery (identified a gray 2021 Nissan Versa with Florida plates). Officers were able to track down the getaway vehicle as it fled the scene of this fourth robbery on March 1, 2022. The driver of the vehicle proceeded to lead police officers on a high-speed pursuit. During the pursuit, one of suspects fired shots at the police cruiser and one of those shots struck the cruiser with police officers inside of it. The pursuit continued from Douglas County into Sarpy County, Nebraska to South 138th Street, Springfield, Nebraska where the pursuit ended. At the conclusion of the pursuit, four suspects were taken into custody out of the getaway vehicle and transported to OPD Headquarters for interviews. The suspects were identified as Quincy Louis, D’Juan Beverly, Jr, Adrionna Leeper, and Faye Lynne Hardesty. A black Glock43X firearm was recovered in the area that Quincy Louis was located and taken into custody.
All four defendants gave statements to police officers about the robbery spree, and multiple defendants identified Quincy Louis as the suspect going into the businesses with a handgun to rob them. Louis was voluntarily interviewed and admitted to committing the robberies in the series. Louis provided details of the robberies in Bellevue, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Lincoln, Omaha, and Ralston. Louis also admitted to firing shots at the pursuing officers. The corroborating details that Louis provided details that matched the robberies to include location, proceeds and method.
Investigators reviewed video surveillance of the robberies and noted that it appeared to them that the same hoodie, black with white drawstrings, was worn in all of the robberies and there were similarities in how the robberies were committed. There was consistency in the types of businesses that were targeted as well. All of the businesses obtained goods from outside the State of Nebraska at the time of the robberies, and the businesses had to close during the investigation of the scenes and lost customers during those timeframes or were unable to serve customers during the on-scene investigations.
Investigators in follow-up searches recovered not only the Glock handgun but also items that appeared to be taken during business robberies that were recovered in a personal handbag of Adrionna Leeper. One of the defendants indicated that all of the defendants shared in the proceeds of the robberies. Interviews amongst the defendants confirmed that Beverly, Jr. served as the getaway driver and that the female defendants assisted with casing businesses. Leeper was also identified as assisting Quincy Louis on video in the first robbery at the Midwest Smoke Shop on February 24, 2022.
Co-defendant Quincy Louis pled guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised released. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,463.67.
Co-defendant D'Juan Beverly, Jr. pled guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised released. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,463.67.
Co-defendant Faye Hardesty pled guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. She was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised released. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,463.67.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ollie Holman, 58 years of age, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 3, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for sexual exploitation of a child. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Homan to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Holman’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Holman was also ordered to pay $3,100.00 in special assessments.
Between July 11, 2021, and August 27, 2021, while in Nebraska, Holman sent electronic messages to a minor female using Facebook. In the messages, Holman repeatedly offered the minor female cash to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos of herself. On multiple occasions Holman met the minor female in Omaha and paid her cash for images and videos received. When Holman began requesting sexually explicit images and videos from the minor female, the minor female was 15 years old.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Cocaine and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Edwin Baez, 30, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 3, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Chief United State District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Baez to 24 months’ imprisonment for the cocaine offense and to 60 months’ imprisonment, consecutive, for the firearm offense. There is no parole in the federal system. After Baez is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Baez will also forfeit $104,653 in U.S. currency to the United States as drug proceeds.
In March 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Baez after identifying him as being a cocaine distributor in the Omaha area.
On both March 22 and April 27, 2022, a confidential informant purchased approximately one ounce of cocaine directly from Baez. On May 26, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Baez’s residence in Omaha. In the garage, officers located approximately 4.6 pounds of cocaine and a Glock 19 pistol. Inside the residence officers located approximately $104,653.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Lexington Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Leopoldo Ramirez, 25, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced May 2, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Ramirez to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ramirez’ release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Operating from at least June 2021 until October 2022, Ramirez and others were responsible for trafficking meth into the state. Officers from a variety of local, state, and federal agencies pieced the conspiracy together using electronic evidence, surveillance, and search warrants.
Together, the conspirators distributed over 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing meth. As part of the investigation into this conspiracy, Ramirez’s cell phone was seized and searched. Multiple text messages were located between Ramirez and other co-conspirators discussing drugs and narcotic distribution. In addition, Ramirez kept a list of pay/owe status for drugs he distributed. His records indicated approximately 50 additional grams of meth that he had personally distributed in the course of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Utah Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Celso Carillo, 44, of Beryl, Utah, was sentenced on May 2, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Senior United States Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Carillo to 121 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Carillo’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On January 10, 2023, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper stopped a car driven by Alfonso Carillo, in which Celso Carillo was a passenger, for license plate violations near North Platte, Nebraska. Celso Carillo admitted he had two THC vape cartridges in the car. Alfonso Carillo had a pipe with methamphetamine residue on his person. As a result, the vehicle was searched. Three packages of fentanyl weighing a total of 6.6 pounds were found. Later, additional information was developed which led investigators to do an additional search of the vehicle. During that search, an additional package of fentanyl weighing 2.5 pounds was found, for a total of 9.1 pounds.
While incarcerated in Lincoln County, Celso Carillo wrote two letters taking responsibility for the drugs. Alfonso Carillo, believed to be Celso Carillo’s nephew, pleaded guilty to a state felony charge of possession of meth in Lincoln County and was sentenced to 364 days in jail in June of 2023. He was given credit for time served and was released. He was federally indicted with Celso Carillo in August of 2023, but his whereabouts are currently unknown.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Rondale King, 44, of Lincoln, Nebraska was sentenced on May 2, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for distribution of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced King to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After King’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
On four occasions in October of 2022, Rondale King sold meth to a cooperating individual working with law enforcement. In total, King sold over 5 ounces of meth.
King has a prior conviction for possession with intent to deliver meth from 2019. He faces increased penalties in federal court due to his prior drug conviction.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Former Ericson State Bank President Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced today that Jack Poulsen, age 71, of Ericson, Nebraska, entered a plea of guilty to an Information alleging bank fraud in front of United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline M. DeLuca. Judge DeLuca scheduled Poulsen’s sentencing hearing for August 1st, 2024, at 11:00 AM before United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis. Poulsen faces a maximum possible penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $1 million, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
Ericson State Bank was a small rural bank founded in 1959 and had its sole location in Ericson, Nebraska. It was an insured member of the FDIC since June of 1960, until its closing in February of 2020. Poulsen was the President of Ericson State Bank from June of 2010 until September of 2019. He additionally sat on the Board of Directors.
As President of Ericson State Bank, Poulsen was responsible for overseeing all Ericson State Bank’s affairs and managing day-to-day operations. Poulsen was additionally responsible for keeping other Board of Directors informed of the bank’s financial condition. As President, Poulsen had lending authority but was required to seek approval from the bank’s loan committee for any loans exceeding $250,000. Poulsen was not allowed to be the loan officer on loans for which he would have a personal conflict of interest, including loans Ericson State Bank made to parties or entities related to Poulsen.
Beginning in 2012, Ericson State Bank began a lending relationship with an individual related to Poulsen. This individual and his business entities received numerous loans and opened several accounts with the bank. Pursuant to rules and regulations, Poulsen was not allowed to be the loan officer for these insider-related loans. Nevertheless, beginning at least in June of 2015, Poulsen began interfering with these insider-related loans and accounts for the purpose of hiding their unsoundness from the Board of Directors. These actions included advancing bank funds on insider-related loans more than the approved loan amounts; manipulating data contained in the bank’s computer system by advancing Payment Due Dates and Loan Maturity Dates to conceal the past-due status of the insider-related loans from the Board of Directors; advancing loans over the approved note amounts and applying the funds to conceal overdrafts on the insider-related checking accounts from the Board of Directors. Poulsen’s actions continued until September of 2019 when Poulsen was removed from his positions of authority with Ericson State Bank.
In one instance, in March 2019, Poulsen manipulated the maturity date and entered a new due date for one of the insider-related loans without proper authorization. Due to this manipulation, the loan was not presented as past-due to the Board of Directors despite the loan being mature for 181 days and drawn to a balance of approximately $1.6 million over the approved loan amount.
Ultimately, Ericson State Bank failed and was placed into a receivership with the FDIC. At the time of Ericson State Bank’s failure, Ericson State Bank was a state chartered financial institution regulated and examined by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance and it was determined that a loss of more than $800,000 was attributable to the insider-related loans which were subject to the above-described scheme.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, Federal Reserve Board – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Alma Man Convicted for Providing False Statement to Federal AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that David Sikes, 69, of Alma, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 1, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for providing a false statement. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Sikes to 36 months’ probation. There is no parole in the federal system. Sikes was additionally ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
In January of 2018, Jeffrey Sikes, son of David Sikes, was set to be sentenced in the United States District Court for wire fraud crimes. Jeffrey failed to appear at his sentencing and arrest warrants were issued. Following his failure to appear, David Sikes was contacted by federal law enforcement on multiple occasions in attempts to determine Jeffrey’s whereabouts. David indicated to officers he did not know where Jeffrey was located. However, David knew where Jeffrey was living as a fugitive with his family. David even visited Jeffrey where he was hiding in Alabama on at least one occasion before Jeffrey was arrested for further federal crimes. The investigation also revealed that David supported Jeffrey financially while he was living as a fugitive in Alabama.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Two Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Riek Kuany, age 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 26, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for two counts of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Kuany to a total sentence of 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kuany’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. In conjunction with his sentence, Kuany was ordered to pay restitution in the amount $17,547.00 to the banks for the amounts taken during the respective robberies.
On April 6, 2023, Kuany and another male entered the First Interstate Bank at 47th and L Streets in Omaha, wearing ski masks and gloves. Kuany also wore a reflective work vest. Both men held handguns and pointed them at the bank employees. Kuany slid a bag across the counter and demanded money. Bank employees took approximately $6,584 in U.S. currency from their cash drawers and put it in the bag. Kuany took the bag of cash and both men fled in a stolen SUV driven by a third individual.
On April 11, 2023, Kuany entered Bank of the West at 87th and West Center Road in Omaha, wearing a hair net and a medical face mask. Kuany was again carrying a handgun. Kuany pointed the firearm at bank employees, slid a bag across the counter, and demanded money. Bank employees took approximately $10,963 in U.S. currency from their cash drawers and put it in the bag. Kuany took the bag and cash and fled in a gold Jeep.
First Interstate Bank and Bank of the West are both insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Investigation into others involved is still ongoing.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Illinois Woman Sentenced for Transporting DrugsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jennilee Janae Velez, 22, of Addison, Illinois, was sentenced on April 29, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of oxycodone. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Velez to 42 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Velez’s release from prison, she will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.
On October 1, 2022, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper saw two nearly identical black Mercedes SUVs with Illinois plates traveling eastbound on I-80 in Seward County. A traffic stop was made on one SUV which was driven by Velez. Velez’s passenger was Mia Williams. The other SUV sped away and was later stopped by a Saline County deputy who was working with the Seward County Task Force. That SUV was driven by Samantha Francisco, and her sister, Julany Rivera, was her passenger.
Both SUVs were searched after Williams and Francisco admitted having marijuana. In the SUV driven by Velez, more than 16 pounds of cocaine were found along with 393 oxycodone pills. In the other SUV, more than 24 pounds of cocaine and 66 oxycodone pills were found. Searches of Velez’s and Francisco’s phones showed the four women had traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles, where other persons loaded the drugs into the two SUVs. The four were headed back to Chicago at the time they were stopped.
Williams, Francisco, and Rivera were all charged in the same indictment with Velez. Their case remains pending.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the Seward County Sheriff’s Department, the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Omaha Man Sentenced for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Timothy Sousa, age 58, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for transportation of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Sousa to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Sousa’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Sousa was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victims depicted in the images.
On September 6, 2022, Timothy Sousa uploaded 161 images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct to his Gmail account while using the internet. Google reported this activity, and the Nebraska State Patrol was ultimately notified.
On February 7, 2023, the Nebraska State Patrol executed a search warrant at Sousa’s residence in Omaha, Nebraska. During the warrant, Sousa agreed to speak with law enforcement and stated he would view young girls in bikinis with “maybe a nipple slip or something.” Numerous devices of Sousa’s were seized during the search warrant to include hard drives, a computer, and a flash drive. A search warrant was also conducted for Sousa’s Google account. Sousa was in possession of 5,222 images and videos of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Maen Chuol, 24, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on April 24, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Chuol to 46 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 106 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Chuol’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On October 19, 2021, Chuol delivered fifty fentanyl pills to a confidential source with the Omaha Police Department. The transaction occurred in Omaha, Nebraska. On February 24, 2022, a federal arrest warrant for Chuol was issued by the District of Nebraska for distribution of fentanyl.
Chuol was observed exiting his residence and driving away. His vehicle was stopped, and Chuol was arrested without incident. Officers immediately noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, looked into the open driver door and observed a small plastic baggie of marijuana on the center console in plain view.
The Ziploc style bag contained numerous small plastic baggies commonly used to distribute narcotics. One small plastic baggie contained seventy-seven suspected fentanyl pills, one contained white powder (suspected cocaine) weighing 3 grams, and three individually packaged pills, one blue pill (suspected fentanyl) and two unknown pills.
Officers secured a search warrant for Chuol’s residence and recovered fifty-six grams of blue fentanyl pills, a plastic baggie containing nine grams of cocaine, a plastic baggie containing seventeen grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and a loaded 9mm Taurus firearm loaded with live rounds, twelve in the magazine and one in the chamber. Officers also located a safe which contained eight thousand US dollars ($8,000) in various denominations. The money was determined to be drug sale proceeds and administratively forfeited to the United States.
The narcotics were later confirmed via forensic laboratory analysis as 4-ANPP (a fentanyl precursor), fentanyl, and cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for COVID Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ramel D. Thompson, 60, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Thompson to 70 months’ imprisonment and ordered him to pay $2,518,556.75 in restitution for the loans and grants, plus interest and processing fees, Thompson actually acquired. After Thompson’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
During 2020 and 2021, Thompson provided direction and assistance to others in preparing and submitting applications containing material misrepresentations to obtain inflated Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) loans and grants on behalf of their businesses. Those loan programs were created or expanded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thompson also submitted one fraudulent application for a loan on his own behalf, but it was not funded.
Thompson assisted in inflating the amount of the loans for which his and others’ businesses would qualify by overstating on applications what the businesses had paid in past compensation or had received in revenue, and/or by understating the expenses the businesses had incurred. He also created and assisted in creating phony documents in support of applications, such as false tax documents that were not filed with the IRS.
Thompson also assisted others in preparing and submitting false applications for forgiveness of PPP loans. The forgiveness applications were supported by false documents that Thompson helped prepare and falsely stated, among other things, that the PPP proceeds had been expended for proper purposes.
The fraudulent applications that Thompson helped prepare and submit sought loans and grants totaling approximately $5,844,999, and co-conspirators obtained $2,442,616.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Juan Tapia-Torres, 44, of Guadalupe Victoria Miramar, Mexico, was sentenced April 26, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Tapia-Torres to 90 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On March 2, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a controlled drug purchase of meth from Tapia-Torres in Omaha. During the controlled buy, special agents purchased approximately 437.3 grams of pure meth. The controlled buy was orchestrated by a Mexico-based source of supply that was in communication with Tapia-Torres and the special agents.
On or about March 14, 2023, a search warrant was executed on Tapia-Torres’s residence in Omaha. During the search, 3,966 grams of pure meth was located in multiple packages located inside the basement ceiling.
This case was investigated by the DEA.
- Man Sentenced for Distributing Meth to a Minor
Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tyrece Thomas, 23, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 26, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Thomas to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Thomas’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.
In May 2023, Thomas assaulted an adult male, knocking him unconscious, before then continuing to strike, kick, and stomp on the victim. Thomas’s assault resulted in serious injuries to the victim which required medical attention, including a broken jaw. When a third party attempted to help the victim, who was lying unconscious in a roadway, Thomas kicked the third party in the face, breaking that person’s nose.
This case was charged in United States District Court as there is federal jurisdiction under the Major Crimes Act for felony assaults on an Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mexican National Sentenced to more than 17 Years’ Imprisonment for Narcotics ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced on April 24, 2024, Fausto Antonia Castro Mendoza, 37, of Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Castro Mendoza to 210 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment, Castro Mendoza will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen.
On March 4, 2023, a Seward County Deputy Sheriff conducted a traffic stop on a white 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe traveling eastbound, near mile marker 382 on Interstate-80. The driver of the Tahoe was identified as Fausto Antonio Castro Mendoza. Codefendant Jesus Villanueva was identified as the front seat passenger. During the course of the traffic stop, the Deputy observed a marijuana product and subsequently searched the Tahoe discovering approximately 44 pounds of meth, and approximately 2 pounds of fentanyl pills.
During a post arrest interviews both Castro Mendoza and Villanueva admitted transporting the meth and fentanyl pills from Denver, Colorado, to Omaha, Nebraska, and that each was being paid to do so.
Villanueva pled guilty to the same narcotics charge and was sentenced to 235 months imprisonment on April 3, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Wyoming Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Clifton D. Reinoehl, 44, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced April 22, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for production and possession of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Reinoehl to a total of 264 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Reinoehl’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender. Reinoehl was also ordered to pay $54,000 to the victims.
In February of 2023, the manager of a hotel in Schuyler, Nebraska called law enforcement to report a suspicious male guest who was seen with a very young girl. The two had left the hotel together. While law enforcement was speaking with hotel staff on scene, the male returned and was identified as Clifton Reinoehl from Sheridan, Wyoming. Reinoehl advised he had rented a vehicle and driven to Schuyler to meet an “online friend” he identified as an underage girl. Reinoehl confirmed he knew that the victim was a minor from their online conversations and further confirmed his knowledge of her age by relating to law enforcement various facts about the victim, including her birthdate.
Reinoehl was taken to the police department and interviewed. He advised his phone would have child pornography on it and signed a written consent to have his phone searched. When his property was inventoried in preparation for jail, a SD card was located that he advised would also have child pornography images. Reinoehl also advised he had a laptop at his residence in Wyoming would contain additional images of child pornography. Officers with the Schuyler Police Department were able to work with their counterparts in Sheridan, Wyoming to secure a search warrant for the laptop Reinoehl identified. That computer contained 2,689 child pornography files and another 14,278 that were classified as child erotica. Further investigation revealed that Reinoehl would actively communicate with children online, and manipulate and groom them to send him sexually explicit images of themselves to him.
In pronouncing his sentence, Senior Judge Gerrard commended the bravery and courage of the victim for coming forward and for cooperating with law enforcement. He also noted Reinoehl appeared to have a “significant lack of insight into the damage” he had inflicted on multiple children.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Schuyler Police Department, Sheridan, Wyoming Police Department the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office gives special thanks to the victim in this case for stepping forward to protect other children, for her family for supporting her, and to Sgt. Ryan Andel with the Schuyler Police Department and Juana Hanson with the Colfax County Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 6 1/2 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that John W. Rice, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 19, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Rice to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Rice’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
From May 4, 2020 until December 28, 2021, John Rice conspired with at least two other individuals to distribute meth in Nebraska. During that time, Rice purchased or was fronted meth in ounce to half-pound quantities to resell to others, and Rice sold meth in quantities ranging from 1.75 grams to 2 ounces to at least five others. In all, Rice purchased and distributed more than 500 grams of meth from May of 2020 until December 28, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Daniel Polyansky, 34, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced April 22, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for receipt and distribution of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Polyansky to 90 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Polyansky’s release from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender. Polyansky was also ordered to pay $39,000 in restitution to the victims in this case.
In September of 2022, investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol were conducting an online investigation for offenders sharing child pornography. Through investigative techniques, an IP address subscribed to by Polyansky was identified as providing videos of children being sexually abused to others to view and download.
A search warrant was obtained for Polyansky’s address and Polyansky was contacted in the parking lot of the apartment building. In an interview with investigators, Polyansky was noncommittal about whether there was child pornography on his devices or whether he had viewed such images. Polyansky consented to allowing investigators to look at his cell phone, but denied consent to have it forensically downloaded. The phone was seized at that time. Polyansky was told he could leave while officers searched his apartment.
After ending his contact with Polyansky, investigators entered the apartment and observed a child pornography video playing on Polyansky’s laptop. Polyansky was recontacted outside and arrested on state charges. The laptop and cell phone were later searched and 398 videos and 456 images of child pornography were found.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Amanda Gayle Kuhn 33, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on Friday, April 12, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing meth. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Kuhn to 84 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kuhn’s release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On March 8, 2023, a search warrant was executed at the Lincoln residence of Kuhn. During that search, investigators found four baggies of meth weighing a total of 65 grams. Purity testing showed at least 58 grams of actual meth. Investigators also found drug sales records and a digital scale. Kuhn told investigators she and her husband sold meth, and they bought approximately ¼ ounce of meth per week from their source between January of 2023 and the time of the search.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Grand Island Man Sentenced for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Thomas McHenry, 49, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced April 12, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession of a firearm by a felon. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced McHenry to 46 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After McHenry’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
In October of 2022, on a report of a disturbance, law enforcement in Grand Island were dispatched to a residence. Upon their arrival, several witnesses identified McHenry as the individual who had brandished a firearm and threatened to kill a family member. McHenry was arrested and it was determined he had numerous prior felony convictions. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and law enforcement found and seized seven firearms and numerous types of ammunition.
This case was brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community faces.
This case was investigated by the Grand Island Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Elm Creek Woman Convicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Hallie Deleon, 25, formerly of Elm Creek, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 12, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute meth. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Deleon to 22 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Deleon’s release from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On September 8, 2022, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in Buffalo County, Nebraska. The vehicle had multiple occupants and Deleon was the front seat passenger. Law enforcement found probable cause and searched the vehicle. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement found two firearms, magazines with ammunition, drug paraphernalia, vials with suspected meth residue, a scale, and multiple used and unused baggies. Deleon was arrested, along with the other occupants of the vehicle. At the jail, staff found about an ounce of suspected meth on Deleon’s person.
This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Omaha Woman Convicted for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kiana M. Stabler, 27, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for escape from custody. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Stabler to time served, as she was in custody since August 24, 2023. There is no parole in the federal system. Stabler was also sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release, which will run concurrent to her previous case.
Stabler was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit robberies of federally insured banks and was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment on July 6, 2018. During her term of imprisonment, Stabler was placed at Dismas Charities, Inc., a residential reentry facility located in Kearney, Nebraska. While assigned to that facility, Stabler secured a social pass on July 20, 2023, where she was ordered to return that same evening. Stabler failed to return to the facility and was later arrested on August 24, 2023.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Brian E. Nielsen, 47, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on April 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Nielsen to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Nielsen’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On December 14, 2022, and December 24, 2022, Nielsen sold meth to a Burt County Sheriff’s Office confidential source (CS) that was audio recorded by law enforcement. The drugs were laboratory tested and confirmed as to weight and substance. In November 2022, during a search of Nielsen’s home, officers recovered $60 of the $100 used for the controlled buy on December 24, 2022. The bills were matched by the serial numbers and a total of $1,115 was seized.
On February 24, 2023, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop and arrested Nielsen pursuant to a state arrest warrant as he was driving away from his residence. At the time of his arrest, Nielsen had two baggies of meth, one weighing one gram, the other two grams.
Incident to his arrest, officers searched his home via a state search warrant and recovered 21 grams of marijuana from two separate bags, a scale with meth residue, and numerous syringes. Upon receiving additional information, a second search warrant was executed on the home recovering 6 baggies of meth weighing 260 grams.
This case was investigated by the Burt County Sheriff’s Office.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Russell L. Rucks, Jr., 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Rucks to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Rucks will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. In addition, Rucks was ordered to forfeit to the United States any interest he had in $5,084 in cash seized from his person and residence on August 12, 2021.
On August 12, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Lincoln residence which Rucks shared with his father, Russell L. Rucks, Sr. That search resulted in the finding of approximately six pounds of cocaine, a scale, cash, and paperwork in the names of both Rucks, Jr. and Rucks, Sr.
Russell R. Rucks, Sr. was sentenced to 312 months in July of 2023 for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and fentanyl which resulted in serious bodily injury and death.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Mexican Man Sentenced to 10 Months for False Representation of a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that on April 10, 2024, Emmanuel Hurtado-Vargas, 36, of Mexico, was sentenced in federal court for false representation of a social security number. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hurtado-Vargas to 10 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Hurtado-Vargas will be required to complete a 3-year term of supervised release. Hurtado-Vargas will be removed (deported) by immigration authorities after he completes his term of imprisonment.
Hurtado-Vargas was working under an assumed name as a member of the workforce at Packers Sanitation Services, Inc. (PSSI). In April of 2013, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigators received information that several people working at PSSI provided fraudulent documents to secure employment. Hurtado-Vargas was one of those found to have secured employment at PSSI using a social security number belonging to a victim who had filed an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Specifically, Hurtado-Vargas used identity documents to complete a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, including a fraudulent social security card (displaying the victim’s true name and social security number) and an identification card falsely purporting to have been issued in Kansas.
Hurtado-Vargas was released from custody and placed on pretrial supervision in 2013 after his initial court appearance. He later failed to appear at a change of plea hearing scheduled for October 8, 2013, and a warrant for his arrest was issued. Hurtado-Vargas remained in fugitive status until he was arrested on November 17, 2023.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Man Sentenced for being a Drug User Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Charees Loftin, 19, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced April 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possessing a firearm as an unlawful user of controlled substances. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Loftin to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Loftin’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On January 5, 2023, members of the Omaha Police Department (OPD) went to 34th & Fowler Circle, Omaha after obtaining information that Loftin, wanted for questioning in a shoplifting incident, may be at a nearby residence. Officers located Loftin at the home and took him into custody. OPD searched the southeast bedroom where Loftin had been reportedly sleeping and located a black Coach brand bag behind a dresser in the room. A Glock, Gen 4, model 29, 10 mm handgun was inside the bag. Also in the bag, was an orange container with five (5) suspected Percocet pills. In the same bedroom, OPD located eight (8) bags of THC cartridges.
Loftin was subsequently transported to OPD where he waived his rights and agreed to be interviewed. He told detectives that he was aware that he had a warrant out for his arrest due to the shoplifting incident. Loftin also told detectives that the THC cartridges belonged to him and that he smokes marijuana as well as THC cartridges. Lofting then stated that the firearm located in the southeast bedroom, which he identified as being a Glock 29, 10 mm, was also his.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives examined and determined that the Glock handgun was manufactured outside of the State of Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Former Omaha Police Officer Sentenced for Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Johnny Palermo, 48, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Palermo to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Palermo’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Senior Judge Gerrard ordered Palermo to pay $65,014.67 in restitution.
From 2017 to April 1, 2023, Johnny Palermo conspired to defraud donors of the Latino Peace Officers Association (LPOA), the LPOA Board, and Police Athletics for Community Engagement (PACE) for his own personal benefit. Johnny Palermo, a former police officer with the Omaha Police Department and LPOA Board member, without having full LPOA Board authority, conducted financial transactions for his personal benefit using LPOA funds. LPOA funds were misused by Johnny Palermo for trips, meals, and gambling. Johnny Palermo also misused LPOA funds to purchase trips for friends and co-defendant Vincent Palermo. Benefits provided to Vincent Palermo paid for by LPOA were intended to influence Vincent Palermo’s actions as an Omaha City Councilman to benefit PACE and the LPOA.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “This former law enforcement officer violated his oath of office by using his trusted position for personal gain. Public corruption is a top criminal investigative priority for the FBI. We are committed to working with our state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate, pursue, and hold accountable those who violate their oath of office to enrich themselves. The FBI encourages everyone in our community to continue to come forward and report abuses of public office.”
Co-defendants Vincent J. Palermo, 50, of Omaha, and Richard Gonzalez, 55, of Papillion, Nebraska, were sentenced on January 16, 2024, for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. Vincent Palermo was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for the conspiracy charge and a consecutive 9-month term of imprisonment for a violation of supervised release. Gonzalez was to 18 months’ imprisonment for the conspiracy charge. Vincent Palermo will serve two years of supervised release and Gonzalez will serve three years of supervised release. Both were ordered to pay restitution: $10,292.28 for Vincent Palermo; and $66,749.35 for Gonzalez.
Co-defendant Jack Olson’s trial is scheduled for June 24, 2024, before Senior Judge Gerrard in Lincoln. Olson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former Kearney Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Paul J. Gray, age 49, formerly of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for failing to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Gray to 12 months’ imprisonment. Additionally, Gray was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release. The two sentences were ordered to run consecutively. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gray’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
Gray, who is required to register as a sex offender as the result of a 1996 third degree sexual sssault conviction out of Lincoln County, Nebraska, as well as a federal 2008 production of child pornography conviction out of the District of Nebraska, was released from prison in 2022. After his release, he was ordered to reside at the Dismas Charities Reentry Center in Kearney. Gray registered that address with the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry.
On July 17, 2023, Gray was dismissed from Dismas Charities. After dismissal from Dismas Charities, Gray failed to update his Nebraska Sex Offender Registration and did not advise his United States Probation Officer of his whereabouts.
On September 14, 2023, Gray was located at an apartment in Kearney where he had been staying since being dismissed from Dismas Charities.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Denver Man Sentenced to more than 19 Years’ Imprisonment for Narcotics ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced on April 3, 2024, Jesus Villanueva, 26, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Villanueva to 235 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment, Villanueva will be required to serve a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 4, 2023, a Seward County Deputy Sheriff conducted a traffic stop on a white 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe traveling eastbound, near mile marker 382 on Interstate-80. The driver of the Tahoe was identified as codefendant Fausto Antonio Castro-Mendoza. Jesus Villanueva was identified as the front seat passenger. During the course of the traffic stop, the Deputy observed a marijuana product and subsequently searched the Tahoe discovering 43 packages of meth weighing approximately 44 pounds, and 1 package of fentanyl pills weighing approximately 2 pounds.
During a post arrest interviews both Castro-Mendoza and Villanueva admitted transporting the meth and fentanyl pills from Denver, Colorado, to Omaha, Nebraska, and that each was being paid to do so.
Castro-Mendoza has pled guilty to the same narcotics charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Seward County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Omaha Nonprofit Director Sentenced to 4 Months in Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that on April 2, 2024, Brenda K. Banks, 61, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha for wire fraud. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Banks to 4 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Banks will be required to complete a 3-year term of supervised release, of which she is required to serve the first 8 months on home confinement. Banks was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $83,087.01 and was fined an additional $5,000.00.
In 2018 and 2019, Banks, then-Executive Director of Angels on Wheels (AOW), submitted fraudulently altered documents to the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) to receive grant disbursements. These grants were awarded to AOW, a charitable nonprofit organization, to manage electronic collection and recycling events. Banks submitted applications and other documents to the NET to obtain the grant disbursements from the NET for two grants totaling $220,234. The NET required Banks to submit documentation, such as invoices or images of checks, prior to the distribution of any grant funds. In order to receive reimbursement for purported grant expenses, Banks repeatedly submitted false documents, to include altered check images and fictitious invoices, to the NET. For example, Banks fraudulently altered images of checks by whiting out the names of the individuals or companies that the checks had been paid to and writing names of other entities or organizations. Banks then presented the images of the altered checks to the NET. The NET relied upon Banks’s fraudulent submission of documents to award the grants, and to disburse funds in furtherance of the grants.
Similarly, during the same period, Banks submitted applications and other documents to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) to receive disbursements of funds from three additional grants for litter reduction & recycling totaling $184,141. As she did with the grants awarded by the NET, Banks submitted false documents, to include falsified check images, fictitious invoices, and unsupported payroll reports, to the NDEE. The NDEE relied upon Banks’s fraudulent submission of documents to award the grants, and to disburse funds in furtherance of the grants.
Both the NET and NDEE are funded through the Nebraska Lottery and grants are made available for the completion of projects for the public good. In their respective agreements with grantees, grantees must not provide false or misleading information regarding actual documented expenses incurred during the application process or quarterly reporting process. In the case of each of the five grants awarded, Banks sought reimbursement for the full amount of the grant funds at least in part through her submission of altered and fabricated evidence of expenses.
Additionally, on April 27, 2020, Banks applied to Great Western Bank for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on behalf of Angels on Wheels. As part of Angels on Wheels application to receive the PPP loan, Banks submitted a Board Resolution that falsely represented that AOW’s Board met on April 22, 2020, and that all of AOW’s Board members were present at a meeting and voted for Banks to be appointed as the individual who was authorized to apply for the loan on behalf of AOW. In fact, AOW’s Board of Directors held no such meeting and was not aware that Banks had applied for a PPP loan for AOW. On May 11, 2020, $60,420 of PPP loan funds were disbursed and deposited into the Great Western Bank account that Banks had opened using the fraudulent Board minutes. The PPP loan was later forgiven by Great Western Bank, though no funds were repaid.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jimmie D. Windham, III, 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced April 2, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Windham to 48 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Windham’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On June 5, 2021, Omaha Police Department (OPD) gang unit officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by three males, one of whom had a warrant for his arrest. This led officers to seizing cell phones and ultimately searching them pursuant to a court authorized search warrant.A forensic investigation of one of the phones revealed several videos and photographs showing Windham possessing a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun. In videos, Windham is seen pointing the firearm at the camera and ejecting live ammunition from the gun. At one point, a partial serial number can be seen, which officers used to trace the firearm to its owner who revealed the firearm to have been stolen several months earlier. Investigators utilized metadata of the photographs and videos to find exact date and location where photographs were taken, revealing Windham to have been in Omaha, Nebraska during the time he possessed the firearm.
Windham has the following prior felony convictions: Terroristic Threats and Witness Tampering (January 9, 2017), both in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska and Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm (October 27, 2015), in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Dominique Boyd, age 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 27, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for failure to register as a sex offender. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Boyd to 18 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Boyd’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Boyd has a lifetime registration requirement to register as a sex offender due to a 2010 conviction for Attempted Sexual Assault in the First Degree in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska. Boyd had previously registered as a sex offender in the state of Nebraska and moved to the state of Michigan in February 2023. Between May 13th and August 8th of 2023, Boyd returned to Nebraska from Michigan and failed to update his sex offender registration as required.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Omaha Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Richard L. Kelly, 61, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 27, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for wire fraud. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Kelly to 5 years’ probation and ordered him to pay $196,029.15 in restitution, which reflects the balance remaining after a payment of $9,831.00 was applied before sentencing. As a condition of probation, Kelly must pay at least $1,000 per month toward restitution.
During 2020 and 2021, Kelly, assisted by another person, submitted applications for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program loans. Those loan programs were created or expanded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The applications misrepresented how much Kelly’s business had paid employees in past compensation and how much revenue Kelly’s business had received, resulting in applications for significantly inflated loan amounts under the PPP and EIDL programs. The PPP applications were supported by false tax documents. The fraudulent applications on behalf of Kelly sought loans totaling approximately $675,094, and he obtained $189,997.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
Mexican National Sentenced to 5 Years’ Imprisonment for Cocaine and Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jesus Camarillo-Soria, 45, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced March 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Camarillo-Soria to 60 months and 1 days’ imprisonment. After Camarillo-Soria’s release from prison, he will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen.
On August 14, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Camarillo-Soria's residence in South Omaha and found 141 grams of cocaine along with a digital scale inside a shoebox. Cash in the amount of $881 was found inside Camarillo-Soria's wallet. Within a few feet of the drugs, officers found a Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum pistol and venue to Camarillo-Soria underneath the pistol. During a post arrest interview, Camarillo-Soria admitted to possessing the cocaine and the pistol, and that he gave some of the cocaine to his friends.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jose Luis Garcia-Perez, 23, a Mexican citizen living in Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced March 27, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Garcia-Perez to 108 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garcia-Perez’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On August 2, 2023, Garcia-Perez arrived at an Autozone parking lot in Omaha to receive approximately 22.75 kilograms of meth coming from Texas. He was arrested by DEA agents along with three co-defendants. In a post-arrest interview after he was advised of his rights, Garcia-Perez admitted to agents that he was sent a message on Facebook to go to the Autozone parking lot to pick up some “things,” which he knew were drugs. Garcia-Perez further admitted this was not his first time picking up drugs.
Co-defendants Gregorio Mina-Falcon, 35, of Omaha and Eliuth Montero-Barrera, 24, of Dallas have pleaded guilty to the same charge and are scheduled to be sentenced in May. Co-defendant Alexis Rodriguez, 22, of Dallas is scheduled to plead guilty to the same charge on March 28, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
La Vista Woman Sentenced to more than 11 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that, Asia Gabriel Blackburn, 29, of La Vista, Nebraska, was sentenced March 27, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Blackburn to 140 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge. After completing her term of imprisonment, Blackburn will be required to serve a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 22, 2022, law enforcement located a suspicious parcel at a Omaha UPS facility. After a drug detecting canine indicated the presence of narcotics in the parcel, a search warrant was obtained. A subsequent search revealed approximately 123 grams of blue M-30 fentanyl pills, 523 grams of cocaine, and 13.4 grams of meth.
On October 24, 2022, law enforcement obtained an anticipatory search warrant for a controlled delivery to the South Omaha residence the parcel was addressed to. A law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity delivered the parcel where Asia Blackburn accepted it and took it inside the residence. The search warrant was executed shortly thereafter revealing the unopened package.
During the execution of the search warrant Blackburn’s cell phone was seized. A search warrant executed on Blackburn’s phone revealed text messages referencing delivery of the package to Blackburn’s residence.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Colorado Woman Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Sheri Ann Griego, 42, of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced March 27, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Griego to 120 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge, and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment for the gun charge. After completing her term of imprisonment, Griego will be required to serve a 8-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On December 1, 2021, Sheri Ann Griego and Daniel M. Gutirez were stopped while driving in the area of 8th and Brown Street, Omaha after officers observed their vehicle commit several traffic infractions. Griego was identified as the driver and Gutirez as the passenger. After speaking to the two, officers became suspicious that they were involved in criminal activity and Gutirez was asked if he had any weapons on him. Gutirez said he had a gun in his waistband. He was detained and a handgun was found in his waistband. A search of his person revealed a quantity of meth.
A search of the car revealed a rifle wrapped in a coat between the front center console and passenger seat. A loaded high-capacity magazine was found on the passenger floorboard. A search of the trunk revealed a makeup bag containing approximately 100 grams of meth. A drug scale was found in a suitcase containing woman’s clothing.
Gutirez was sentenced to 160 months’ imprisonment for gun and drug charges on June 26, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Stolen Mail and Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Maximino Vallecillo, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 21, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession of stolen mail and possession with intent to use or transfer five or more identification documents. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Vallecillo to 15 months’ imprisonment for each offense, to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Vallecillo’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Vallecillo must also pay $32,972.71 in restitution.
Starting in about November 2022, residents west of Omaha reported a rash of thefts from their mailboxes, followed by fraudulent accounts being set up or attempted to be set up in their names. During traffic stops and residence searches in January to March 2023, stolen mail, credit and debit cards, identification documents, altered checks and other ID-theft related items were found in the possession of Vallecillo and his co-defendant, whose case remains pending. Video from area merchants showed the co-defendant, sometimes accompanied by Vallecillo, conducting transactions with debit or credit cards stolen from mailbox theft victims. Investigators identified approximately $68,428 worth of altered checks and attempted transactions that resulted in actual loss of approximately $32,972.71.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Mexican National Sentenced to 9 Years’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Luis Salazar-Cabrera, 40, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced March 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Salazar-Cabrera to 108 months’ imprisonment. After Salazar-Cabrera’s release from prison, he will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen.
In April of 2022, codefendant Martin Caballero-Bringas asked a third party to front him cash to pay for a delivery of meth to Omaha. Homeland Security Investigations Omaha provided the third party with $3,000 who gave the money to Salazar-Cabrera who then wired the money to three separate individuals as directed by Caballero-Bringas.
In early May of 2022, Caballero-Bringas coordinated the shipment of meth and fentanyl from southern California through Wichita, Kansas, to Omaha. Caballero-Bringas asked the third party to coordinate with a transportation company to coordinate the pick-up of the meth and fentanyl in Los Angeles, California, and transport it to Wichita, Kansas, where Caballero-Bringas had arranged for Salazar-Cabrera to receive the drugs and bring them to Omaha. However, the vehicle transporting the drug load was seized by Homeland Security Investigations in California and found containing 35 kilograms of meth and 6 kilograms of fentanyl.
In October of 2022, Salazar-Cabrera was traffic stopped in Lancaster County, Nebraska, while transporting 6 kilograms of fentanyl from Omaha to Grand Island. Recorded calls show that Salazar-Cabrera was transporting the fentanyl at the request of codefendant Caballero-Bringas.
Caballero-Bringas has plead guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced May 1, 2024.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Emmanuel Zakaria, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced March 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl analogue. United State District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Zakaria to 48 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Zakaria is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On June 14, 2022, investigators conducted a controlled purchase operation, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 300 fentanyl pills. On June 28, 2022, investigators arrested Zakaria and conducted a post-Miranda interview with Zakaria, who admitted to the involvement of distributing fentanyl pills.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Omaha Police Department.