District of Nebraska
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Guatemalan Man Convicted of Attempting to Sex Traffic a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that on March 29, 2022, a federal jury in Omaha, Nebraska, found Eswin Lopez, aka David Cantu, guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Lopez, 29, originally from Guatemala, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. ordered a Pre-Sentence Investigation and set Lopez’s sentencing hearing for June 24, 2022, at 9:00 AM.
In August 2020 and January 2021, a deputy with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office posted an advertisement on a website commonly used for prostitution. Lopez responded to the phone number on the advertisement by text message and began communicating with an undercover deputy. The deputy claimed to be a 15-year-old girl. Lopez continued messaging and contacting who he thought was a 15-year-old on a daily basis, requesting sex. On January 15, 2021, Lopez agreed to pay $80 for a half hour of sex. Lopez then traveled from Waverly, Nebraska to Omaha, Nebraska and arrived at a prearranged meeting place with the cash and beer the minor requested.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office as part of the FBI’s Child Enticement and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Road Rage Incident leads to Capture, Conviction and Sentencing for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Leslie Graber, 34, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha as a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Graber to 68 months’ imprisonment for the firearm possession. At the time of the offense, Graber was being monitored on federal supervised release for a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm in November 2019. Graber’s supervision was revoked, and he was sentenced to an additional 16 months’ imprisonment for a total sentence of 84 months in the Bureau of Prisons. Graber will serve an additional 3-year term of supervised release following his release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On August 13, 2020, Bellevue Police responded to a call involving a road rage incident where the victim stated that the suspect pointed a gun at him. The victim explained that he was behind a blue car driving northbound on Highway 75. While he was behind the car, it slammed on its breaks to possibly “brake check” him, so he went around the suspect car to pass him. As they neared the off-ramp to Chandler Road in Bellevue and the cars were parallel, the driver, Graber, displayed a firearm. Graber tossed the firearm at some point after the incident. The next day, August 14, 2020, Bellevue Police Department Officers were dispatched to Old Towne Bellevue in reference to a party finding a firearm. Upon arrival, officers were directed to a Glock model 17 handgun which was lying on the grass along the northwest corner of the caller’s property. A DNA analysis performed on the firearm showed a match to the DNA of Graber. The gun was also reported as stolen from a home burglary.
On January 15, 2021, a warrant for violations of supervised release was issued for Graber. On February 20, 2021, Graber had additional felony warrants issued for him in Sarpy County, Nebraska for being a felon in possession of a firearm, use of a weapon to commit a felony, terroristic threats, assault, and theft. This incident involved Graber threatening an individual with a pistol while wearing ‘Police’ marked body armor. He was subsequently convicted in Sarpy County District Court of attempted use of a firearm and terroristic threats and sentenced to 5-10 years in the Nebraska Department of Corrections.
This case was investigated by the Bellevue Police Department and was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Omaha Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced Carla Colliers, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Colliers to imprisonment for 186 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
On September 9, 2020, Colliers sold one ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential source and on September 22, 2020, she sold two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential source. On September 24, 2020, law enforcement searched Colliers’s downtown Omaha hotel room where they recovered numerous controlled substances including 599 grams of actual methamphetamine, 26 grams of psilocybin brownies, and 50 grams of crack cocaine. On November 12, 2020, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Colliers’s residence located on Manderson Street in Omaha. Officers recovered 118 grams of methamphetamine and 20 grams heroin, and a large amount of currency.
Codefendant James Finley is currently scheduled for jury trial on April 19, 2022.
This case was investigated primarily by the Omaha Police Department.
Grand Jury - March 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 14 unsealed Indictments charging 17 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Matthew Carlson, age 38, of Omaha, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Carlson with receipt of child pornography with priors between on or about March 1, 2021 and continuing to on or about November 23, 2021. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $35,000 additional special assessment. Count II charges Carlson with possession of child pornography with priors between on or about November 23, 2021. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $17,000 additional special assessment.
* Tyler Denby, age 36, of Alliance, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Denby with transport of child pornography on or about July 30, 2021. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $40,000 additional special assessment. Count II charges Denby with possession of child pornography on or about July 30, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $22,000 additional special assessment.
* Cynthia Diane Steele Gilchrist, age 47, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about April 14, 2021. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about April 14, 2021.
* Darrian Grant, age 24, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender on or about December 19, 2021 and continuing to on or about February 11, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jean Ferrer Leyva-Pazos, age 19, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about February 23, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Lorenzo-Felipe, age 25, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about March 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Denis Perez Koh, age 35, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about March 9, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Quincy Louis, a/k/a Quincy LaRue Louis, age 25, D’Juan Beverly, Jr., age 23, Adrionna La’Sha Leeper, age 22, and Faye-Lynne Hardesty, age 19, are charged in a thirty-count Indictment. Count I charges Louis, Beverly, Leeper, and Hardesty with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery beginning on or about February 24, 2022 and continuing to on or about March 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts II, III, V, VII, IX, XI, XIII, XV, XVII, XVIX XXIII, XXV, XXVII, XXIX charge the defendants with specific robberies beginning on or about February 24, 2022 and continuing to on or about March 1, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts IV, VI, VIII, X, XII, XIV, XVI, XVIII, XX, XXII, XXIV, XXVIII charge the defendants with brandishing a firearm during specific robberies on or about February 25, 2022 and continuing to on or about March 1, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 7 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts XXVI and XXX charge the defendants with discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence on or about March 1, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Each firearms count must run consecutive to other counts.
* Wesly Preister, age 52, of Omaha, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about January 11, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $8,000,000 fine, an eight-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Rudy Ortega Raymundo, age 34, of Lexington, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 3, 2021. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Darell C. Richards, age 32, is charged with escape from custody on or about February 19, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Russell L. Rucks, Jr., age 29, of Lincoln, Nebraska is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Rucks with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine on or about April 1, 2021 and continuing to on or about August 12, 2021. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Rucks with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine on or about August 12, 2021. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about August 12, 2021.
* Jose Ramiro Segovia-Garcia, age 30, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony on or about March 9, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Joshua Sund, age 41, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Counts I - V charge Sund with production of child pornography between on or about September 17, 2018 and continuing to on or about January 9, 2020. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and not more than 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $55,000 additional special assessment.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Robert Sebastian, 55, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 18, 2022, in federal court in Omaha for distribution and receipt of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Sebastian to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Sebastian will be on supervised release for life and will be required to register as a sex offender.
In April 2020, members of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force began investigating CyberTipline reports alleging that a Facebook and Yahoo user was sending child pornography to other users. Agents determined that the email addresses and IP addresses connected with the online activity were associated with Sebastian and executed a search warrant at Sebastian’s residence in Omaha. Sebastian eventually admitted to viewing and possessing child pornography. Forensic examinations of Sebastian’s devices showed at least 1,100 images and more than 80 videos of child pornography on the devices.
Sebastian, who sometimes claims the title of “reverend,” has multiple prior convictions in New London, Connecticut for sexual assaults of minors.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department and the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Omaha Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that a jury in United States District Court for the District of Nebraska found Hammaduzzaman Syed, of Omaha, Nebraska, guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a minor following a day and a half jury trial. Syed faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. ordered a Pre-Sentence Investigation and set Syed’s sentencing hearing for July 1, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
In November 2020, a deputy with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office posted an advertisement on Skip the Games, a website known to be commonly used for prostitution. On November 17, 2020, Syed responded to the phone number on the advertisement by text message and began communicating with an undercover deputy who informed Syed that they were a 15-year-old female. Syed then arranged to meet who he believed to be a 15-year-old female for a half hour of sex for $100. Syed then traveled to the agreed upon location with condoms and the agreed upon $100 as pursuant to their text message conversation.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office as part of the FBI’s Child Enticement and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Council Bluffs Woman Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Angela Michelle Brown, 46, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on March 18, 2022, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Brown to 10 years’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 5 years on the gun charge. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing her term of imprisonment, Brown will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In October of 2017, Omaha Police Officers utilized a cooperating witness to buy gram quantities of methamphetamine from Brown at various Omaha locations. The cooperator conducted four buys over a year and a half. During each buy, Brown took the cooperator with her to buy from her source of supply of methamphetamine.
On April 16, 2021, officers arrested Brown on an arrest warrant. In her possession officers found approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine and a gun.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to More than 18 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that John Allen Belot, 28, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln to a total of 224 months in prison after pleading guilty to gun and drug charges. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Belot to: 140 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, 60 months in prison for use of a firearm during and in relation to and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and 24 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine while on pretrial release. Those sentences will run consecutively. After serving his sentence, Belot will be placed on supervised release for 5 years. There is no parole in the federal system.
On August 4, 2020, law enforcement contacted Belot and two others in a vehicle in Lincoln. Belot was searched and investigators found a loaded Taurus PT111 Millennium G2 9mm pistol in his front waistband. The vehicle was searched, and officers found suspected methamphetamine, various pills, methamphetamine pipes, and a black digital scale. The suspected methamphetamine was sent to a lab for testing. The lab confirmed that the substance was about 54 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 52 grams was actual methamphetamine. Belot had also been found in possession of methamphetamine and a firearm on February 17, 2020 and October 12, 2020 in the Lincoln area.
On July 16, 2021, while on pretrial release, law enforcement arrested Belot on a federal warrant in Lincoln. During the apprehension, officers located a loaded black Berretta .22 caliber handgun, 8.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a black digital scale, methamphetamine pipes, and ammunition in his backpack. Officers also recovered 1.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine and $510 in currency from Belot’s person.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Former New York Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Shaquille A. Thornhill, 28, formerly of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Thornhill to 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Thornhill will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On April 15, 2021, Thornhill responded to an online advertisement on skipthegames.com offering sex in exchange for money. The ad was posted by law enforcement officers. Between April 15, 2021, and May 11, 2021, Thornhill engaged in text messaging conversations and phone calls with undercover law enforcement. Thornhill was seeking to pay for sex. The undercover agent interacting with Thornhill stated she was 15 years old, and Thornhill recognized that the female (who was an undercover agent) was purportedly 15 years old.
On May 11, 2021, Thornhill agreed with the undercover agent (who he believed to be a 15-year-old female) to meet at a hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, to have sex. Thornhill arrived at the designated hotel room to meet with who he believed to be the 15-year-old female. When officers answered the door of the hotel room, Thornhill ran away. After a foot pursuit, Thornhill was detained. Thornhill had on his possession the $200.00 cash he brought to pay for sex, the phone he used to communicate with the female he believed to be 15 years old, a 3-pack of condoms, and an orange Gatorade that he had agreed to provide to the female. Thornhill admitted to officers that he had agreed to pay $200 for sex with the female he believed to be 15 years old.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Winnebago Man Sentenced to 25 Years for ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jonathan D. Rooney, age 27, of Winnebago, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for the killing and burning of Kozee Decorah. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr sentenced Rooney to 25 years’ imprisonment: 120 months for manslaughter and 180 months for destruction of evidence. The sentences will run consecutively. After his release from prison, Rooney will begin a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
A federal jury found Rooney guilty of manslaughter and destruction of evidence in December 2021. Rooney killed Decorah, 22, and then burned her body and other evidence at an abandoned cabin on the Winnebago Indian Reservation.
On May 16, 2020, Decorah called the Winnebago Police Department to report that the vehicle that she, Rooney, and their infant son were using was stuck in the mud in a remote area of the Winnebago Reservation. When Winnebago Conservation Officers located the vehicle, they were unable to locate Decorah, Rooney, or their baby. The officers noticed a fire near midnight in an outhouse of a remote cabin. Rooney was found in the cabin naked in a bed with his clothes missing. The baby was with him. Blood droplets were observed in the cabin. Human remains in the form of a skull were found in the fire. Decorah was identified through dental records.
While pronouncing Rooney’s sentence, Chief Judge Rossiter noted this case involved the “tragic death of a young woman and young mother.” Chief Judge Rossiter called Rooney’s actions “unforgivable” and noted that Rooney tried to “erase your [Rooney’s] deeds by incineration without care or remorse.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Winnebago Police Department, the Winnebago Conservation Office, Winnebago Volunteer Firefighters, and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 274 Months for Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Lonnie L. Perry, age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court for two counts of interference with interstate commerce by way of robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm, during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of discharging a firearm, during and in relation to a crime of violence. Chief United States District Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Perry to 274 months (22 years, 10 months) in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Perry will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Perry was found guilty by a jury of the four charges following a trial in July of 2021.
On October 25, 2017, Perry entered the Select Mart convenience store in Omaha and brandished a weapon at a store employee. A father was shopping inside the store with his young son, and they hid in a backroom of the store until the police arrived at the scene.
On November 5, 2017, Perry entered the VP Racing Station convenience store in Omaha, brandished a weapon at two store employees and then fired his weapon into two vehicles fleeing the scene. Each vehicle had a family with a child in it, and the bullet from the second shot landed next to the car seat of a two-year-old boy, nearly striking him. The bullet landed on the driver’s seat floorboard of the first vehicle.
On November 6, 2017, Omaha Police officers arrived at an apartment complex for a disturbance where Perry was identified brandishing a weapon. While near a Runza restaurant, officers saw Perry drop a gun into a trash can. Perry resisted arrest. He was transported to a hospital for treatment. Perry escaped custody in handcuffs and was arrested again later that same day. The weapon was tied through ballistics to the shooting at the robbery the day before and had Perry’s DNA on it.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Meth Conspiracy and Possessing Meth with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Gregory Neemann, 57, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and for possession of actual methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Neemann to imprisonment for a term of 180 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Omaha Police Department (OPD) officers received information about Neemann from a confidential source in March 2020. On March 13, 2020, OPD officers stopped Neeman’s car in anticipation of serving a search warrant at his residence in Omaha. Neemann was in possession of methamphetamine and $2,363 in drug proceeds.
A search of the Neemann’s residence yielded drug paraphernalia, a functional digital scale, and another quantity of methamphetamine. Neemann admitted to additional pound-quantity distributions of methamphetamine obtained from co-defendant Michael Allison. The total amount of methamphetamine mixture was in excess of 500 grams.
Before Neemann committed the offense charged in this indictment, he had a final conviction for a prior serious drug felony. Specifically, on September 21, 1999, Neemann was convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In that case he was sentenced to a 151-month term of imprisonment followed by a 3-year term of supervised release.
Co-defendant Michael Allison is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Enrique Steven Abarca, 26, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 27 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture with two prior serious drug felonies by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Abarca will serve 10 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Abarca was convicted of the conspiracy charge by a federal jury in December of 2021 after a four-day trial. He was held responsible for the distribution of more than 10 kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture in the Lincoln area between May and August of 2019.
Abarca had prior felony convictions for delivery of methamphetamine for which he received a sentence of one to three years from Platte County, Nebraska in 2016 and conspiracy to deliver cocaine for which he was sentenced to two years in prison from Dodge County, Nebraska in 2017. As a result of these two prior convictions for serious drug felonies, he faced a statutory minimum sentence of 25 years.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Vance Campbell, 38, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced today to 15 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine with one prior serious drug felony by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon. Following his release from prison, Campbell will serve 10 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Officers observed Campbell at a gas station in Omaha and were aware that he had a warrant. Officers made contact with Campbell and arrested him. A K-9 indicated to the odor of narcotics on Campbell’s vehicle and after a subsequent search, officers found 189 grams of actual methamphetamine and $4,189 in United States currency.
Campbell had a prior serious drug felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the District of Nebraska in 2003, which he served 168 months in federal prison. As a result of this prior conviction for a serious drug felony, he faced a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Using a 3D Printer to Convert Glocks to Machine Guns Sentenced to 57 MonthsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Riley Griffy, age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for unlawfully possessing a machinegun. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Griffy to 57 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Griffy will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On April 15, 2021, Griffy sold a 3D printed conversion device which converted a semiautomatic Glock pistol into an automatic weapon. Griffy used a 3D printer to build the device, which is a machinegun as defined by federal law. Griffy continued illegally manufacturing machineguns which converted firearms into automatic weapons until he was arrested on June 2, 2021. In total, Griffy manufactured and sold nine machineguns and one silencer.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and were part of Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Larry W. Carter, 48, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, to a total of 190 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Carter to 130 months in prison on the drug conviction and a consecutive 60 months in prison on the gun conviction. After serving his prison sentence, Carter will serve a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On September 30, 2020, law enforcement contacted Carter as he was leaving a store. Carter ran from law enforcement and was apprehended shortly thereafter. During his apprehension, a handgun was retrieved from his person. Carter was arrested and an inventory search of his vehicle was conducted. During the search, law enforcement found a bag in the backseat that contained three self-sealing baggies of suspected methamphetamine, other suspected controlled substances, several empty baggies, a glass pipe with burnt white residue, and a black digital scale. Those items were seized by law enforcement and the suspected methamphetamine was sent to the lab for testing. A lab determined that there was 110.86 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 100 grams was actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Council Bluffs, Iowa, Man Sentenced for Interstate Sex OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Achocho Enita, age 28, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced today for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Enita to 97 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. It is anticipated that he will be removed to Micronesia following completion of his prison sentence.
On July 13, 2021, Enita responded to an online ad posted by a law enforcement officer who posed as a 15-year-old female offering commercial sex. Through text message exchanges over the next ten days, Enita arranged to meet the person he thought was a minor female and pay to have sex with her. Enita was arrested after he had traveled from Council Bluffs to Omaha, Nebraska, for the meeting.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, as part of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF).
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Co-conspirators Sentenced for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Pablo Leyva, age 28, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and Chrystian Townsley, age 34, of Sioux City, Iowa, were both sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Leyva to 20 years of imprisonment and sentenced Townsley to 15 years of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing their terms of imprisonment, both Leyva and Townsley will begin 5-year terms of supervised release.
On March 8, 2020, Leyva, Townsley, and a female were traveling in a truck in Arizona on their way to Mexico to engage in drug trafficking. They traveled through Nebraska on their way to Mexico and brought a Diamondback Arms, Inc., DB-15 rifle to facilitate the drug trafficking. Officers in Arizona pulled them over as they traveled toward Mexico and took the rifle. After the traffic stop, Leyva, Townsley, and the female continued traveling to Mexico. During the next few days, Leyva, Townsley, and the female reached the Mexican border, entered Mexico to facilitate drug trafficking, left the truck in Mexico, and then re-entered the United States on foot. After re-entering the United States, a female from Nebraska drove to Arizona to pick them up and began driving them back to the Nebraska area. On March 14, 2020, in Liberal, Kansas, while driving back to the Nebraska area, an officer pulled them over and located 5 cellophane wrapped packages collectively containing about 4 pounds of methamphetamine and 65 fentanyl pills in the vehicle. Leyva and Townsley were transporting the drugs in the vehicle to distribute them.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the United States Secret Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Chadron Man Sentenced to 156 Months for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Bryan Morse, 61, of Chadron, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln for possession of child pornography. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Morse to 156 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Morse will begin a 20-year term of supervised release.
Morse received an enhanced sentence because he had two prior convictions relating to the sexual abuse of children. In January 1988, Morse was convicted of sexual assault on a child. He was later convicted of enticement of a child in April 2001.
Homeland Security Investigations received a tip from a social media company, Kik, that a Kik account was involved with sharing child pornography. Another tip was provided to law enforcement about child pornography being traded over Skype. Both tips led agents to Morse. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence in Chadron. The warrant was executed on December 18, 2019. During the execution of the warrant, several electronic devices were seized.
Morse was home at the time when the search warrant was executed. Morse told the agents that he used chat rooms to trade child pornography. He also said law enforcement that child pornography would be found on the seized devices. When the devices were examined, the agents did in fact find numerous photographs and videos depicting child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Tyler Welsh, 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court for distribution and receipt of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Welsh to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Welsh will serve 10 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Welsh will also be required to pay $3,000 in restitution.
In November 2018, agents with the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force began investigating after receiving a Cyber Tipline Report stating that a Dropbox user was uploading files of child pornography. In August 2019, agents executed a search warrant at Welsh’s residence in Omaha and seized his electronic devices. In addition to files stored on online storage platforms, Welsh had at least 248 images and 8 videos of child pornography saved on his cell phone.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Tekamah Woman Sentenced to 100 Months for Kidnapping GrandchildrenRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Nora Gilda Guevara-Tirana, age 43, of Tekamah, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court on February 23, 2022, in Omaha for kidnapping. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Guevara-Tirana to 100 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing her term of imprisonment, Guevara-Tirana will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Guevara-Tirana, originally from Mexico, faces deportation proceedings after her release from prison.
Guevara-Tirana was convicted on August 31, 2021, of kidnapping after a five-day jury trial.
On April 20, 2020, Guevara-Tirana requested her co-defendant, Tanner Leichleiter, take her two grandchildren, ages 4 and 7, without car seats or shoes to Kansas to teach their mother a lesson. Witnesses testified that Leichleiter took the children to a drug house in Harvard, Nebraska, and received a phone call while there that Guevara-Tirana had been arrested for kidnapping. Leichleiter immediately took the children to Kansas. An Amber Alert was issued and Leichleiter was located with the children after a report from a farmer in the area. When law enforcement located Leichleiter and the children, they found 10 guns, multiple ammunition and drugs within reach of the children in the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Tekamah Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff, and Wichita Police Department.
Grand Jury - February 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 18 unsealed Indictments charging 19 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Kenneth Brinton, age 64, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Brinton with production of child pornography between on or about June 22, 2015 and continuing to on or about March 19, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $55,000 additional special assessment. Count II charges Brinton with production of child pornography between on or about September 16, 2016 and continuing to on or about July 31, 2017. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $55,000 additional special assessment. Count III charges Brinton with possession of child pornography on or about August 30, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $22,000 additional special assessment.
* Jared B. Cain, age 40, of Phoenix, Arizona, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about November 11, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* David Cantu a/k/a/ Eswin Lopez, age 29, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Cantu with false claim of citizenship on or about August 22, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 3 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Cantu with false representation of a Social Security number on or about August 22, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Cantu with aggravated identity theft on or about August 22, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 3 years’ imprisonment consecutive to Counts I and II, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Saheed B. Dairo, age 39, is charged in a seven-count Indictment. Count I charges Dairo with bank fraud beginning on or about August 22, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts II and III charge Dairo with bank fraud beginning on or about November 16, 2020 and continuing to on or about November 18, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment consecutive to Count I, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts IV-VI charge Dairo with aggravated identity theft on or about August 22, 2020 and continuing to on or about November 18, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment consecutive to Counts I-III, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VII charges Dairo with transfer of identification document on or about August, 2020 to on or about November, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Javier Diaz, Jr., age 30, of Bellevue, Nebraska, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender after traveling in interstate commerce on or about January 1, 2021 and continuing to on or about January 18, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Zachary D. Ellis, age 27, of Hastings, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Ellis with distribution of methamphetamine on or about June 3 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Ellis with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about June 7, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Daisy Flores, age 20, and Teresa P. Martinez, age 45, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Flores and Martinez with possession with intent to distribute of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about February 6, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charge Flores and Martinez with possession with intent to distribute marijuana on or about February 6, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jorge Francisco-Mateo a/k/a Sanchez Gonzalez-Jacinto, age 26, is charged with reentry of a removed alien after having been convicted of a felony on or about January 8, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Christopher Groth, age 38, of Gretna, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Groth with production of child pornography between on or about September, 2020 and continuing to on or about December, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $55,000 additional special assessment. Count II charges Groth with transportation of child pornography on or about February 2, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $40,000 additional special assessment. Count III charges Groth with possession of child pornography on or about June 3, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $22,000 additional special assessment.
* Kurt D. Heckenliable, age 50, of Geneva, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about September 22, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Robert James Kotschwar, age 32, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Kotschwar with possession with intent to distribute of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about April 6, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Kotschwar with felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 29, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Mylon Mayfield, age 24, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with concealing a person from arrest on or about January 28, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Karre Christine O’Dell, age 42, of Craig, Colorado, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges O’Dell with possession with intent to distribute of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about October 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges O’Dell with possession of a document-making implement or authentication feature on or about October 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Isaias Perez Cantu, age 42, is charged with reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony on or about January 26, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Carlos Ramirez Bonilla, a/k/a Carlos Bonilla Ramirez, a/k/a Jose Trevino Garza, a/k/a Augimiro De La Cruz Gallegos, age 50, is charged with reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony on or about September 16, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Traynell D. Toney, age 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Toney with bank robberies on or about December 20, 2021 and December 31, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Trejo Acosta, age 37, is charged with reentry removed alien after aggravated felony conviction on or about February 7, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Ricky A. Wynn, age 39, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Wynn with unlawful possession of unregistered destructive device on or about January 30, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Wynn with transport of explosive materials with intent to injure on or about January 30, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Wisner Man Sentenced to 168 Months for Drug and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Kaden Henry, 23, of Wisner, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 23, 2022, in Omaha, by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine and money laundering. Henry received a sentence of 168 months’ imprisonment with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. Henry was also ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $8,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
Beginning in mid-2018, a Drug Enforcement Administration task force started investigating the methamphetamine distribution operation of David Short in the Omaha-metro area. This investigation included a court ordered Title III interception of phone calls and text messages, allowing agents to identify the scope of the conspiracy and its members. As part of this investigation, Henry was identified as a source of methamphetamine that was delivering to the Omaha-metro area.
On October 29, 2020, Henry delivered 387 grams of pure methamphetamine to an undercover DEA agent. On November 12, 2020, Henry was arrested and was in possession of two pounds of methamphetamine. A search of Henry’s residence revealed another pound of methamphetamine. Additional evidence showed that Henry was sending the money obtained from the sale of methamphetamine to Sinaloa, Mexico.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the DEA, Nebraska State Patrol, and the Omaha Police Department.
Waverly Man Convicted for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that James Nieman, 45, of Waverly, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for theft of government funds. Nieman was sentenced to 5 years’ probation, 12 weekends of intermittent confinement, $272,202 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case began in November of 2017, when SSA received an anonymous tip that Nieman was collecting social security disability payments, representing that he did not work due to disability. Meanwhile, he was self-employed as a floor installer. Nieman received SSI and HHS Medicare benefits from November 2001 to March 2019. During that time, he voluntarily, intentionally, and knowingly made misrepresentations regarding his employment and income to receive benefits to which he was not entitled.
Based upon Nieman’s misrepresentation he was not eligible for SSI nor Medicare benefits. The investigation revealed that Nieman received $226,737.70 in SSI benefits to which he was not entitled and $45,464.30 in HHS benefits to which he was not otherwise entitled to, totaling $272,202.00
This case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Drug Trafficking and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Bobby Joe Baer, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brain C. Buescher for possessing with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine and for possessing a firearm during the drug trafficking offense. Baer was sentenced to consecutive sentences of 115 months for the drug trafficking offense and 65 months for the firearm offense, with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
On January 13, 2021, officers with the Omaha Police Department were called to check on Baer, who appeared to be unresponsive in a vehicle. When officers made contact with Baer, they saw a firearm in his waistband. Baer was a convicted felon and had outstanding warrants. Baer was arrested and his vehicle searched. During the search, officers found 20 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 106 Months for Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Terrance Traynham, age 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court on February 23, 2022, in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a stolen firearm, and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Traynham to 106 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Traynham will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On July 18, 2020, officers arrested Traynham in an Omaha hotel. On his hip, Traynham was carrying a stolen Glock 19, 9 mm pistol. He was carrying 86 fentanyl pills in his pocket which he intended to distribute. Traynham was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for delivery, distribution, dispensing, manufacturing, or possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (2016) and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving (2019).
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Omaha Police Department and was part of an operation by the Greater Omaha Safe Streets Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Role in Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced the Jurrell Parker, 34, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 24, 2022, for Aiding and Abetting the Transportation of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Parker to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Parker will begin a 10-year term of supervised release and will also be required to register as a sex offender.
On April 19, 2019, Parker used Kik, an online application with servers located outside the State of Nebraska, to communicate with an undercover law enforcement officer that had assumed the identity of another user of the application. Law enforcement had previously located several Kik chat conversations in which it appeared child pornography material was being traded by the members of the chat. During the online conversation, Parker sent the undercover officer a “Mega” hyperlink, which directed the officer to a folder of 113 video files of child pornography. Mega is a cloud storage and file hosting service offered by Mega Limited, an Auckland, New Zealand-based company.
Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force obtained subscriber information and IP login history associated with Kik user that had shared the Mega hyperlink, which ultimately led to Parker’s residence in Omaha, Nebraska. On April 22, 2019, the FBI executed a federal search warrant of Parker’s Omaha residence and seized Parker’s phone. A search of that phone located 9 images and 5 videos of minors, between the age of 8 and 15 years old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Bank Robbery while Brandishing a Firearm and for Possessing Crack with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Skyler F. Sanders, age 34, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today for bank robbery while brandishing a firearm and possessing 28 grams or more of cocaine base (Crack) with the intent to distribute. Senior United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Sanders to 96 months’ imprisonment for both the bank robbery and drug offense to run concurrent. Senior Judge Bataillon sentenced Sanders to an additional 84 months’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Sanders will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. Sanders was ordered to pay $36,959 in restitution.
Sanders was convicted in May 2021 for the drug charge following a 3-day jury trial and on January 3, 2022, for the bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence charges following a 2-day bench trial.
An investigation conducted by the Omaha Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that on August 16, 2019, co-defendant Melvin Wilson drove a rented white Infiniti Q50 sports car to Bank of the West located at 8707 W. Center Road in Omaha. In the vehicle with Wilson was Sanders. Prior to the men arriving at Bank of the West, Wilson covered at least one of the license plates of the white Infiniti Q50 with dealer plates to conceal its identity.
At approximately 10:37 a.m., Sanders and Wilson arrived at Bank of the West. While Wilson waited as the get-a-way driver, Sanders exited the vehicle wearing dark clothing, including gloves, a black face mask, and carrying a black handgun. Sanders walked into the Bank of the West, brandished a handgun, made contact with the tellers, and directed them to place the money from their drawers on the teller counter. Sanders allegedly took $36,959 from the bank. After the robbery, Sanders and Wilson fled the bank in the white Infiniti Q50. The white Infiniti Q50 was located, abandoned, a few blocks away from the bank. During the investigation Wilson’s DNA was found on a black mask that was found in the white Infiniti Q50. Sander’s DNA was also found within the white Infiniti Q50.
On October 3, 2019, law enforcement officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Omaha Police Department were conducting surveillance of Sanders’s residence in Omaha. Law enforcement had search warrants for Sanders’s DNA and cellular phone in connection with the Bank of the West robbery. When law enforcement attempted to make contact with Sanders, Sanders ran from them and during the short foot pursuit, a special agent saw Sanders reach into his pocket and then throw something. Sanders fell as he was going over a chain link fence and surrendered to law enforcement. Officers searched the vicinity of where Sanders was seen throwing something and found a bag of powder cocaine and a bag of crack cocaine over a wood privacy fence about 5-10 feet from where Sanders was seen throwing something. These items were collected and found to be a little over 17 grams of powder cocaine and a little over 30 grams of crack cocaine. The crack cocaine was packaged in 9 separate individual bags.
Senior Judge Bataillon sentenced Wilson to 60 months’ imprisonment on October 18, 2021, for his role in the bank robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Bellevue Man Convicted of Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Matthew Retchless, 40, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for receipt and distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Retchless to 96 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. Retchless will also be required to register as a sex offender when he completes his sentence of imprisonment.
In January and February of 2019, investigators received a series of Cyber Tips reporting online accounts (Kik and Tumblr) containing sexually explicit images of children. Some images had been uploaded to the accounts and shared. Based upon the information contained within the Cyber Tips, investigators were able to determine that the images had been uploaded from Retchless’s mobile home in Paradise Lakes (in Bellevue, Nebraska) prior to flooding that destroyed the trailer park in March of 2019.
On April 25, 2019, an investigator obtained a warrant to search the Microsoft account associated with Retchless’s email address. While reviewing mailbox data, the investigator observed email messages sent from Retchless’s email account to six external email addresses containing images of child pornography or child exploitation.
On July 7, 2020, investigators obtained a warrant to search defendant’s residence in Bellevue. Investigators seized defendant’s laptop and his cell phone, which yielded more images containing child pornography and child exploitative material. The forensic examination of the devices confirmed Retchless’s use of the online accounts to share the material with others during the charged timeframe. Law enforcement found more than 100 images and one video.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bellevue Police Department, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Scottsbluff Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Dillon Morgan, 24, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Chief United States Chief District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Morgan to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Law enforcement, with the WING Task Force (Western Nebraska Intelligence Narcotics Group), utilized a confidential informant (CI) to purchase methamphetamine from Morgan. On February 25, 2020, the CI purchased 29 grams of methamphetamine from Morgan. On March 2, 2020, the CI purchased 30 grams of methamphetamine from Morgan. On March 3, 2020, law enforcement arrested Morgan with two grams of meth. Morgan was distributing methamphetamine to other individuals in the Alliance and Scottsbluff areas.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the WING Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 150 Months for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Cameron J. Stidd, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 16, 2022, by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher to 150 months’ imprisonment for distribution of child pornography. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Stidd will begin a 15-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Buescher ordered Stidd to pay restitution in the amount of $24,000 and an additional special assessment in the amount of $5,000.
On January 19, 2020, Kik, an online website with servers located outside the State of Nebraska, identified at least one image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct that was distributed by an account user to other account users on the Kik application. Kik captured the Internet Protocol (IP) address that was used by the account user to distribute the image of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement obtained information related to the IP addresses, which ultimately identified Stidd as the subscriber and that he resided in Omaha.
The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), Special Operations Division, executed a federal search warrant of Stidd’s Omaha residence. The NSP seized numerous digital devices. Stidd gave a voluntary statement to law enforcement in which he admitted to using Kik. A forensic review of Stidd’s Kik account and digital devices revealed at least one thousand (1,000) graphic files of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The forensic review of Stidd’s Kik account and digital devices further revealed that on January 19, 2020, Stidd distributed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Omaha Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin While in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jessica Anzaldo, 34, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Anzaldo to 10 years’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 5 years on the gun charge. After completing her term of imprisonment, Anzaldo will be required to serve a 5-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system.
On September 10, 2019, Anzaldo sold an undercover officer more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine at an Omaha location. On September 13, 2019, Anzaldo again sold the undercover more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine in Omaha. Anzaldo was placed under arrest after the sale and a search warrant on her Omaha residence revealed a quarter pound of methamphetamine, approximately 10 grams of heroin, and a gun within a small safe located in her bedroom. During a post arrest interview, Anzaldo admitted to distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine during the past 5 or 6 months. While being booked into corrections, three additional baggies of heroin were found on her person with a total weight of approximately 25 grams.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 174 Months for MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Justin Smith, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 16, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Smith to 174 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Smith will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On January 6, 2020, Omaha Police officers observed Smith sell 2 grams of methamphetamine. At the time, Smith had two prior convictions for distributing methamphetamine. A search of his residence recovered 85 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Texas Parolee Sentenced to 10 years in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Isaac Johnson, 52, of Texas, who was on parole for a drug offense in Houston, was sentenced on February 14, 2022, for conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Johnson to 120 months’ imprisonment and an 8-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. On November 4, 2021, Johnson was found guilty by a jury following a trial in his case.
Between October 2017 and February 17, 2019, Johnson would drive from Houston to Omaha to supply cocaine to co-defendants Anthony Moore and Robert Harris-Hearnes, both local cocaine distributors for a drug trafficking organization (DTO). Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation intercepted communications between the conspirators in a court authorized wiretap. Those intercepts revealed a planned meeting in which Johnson would resupply the DTO with additional cocaine. Agents monitored ongoing communication, tracked Johnson’s cell phone and tracked his location. This evidence culminated in the simultaneous execution of three separate search warrants executed on February 17, 2019. Johnson’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement as it arrived at Moore’s Omaha home. Hidden within a door panel to Johnson’s vehicle was more than one half pound of powder cocaine. Additional powder cocaine, several thousand dollars in currency, a money counter, drug scales, packaging, and cutting agents were also found within Moore’s home. Narcotics, firearms, and currency from additional searches paired with wiretap evidence of the cocaine conspiracy established a wide-ranging organization responsible for the distribution of kilograms of cocaine.
On December 17, 2020, Harris-Hearnes was sentenced to 7-10 years in the Nebraska Department of Corrections. On June 21, 2021, Anthony Moore was sentenced to 60 months for conspiracy to distribute cocaine to be followed by 4 years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, and Omaha Police Department and was part of an operation by the Greater Omaha Safe Streets Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Ja'hvont Payne, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute ten grams or more of an analogue of fentanyl. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Payne to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
On March 1, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on an apartment at 25th and Cumming Streets in Omaha after law enforcement was notified of a female who overdosed. Payne was staying with the co-defendant, Robert Rush. Law enforcement located 1,029 pills in nine different bags in the bedroom where they were staying. The pills tested positive for fentanyl. The pills were more than 110 grams of fentanyl. The female died from the overdose, and the autopsy confirmed it was the result of fentanyl. The United States alleges that Rush sold her the pill that caused her overdose.
Robert Rush is currently scheduled for trial in March, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Lincoln Repeat Offender Sentenced for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Gabriel S. Goss, 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and a mixture or substance containing cocaine. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Goss to 180 months in prison followed by a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Goss faced a 15-year mandatory-minimum sentence in this case because he had a prior conviction for sale of a controlled substance in violation of Minnesota state law.
On September 4, 2020, law enforcement searched a vehicle following a traffic stop in Lincoln. Goss was in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Officers found inside a bag at Goss’s feet about 1.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, three baggies containing suspected marijuana, drug paraphernalia, $1,500 in currency, and numerous unused baggies. Law enforcement also found two bags of suspected methamphetamine and one bag of suspected cocaine in the glove box of the vehicle. Those items were seized by law enforcement and sent to a lab for testing. The lab determined that a total of 113.28 grams of confirmed methamphetamine, of which at least 100 grams was actual methamphetamine, and 41.88 grams of cocaine were seized from the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Grand Island Man Sentenced to 16 ½ Years for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Shane Lawrence, 40, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 16 1/2 years in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Lawrence will be required to serve 5 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 17, 2020, the Grand Island Police Department was conducting surveillance of a home where officers suspected drug trafficking was occurring. Police later obtained a search warrant and found 6.9 pounds of methamphetamine and $18,000 in U.S. currency. Lawrence was arrested at the scene and evidence showed that he was responsible for the distribution of large amounts of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Grand Island Police Department and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force. That Task Force is composed of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Grand Island Police Department, the Hall County Sheriff’s Department, the Hastings Police Department, the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, the Kearney Police Department, and the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department.
U.S. Permanent Resident Convicted by Nebraska Jury in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that a federal jury in the District of Nebraska found Oswaldo Neri, 30, of Mexico, guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Oswaldo Neri conspired with his brother, Jesse Neri, and others to distribute methamphetamine in Omaha in early 2021. Oswaldo Neri resides in the U.S. as a permanent resident.
On January 4 and 5, 2021, a DEA undercover agent posing as a customer contacted a known Mexico-based methamphetamine supplier to order for purchase 1 pound of methamphetamine. The agent and the Mexican source of supply agreed that a local party would meet the customer at a business in Omaha, Nebraska to complete the sale and agreed that the customer would pay $4,100 for the pound. As planned, they met and completed the transaction. Investigators thereafter identified the Neri brothers as the persons who met with the undercover officer and delivered the methamphetamine.
A week later, on January 12, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at the Neri brothers’ residence in Omaha. Both brothers were arrested, and investigators recovered 6 additional pounds of methamphetamine from Oswaldo Neri’s bedroom closet, as well as additional evidence of distribution.
United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher presided over the jury trial and will sentence Oswaldo Neri on May 18, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Field Division, and the Nebraska State Patrol. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Chemistry Unit provided laboratory services for the investigation.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Cody J. Behrens, 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 9, 2022, in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for receipt of child pornography. Behrens was sentenced to 60 months in prison and will also serve 5 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. After serving his prison sentence, Behrens will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In August of 2019, the Nebraska States Patrol received two cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC is the national clearinghouse for child exploitation material and reports under federal law. According to the cybertips, an internet search engine became aware of 26 image files of suspected child pornography associated with an online email account registered to Behrens. Additional information, including IP addresses, a phone number, and a secondary email address related to the account were also provided to NCMEC.
Investigators traced several IP addresses to the internet provider and subsequently to the subscriber on the account. Additional information determined that the subscriber using the IP addresses on the dates in question was associated with the Behrens’s residence in Lincoln.
A search warrant was served on Behrens’s residence and his cellular phone was seized. Forensic examination revealed 63 images and 3 videos of child pornography on the phone. A number of these images and videos were the same as those uploaded to the email account.
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.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Kevin Jacoway, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Jacoway to 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Jacoway will serve 15 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
In August 2020, members of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducting undercover investigations into peer-to-peer file sharing of child exploitation materials identified an IP address associated with a residence in Omaha as sharing files of child pornography. In December 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence of Jacoway and co-defendant Timothy Fox and seized several electronic devices. More than 90,000 images and 1,000 videos depicting child pornography were located on devices that Jacoway claimed as his own. Co-defendant Fox is currently serving a sentence of 128 months’ imprisonment.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force
Phelps County Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that David James Burke, 32, of Funk, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 92 months in prison by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, he will serve four years of supervised release. He will also forfeit $6,480.00 in United States currency.
On October 23, 2017, the Nebraska State Patrol obtained a search warrant for Burke’s residence in Funk, Nebraska. During the execution of the search warrant at Burke's residence, law enforcement officers found a pill bottle containing 54.42 grams methamphetamine and $6,480 dollars in U.S. currency. Law enforcement also seized a Taurus 357 magnum revolver from the armrest of the couch in the living room. Burke’s sentence was enhanced for possessing the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Beatrice Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Michael Hawkins, 58, of Beatrice, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 31, 2022, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Hawkins to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
During the conspiracy, Hawkins was purchasing methamphetamine in Lincoln and redistributing the methamphetamine to several individuals in Beatrice. On April 8, 2019, Beatrice Police Department executed a search warrant on Hawkins’s residence and seized four grams of methamphetamine. Cooperating witnesses were willing to testify that Hawkins was purchasing methamphetamine in Lincoln and taking it to Beatrice where he would sell it to several individuals.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and Beatrice Police Department.
Niobrara Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Warren Lee Mackey, 68, of Niobrara, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 27, 2022, by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to 30 years’ imprisonment for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and 10 years’ imprisonment for sexual abuse of a child, to be served concurrently. Mackey will be on supervised release for 5 years after his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
A jury found Mackey guilty in October 2021 for an offense that occurred on the Santee Sioux Nation Indian Reservation. The charges stemmed from a disclosure made by an 11-year-old child that the defendant touched her clitoris and her breast. The defendant claimed during an interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation that he was asleep and did not know whether he had done anything to the child, but was dreaming about an adult female.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Axtell Man Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Chad Carlson, 44, of Axtell, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 27, 2022, by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Following his prison term, Carlson will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Between 2015 and 2019, Carlson sold methamphetamine to a number of people in various communities in central Nebraska. In October of 2018, Carlson sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Walthill Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Assault with a Deadly WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Matthew Moniz, Jr., age 33, of Walthill, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for assault with a deadly weapon. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Moniz to 70 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Moniz will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On December 16, 2019, Moniz and his co-defendant, Jonathan Earth, assaulted a male victim during an altercation in Winnebago, Nebraska. Moniz punched the victim and pulled out a knife and cut him in the face. As Earth held the victim down, Moniz stabbed the victim in the neck. The stab caused a deep laceration to the victim’s neck.
Earth was sentenced on December 20, 2021, for his role in the assault and received 63 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Winnebago Police Department, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Brandon L. Parmentier, 32, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Parmentier to 149 months in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On September 11, 2020, a probation officer searched probationer Parmentier’s residence in Lincoln. While searching Parmentier’s bedroom, the officer found a large amount of suspected methamphetamine, weapons, and drug paraphernalia. Those items were seized by law enforcement. A lab determined that there was 111.52 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 100 grams was actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Kearney Man Convicted for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Craig S. Marsh, 33, of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Marsh to 180 months in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 29, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Marsh’s residence in Kearney. Law enforcement found Marsh and two others in a room with suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Law enforcement also found a case containing two bags of suspected methamphetamine in the residence. A lab confirmed that the substance was in fact about 381 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 338 grams was actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force.
Former Bruning Woman Convicted for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Krystal Smith, 30, formerly of Bruning, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for distribution of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Smith was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 8 years of supervised release with special conditions. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith was additionally ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
This case began with a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) cyber tip indicating that Facebook user “Shane Smith” had attempted to share a video of child pornography to another Facebook user in August of 2019. Later investigation determined that Krystal Smith’s husband, Shane Smith, was responsible for this activity. On February 13, 2020, a residential search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence. Krystal Smith’s personal cellphone was among the devices that were seized during the execution of the search warrant. A forensic examination of her cellphone revealed sexually explicit files of a child in Krystal Smith’s life. These files included one video and multiple still photos which depicted the lascivious exhibition of the child’s genital area. The video and images appear to have been taken by Krystal Smith. Smith admitted to producing the video and sending it to her husband.
A review of Facebook message conversations between the Smiths additionally revealed that Krystal Smith produced and shared additional sexually explicit images and video files of the child to Shane Smith and had conversations discussing the potential sexual abuse of the child.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
Nigerian Man Sentenced for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jude Uzochukwu Ifeanyi, 37, of Nigeria, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for wire fraud. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Ifeanyi to 41 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a one-year term of supervised release. Senior Judge Bataillon ordered Ifeanyi to pay restitution in the amount of $262,895 to several identified victims. Ifeanyi will be deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.
An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that from May 23, 2018 through May 25, 2018, Ifeanyi and his co-conspirators developed a scheme in an effort to defraud an Omaha couple out of $700,000. Ifeanyi and his co-conspirators, who were located in Nigeria, compromised an email account used by the Omaha couple. While conducting unauthorized surveillance within the Omaha couple’s email account, Ifeanyi and his co-conspirators identified a financial transaction that was to take place relating to the purchase of property in the State of Florida. Ifeanyi and his co-conspirators sent fraudulent emails to the Omaha couple, which appeared to come from the sellers of the property. The emails directed the Omaha couple to use “alternate wiring instructions” when making payment for property, ultimately directing that payment for the property be made to an unauthorized third-party bank account. As a result of the scheme, the Omaha couple was fraudulently induced into making a $700,000 wire transfer to the unauthorized third-party bank account. When the fraudulent scheme was discovered, the victims were able to recover a portion of the wire transfer but did suffer a loss of $131,485.
During the course of the FBI’s investigation, the FBI determined that Ifeanyi and his co-conspirators were also involved in other similar schemes to defraud victims located throughout the United States. The FBI identified 9 other victims with losses totaling $1,581,655.
On August 21, 2019, an Indictment charging Ifeanyi was filed in the United States District Court in the District of Nebraska. On December 30, 2020, Ifeanyi was extradited from Spain, where Ifeanyi was living at the time, to the United States under the supervision of the FBI. The FBI continues to investigate Ifeanyi’s co-conspirators who were involved with the criminal activity.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “The sentencing today of Jude Uzochukwu Ifeanyi sends a strong message to criminals who carry out business email compromise schemes. The FBI takes this financially damaging threat seriously. We will continue to find and arrest criminals who target members of our community, regardless of where they commit their crimes from.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Gang Member Sentenced for Robbery and Brandishing a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Delyahn R. Hill, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for robbery of United States property and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hill to 96 months’ imprisonment for the robbery count and 84 months on the brandishing count to run consecutively for a total sentence of 180 months. Hill will serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system. At the time of the offense, Hill had an outstanding arrest warrant for absconding from his State of Nebraska parole.
On June 15, 2021, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information that Hill was in possession of a rifle and handgun and was willing to sell both firearms to a confidential source for $1,400. A controlled buy was to take place at 30th and Cuming Streets. Hill arrived at the meet location, accepted the money for the transaction, but instead of providing the gun to the confidential source, Hill took out the gun, racked the firearm, putting a round in the chamber, and made threats to the source including “I know where your mom lives.” The entire exchange was livestreamed to law enforcement.
Fearing that Hill would shoot the source, law enforcement sent a marked police cruiser to the parking lot to show a law enforcement presence. Hill then got out of the confidential source’s vehicle, retaining the money and the gun he was holding, before telling the confidential source “don’t try anything funny.” Hill was subsequently stopped and arrested for his outstanding arrest warrant. In Hill’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson .380 caliber handgun and the $1,400 in serialized ATF currency.
This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Omaha Police Department