District of Nebraska
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 48 Months for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Delbert Lewis, age 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Lewis to 48 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Lewis will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On December 21, 2020, Omaha Police officers pulled over a vehicle in Omaha. Lewis was in the rear passenger seat. Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded Glock 43, 9 mm pistol. Lewis later told police that the firearm was his and that he put it under the seat in front of him. Lewis was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions from Indiana for burglary, attempted robbery, and escape. In Lewis’s attempted robbery case, he attempted to take money from a victim by pointing a firearm at him.
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.
The case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jose Ivan Marino-Meza, 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 11 years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual (pure) between March and October of 2020. Marino-Meza was also ordered to forfeit any interest he had in $38,840.00 in United States currency. Following his prison term, Marino-Meza will serve five years on supervised release. However, he is likely to be deported to Mexico at the end of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In March and April of 2020, a confidential informant working with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and an undercover officer made four purchases of methamphetamine totaling at least two pounds from Lucio Cruz-Guerrero. Marino-Meza accompanied Cruz on some of these purchases. In July of 2020, an undercover officer bought approximately one ounce of methamphetamine from Marino-Meza who drove to the buy location in a car belonging to Cruz. In August of 2020, the undercover officer made two additional purchases of methamphetamine from Cruz totaling approximately ¾ pound. In October of 2020, search warrants were executed at Cruz’s Lincoln residence, Marino’s Omaha residence, and two storage units used by Cruz. A total of approximately 33 pounds of methamphetamine and $38,840 in cash were found during these searches. Testing at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab showed the methamphetamine purchased and found during the searches contained a total of more than six kilograms of methamphetamine actual (pure).
Cruz-Guerrero was sentenced in July of 2021 to 168 months in prison on the conspiracy charge and was ordered to forfeit any interest in the seized $38,840.00 in U.S. currency.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Lincoln Couple Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Raymond Michael Maestas, 28, and his wife, Jaesa Suzanne Vaughn, 28, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, were sentenced today by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture.
Maestas was sentenced to 15 years for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture with a prior conviction for serious violent felony, (robbery). He also received a sentence of five years for using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The sentence on the gun charge must be served consecutive to (after) the sentence on the drug charge. Following his prison term, Maestas will serve ten years on supervised release.
Vaughn was sentenced to 10 years for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. She will serve five years on supervised release after completing her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
On February 28, 2021, a pickup driven by Maestas, in which Vaughn was the passenger, was stopped in Lancaster County for speeding. A Lancaster Sheriff’s Office canine indicated the odor of narcotics on the passenger side door. The pickup was searched. A box was found inside a battery cover where the pickup’s battery would normally be located. This box contained two locked safes containing three packages of methamphetamine weighing a total of approximately 1 ½ pounds, 13 Fentanyl pills and a vacuum-sealed Jimenez .380 handgun. The actual battery for the pickup was found hooked up near the passenger-side window. A Hi-Point .45 caliber handgun was found under the center console inside the passenger compartment. A vacuum sealer was also found in the pickup. Maestas claimed everything belonged to him and said Vaughn had nothing to do with it. Vaughn said the vacuum sealer belonged to her and claimed it was used to seal food. On the same date, a search warrant was executed at Maestas’s and Vaughn’s Lincoln residence. During that search, scales and packaging materials along with suspected drug sales records were found.
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.
Maestas’s and Vaughn’s cases were investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Nebraska Man Sentenced for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Dennis Sryniawski, 48, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 20, 2021 by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher to twelve months and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sryniawski must also pay a $10,000.00 fine.
A jury convicted Sryniawski of cyberstalking in June 2021, after a three-day jury trial. This was the first cyberstalking conviction in the District of Nebraska. The federal cyberstalking statute prohibits using an electronic communication service to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass, intimidate or cause substantial emotional distress to a person or immediate family members, where the conduct did cause, attempt to cause or reasonably would be expected to cause such persons to experience substantial emotional distress.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Sryniawski sent six emails on two different days in 2018 to a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature. The emails were sent from two different accounts. One email was sent under Sryniawski’s name, but the others were sent under phony names. Sryniawski had previously been married to the candidate’s wife. The initial email contained personal details about the candidate’s wife and accusations concerning the candidate’s stepdaughter, and a later email included explicit photos purportedly of each. The emails asked the candidate to withdraw from the race and conveyed the message that, if he did not, the personal details and explicit photos of his wife and stepdaughter would be released.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the La Vista Police Department.
Grand Jury Indicts Lincoln Man for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that the Grand Jury in the District of Nebraska has returned a two-count indictment against Matt Tibbels, 58, of Lincoln. The Indictment charges Tibbels with committing child exploitation crimes between August 31, 2020 and October 5, 2021.
The first count of the Indictment charges the receipt of child pornography. This offense is punishable by a mandatory minimum term of 5 years’ and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a special assessment of up to $35,000. After release from any imprisonment, Tibbels would be subject to a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life. The second count charges Tibbels with possession child pornography. This count is punishable by a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life, and a special assessment of up to $17,000.
Tibbels’ next court appearance has not yet been scheduled. A preliminary examination will not be held as the Grand Jury has found of probable cause in returning the Indictment. A finding of probable cause is not a finding of guilt and Tibbels is presumed innocent of these charges.
Acting United States Attorney Sharp expressed his appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their quick actions in obtaining a criminal complaint and search warrant immediately upon receiving notification of the daycare being operated out of Tibbels’s home.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “There are few crimes more heinous than the sexual exploitation of children. Protecting vulnerable children from those who traffic in child sexual abuse material will always be a priority for FBI Omaha and our Crimes Against Children Task Force. The FBI will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to rapidly investigate cases to protect these most innocent of victims.”
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.
Grand Jury - October 2021Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 15 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.
* Jenone Gregg Allen, age 45, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender after traveling in interstate commerce on or about January, 2018 and continuing to on or about October 12, 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.
* Guadalupe Ayala-Armienta, age 34, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 25, 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
* Ryan Arrants, age 41, of Alliance, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Arrants with distribution of methamphetamine on or about April 20, 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 the defendant with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about April 20, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment consecutive to Count I, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
Count III charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about August 9, 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.
* Fred H. Bienka, age 82, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud beginning on or about 2016 and continuing to on or about April 13, 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 Chavez-Ruiz, age 29, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about June 7, 2021. 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.
* Alfredo Escobar, age 39, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Escobar with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about April 3, 2020 and continuing to on or about June 11, 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. Count II charges the defendant with distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about August 3, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $8,000,000 fine, an eight-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about June 1, 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. Count IV charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about June 11, 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.
* Kirk Tildon Foster, age 52, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender after traveling in interstate commerce on or about May 2021 and continuing to on or about August 30, 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.
* Edward Lawrence Hays, age 56, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor beginning from on or about June 24, 2021 and continuing to on or about October 13, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment, and $5,000 in additional special assessments.
* Craig A. Hoffman, age 45, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Hoffman with tax evasion from on or about June 11, 2011 continuing to on or about September 22, 2017. 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. Counts II through IV charge the defendant with failure to pay over withholding and FICA taxes on or about March 31, 2016 and continuing to on or about June 30, 2016. 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.
* George A. Liakos, age 62, of Bayard, Nebraska, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Counts I through IV charges Liakos with bank fraud from on or about June 2, 2017 continuing to on or about November 26, 2018. 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. Count V charges the defendant with false statements on or about February 9, 2018. 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.
* Tommy L. Meyer, age 42, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 19, 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. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about May 19, 2021.
* Matthew W. Miller, age 35, of Weeping Water, Nebraska, is charged with felon in possession of ammunition on or about August 10, 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.
* Nathan R. Rogers, age 26, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Rogers with production of child pornography between on or about October 11, 2020 and continuing to on or about February 20, 2021. 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 the defendant with receipt of child pornography between on or about October 11, 2020 and continuing to on or about February 20, 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.
* Matt Tibbels, age 58, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Tibbels with receipt of child pornography between on or about August 31, 2020 and continuing to on or about October 4, 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 II charges the defendant with possession of child pornography on or about October 5, 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.
* Dustin C. Vogel, age 35, Jonathan W. Miller, age 29, and Haley M. Coffman, age 24, all of Omaha, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Vogel, Miller, and Coffman with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) beginning at a time unknown and continuing to on or about October 6, 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. Count II charges Miller with assaulting, resisting, or impeding an officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon on or about October 6, 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.
Nebraska City Nurse Sentenced for Acquiring a Controlled Substance by FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Skye Parde, 38, of Nebraska City, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, a felony. The Honorable Brian C. Buescher sentenced Parde to 3 years of probation. Parde will also be required to pay a $5,000 fine.
In November 2018, administrators with Ambassador Health, an assisted-living facility in Nebraska City, Nebraska, reported theft of controlled substances to local law enforcement after learning that narcotic pain medication had been repeatedly refilled from a pharmacy but not logged as given to patients. The facility conducted an audit and determined that more than 6,000 tablets of Hydrocodone, Tramadol, and Oxycodone prescribed to 23 different assisted-living patients had been ordered but were missing from the facility. Staff observed that most of the medication refills had been ordered by Parde. At the time of the thefts, Parde was employed at the facility as a registered nurse on the night shift at the facility.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska City Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Repeat Offender Sentenced for Crack Cocaine and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Zumari Wilson, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Wilson to a total of 84 months’ imprisonment. He further ordered the federal sentence to run consecutive to a state term of imprisonment for felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Wilson will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
Wilson served a prior federal 84-month sentence for distributing crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. That sentence began in 2008.
During February 2020, Omaha Police officers observed an unusual amount of foot and vehicle traffic making short visits to Wilson’s residence. A search warrant was served on the residence on February 21, 2020. Officers recovered 27 grams of crack cocaine in the residence and a loaded Glock handgun in the console of Wilson’s truck. More than $3,700 in United States currency was seized and forfeited as drug proceeds.
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 Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Sammie Ranson, 30, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 18, 2021 in federal court in Omaha by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to a term of seven years’ imprisonment for committing two armed robberies at commercial businesses in Omaha. After his release from prison, Ranson will begin a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Ranson previously pled guilty to each robbery on July 19, 2021.
Ranson admitted to assaulting one employee of a Boost mobile store on April 5, 2020, while he was armed with a knife during the robbery. In the other robbery, Ranson admitted to threatening to kill two employees at the Subway restaurant he robbed on March 30, 2020 if they reported the incident to the police after he left the store.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Role in Bank Robbery with a FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced the Melvin L. Wilson, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 18, 2021 for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Wilson to a total of 60 months’ imprisonment. After Wilson’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Senior Judge Bataillon ordered Wilson to pay restitution in the amount of $36,959.
An investigation conducted by the Omaha Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that on August 16, 2019, 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 another male Wilson identified as Skyler 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., Wilson and Sanders arrived at Bank of the West. While Wilson waited as the get-a-way driver, Sanders is alleged to have exited the vehicle wearing dark clothing, including gloves, a black face mask, and carrying a black handgun. Sanders allegedly 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.
Sanders’s bench trial in front of Senior Judge Bataillon ended on September 1, 2021 and a judgment is forthcoming.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with the Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Alex Dunte Green, 34, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 15, 2021 in federal court in Lincoln for possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Green to 87 months in prison followed by a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On June 3, 2019, law enforcement arranged a controlled purchase of a kilogram of cocaine from Green in the parking lot of a pharmacy in Lincoln. When Green and another individual arrived at the parking lot in an SUV, law enforcement responded. Green attempted to flee but was apprehended. The vehicle was searched, and law enforcement found a backpack in the backseat of the vehicle. Inside the backpack was a bag containing cocaine, a scale, unused baggies, and a wallet containing identification and debit cards for Green. A lab confirmed that there was about 989.9 grams of cocaine in the backpack.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Former Omaha Woman Sentenced to Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Morgan L. Perkhiser, 37, formerly of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 15, 2021, in federal court for wire fraud. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Perkhiser to 21 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Perkhiser will begin a two-year term of supervised release. Chief Judge Rossiter also ordered Perkhiser to pay $468,144 in restitution.
An investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that from December 2015 through December 2018 Perkhiser was employed by Omaha real estate business D. Thompson Realty as a junior office manager and bookkeeper. While employed by D. Thompson Realty, Perkhiser had access to D. Thompson Realty bank accounts, checks, and other financial documents. Perkhiser was authorized to write and sign checks issued from the D. Thompson Realty bank accounts for certain approved business-related purposes.
While working for D. Thompson Realty Perkhiser electronically deposited into her personal bank account unauthorized checks written by Perkhiser made payable to herself or her husband. On certain checks written to her husband, Perkhiser would fraudulently represent on the checks that payment was for legitimate business purposes. In fact, those checks did not relate to any legitimate business purpose and were not authorized. Checks written by Perkhiser made payable to herself were also not authorized by D. Thompson Realty and were not related to certain approved business-related purposes. Perkhiser used her position with D. Thompson Realty as junior office manager and bookkeeper to conceal the unauthorized checks from her employer.
To deposit each unauthorized check, Perkhiser would take a digital picture of the front and back of the unauthorized check with her cellphone and then using her bank’s mobile application, she would transmit (i.e. wire) those digital images in interstate commerce from the State of Nebraska to her bank’s servers, which are located in the State of California. Once the image of an unauthorized check was wired by Perkhiser, the fraudulently obtained funds were credited to defendant’s bank account.
From December 2015 through December 2018 Perkhiser wrote approximately 190 unauthorized checks that were negotiated from D. Thompson Realty bank accounts to Perkhiser’s personal bank accounts or the account of her husband. Loss to D. Thompson Realty totaled $468,144. Perkhiser used the fraudulently obtained funds to pay for personal “lifestyle” expenses, which included online shopping, food, and other entertainment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 10 years for Attempted Child EnticementRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Craig Darrah, age 56, formerly of Saint Peters, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today in Omaha, Nebraska, for attempted child enticement. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Darrah to 10 years of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Darrah will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In August 2020, law enforcement posted an online advertisement for sex. The advertisement stated it was $100 for a half hour and $200 for an hour. On September 4, 2020, Darrah responded to the advertisement. Between September 4, 2020, and September 24, 2020, Darrah texted and had phone calls with an undercover agent. Darrah was seeking to pay for sex. The undercover agent indicated she was 15 years old. On September 24, 2020, Darrah agreed to go to an apartment in Omaha and pay $150 to have sex with who he believed to be a 15-year-old female. Darrah arrived at the apartment complex with money and condoms. Officers made contact with Darrah when he arrived. He admitted that he agreed to pay $150 to have sex with the 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.
The case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Omaha Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years for Transporting Minor to Nebraska for SexRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Mitchel D. Abraham, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Abraham to 12 years and 6 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Abraham will begin and 30-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Buescher ordered Abraham to pay a $10,000 fine.
An investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that on or about December 5, 2020, a 15-year-old minor’s parents, located in Pennsylvania, reported their daughter missing. Through its investigation the FBI learned that the minor was located at a residence in Omaha. On December 31, 2020, the FBI made contact with Abraham at his residence in Omaha. Also present in the residence was the minor.
The investigation revealed that Abraham had previously met the minor on the online platform Snapchat in November 2020. At that time Abraham was 22 years old and the minor was 15 years old. It was determined that on December 8, 2020, Abraham traveled to Pennsylvania in a white Kia sedan to pick up the minor and return to Nebraska where he lived. After arriving in Pennsylvania, Abraham transported the minor to Nebraska with the intent of engaging in sexual activity with the minor. After arriving in Nebraska, Abraham and the minor engaged in sexual activity, which is unlawful under the laws of the State of Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine and a FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jackie Major, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and using a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Major to consecutive sentences of 60 months on each count for a total term of 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Major will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
In July 2020 FBI Safe Streets Task Force officers utilized a confidential informant to order methamphetamine from Major. A search warrant of his West Omaha hotel room recovered 17 grams of methamphetamine and a Mossberg pump shotgun.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department. and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force as 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 Man Sentenced to 77 Months on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Troy Murphy, 30, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on October 12, 2021 in federal court for selling firearms to a felon and being a user of methamphetamine in possession of firearms. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Murphy to concurrent terms of 77 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Murphy will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
Murphy sold an individual, who he knew to be a felon, four firearms between July 13 and October 25, 2018. Murphy was arrested by Omaha Police and members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force on January 2, 2020. He was in possession of two additional firearms, including a short shotgun with a sawed-off barrel, and a user quantity of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department. and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force as 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.
Man Convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Abusive Sexual Contact of a ChildRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Warren Lee Mackey, 67, of Niobrara, Nebraska, was found guilty today of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and sexual abuse of a child after a three-day jury trial in Omaha, Nebraska. Aggravated sexual abuse of a child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is set for January 3, 2022 at 10 a.m. before Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon.
The charges in this case stem from a disclosure made by an 11-year-old child that the defendant touched her clitoris and her breast on or about August 4, 2019 while in the exterior boundaries of the Santee Sioux Nation Indian Reservation. Mackey reported 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 claimed he was having a dream about cuddling an adult female.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute 38 pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jose De Jesus Zazueta-Cano, 45, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Zazueta-Cano to 120 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. Zazueta-Cano will be deported to Mexico by U.S. immigration authorities when he completes his sentence of imprisonment.
On October 28, 2020, an undercover officer arranged a controlled purchase of methamphetamine through a known supplier. The supplier told the undercover officer that he would arrange for someone to deliver the methamphetamine. Zazueta-Cano arrived and provided the undercover officer approximately one pound of methamphetamine. Investigators were thereafter able to identify Zazueta-Cano and determined where he resided.
On November 3, 2020, investigators obtained a warrant authorizing the search of Zazueta-Cano’s apartment located within the basement area of a residence in Omaha. On November 4, 2020, agents arrested Zazueta-Cano as he exited the apartment. At the time of his arrest, Zazueta-Cano was carrying two trash bags. Investigators searched the trash bags and found another small black grocery sack with $26,105 inside.
After Zazueta-Cano was arrested, investigators executed the warrant to search his residence. The search yielded cellular phones, drug ledgers, and approximately 38 pounds of methamphetamine. The currency seized in this case will be forfeited to the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Field Division.
Grand Jury - September 2021Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 18 unsealed Indictments charging 22 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.
* Wendy J. Bailey, age 66, of Omaha, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Counts I – IV charge Bailey with mail fraud beginning on or about June 9, 2020 and continuing to on or about August 25, 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.
* Nolan B. Balfour, age 32, and Maegan L. Balfour, age 30, both of Nehawka, Nebraska, are charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Nolan Balfour with bank fraud beginning on or about January 1, 2016 and continuing to on or about January 31, 2018. 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. Count II charges Nolan Balfour with bank fraud beginning on or about September 1, 2014 and continuing to on or about February 28, 2018. 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. Count III charges both defendants with a false bankruptcy declaration beginning on or about August 16, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Wesley S. Cassidy, age 26, of Wallace, Nebraska, is charged with armed bank robbery of the Flatwater Bank in Gothenburg, Nebraska on or about August 19, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 25 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Dallas Faamausili, age 35, of Renton, Washington, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 26, 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
* Cody Lee Fischer, age 49, and Lukas Allen Vogt, age 28, both of Guttenberg, Iowa, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Fischer and Vogt with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about August 26, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges Fischer with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about August 26, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment consecutive to Count I, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
* Joseph W. Higgins, age 63, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Higgins with cyberstalking between on or about December 1, 2018 and continuing to on or about June 4, 2019. 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 II charges the defendant with interstate transmission of threat to kidnap or injure person between on or about May 1, 2019 and continuing to on or about May 22, 2019. 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.
* Anthony Dwayne Jackson, age 38, is charged in a seven-count Indictment. Counts I through III charge Jackson with distribution of methamphetamine after a prior serious drug felony on or about January 21, 2021 and continuing through February 25, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, a six-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine after prior serious drug felony on or about March 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, an $8,000,000 fine, an eight-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts V and VI charge the defendant with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine after prior serious drug felony on two dates in March, 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. Count VII charges the defendant with distribution of methamphetamine after prior serious drug felony on or about April 8, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, a six-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jessica A. Lovering, age 29, of Omaha, and Courtney Laparele Clark, age 35, are charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Lovering and Clark with conspiracy to pass and utter forged treasury checks from on or about March 21, 2021 continuing to on or about May 20, 2021. 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 II charges the defendants with passing and uttering forged treasury checks on or about March 26, 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. Count III charges the defendants with passing and uttering forged treasury checks on or about April 26, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-years term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Brandon Terrell Davis, age 38, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Davis with distribution of cocaine and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury on or about August 13, 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. Count II charges the defendant with distribution of cocaine and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury on or about August 16, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Oliver J. Glass, age 46, of Fremont, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Glass with cyberstalking between on or about March 6, 2020 and continuing to on or about December 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.
* Gregg N. Grant, age 37, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Grant with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about August 18, 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. Count II charges the defendant with being a felon in possession of a firearm following a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence on or about August 18, 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.
* Richard Allen Knight, age 51, is charged with possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct beginning from on or about May 2, 2021 and continuing to on or about June 29, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment, and $22,000 in additional special assessments.
* Marco Antonio Mejia, age 46, is charged with reentry of a removed alien after having been convicted of a felony on or about August 18, 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.
* Jose Mendes Hernandez a/k/a Jose F. Mejia-Guiterrez, age 25, 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.
* Amos J. Mosel, age 35, of Blue Hill, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Mosel with felon in possession of a firearm beginning on or about August 20, 2021 and continuing to on or about August 25, 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. Count III charges the defendant with possession (or sale) of a stolen firearm or ammunition on or about August 20, 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.
* Ross Nelson, age 47, of Grove, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Nelson with false statement in connection with Federal Crop Insurance beginning on or about December 16, 2015 and continuing to on or about January 15, 2016. 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
* Porfirio Rodriguez Reyes, age 40, is charged with reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony on or about September 14, 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.
* Deantra Lamar Watson, age 41, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Watson with transportation of fictitious obligations of the United States on or about September 2, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted 25 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession of counterfeit currency on or about September 2, 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. Count III charges the defendant with possession of a document-making implement or authorization feature on or about September 2, 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.
* Christopher D. Weaver, age 47, is charged in a thirty-two-count Indictment. Counts I through XXXII charge Weaver with willful failure to pay over tax beginning on or about 2015 and continuing until 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.
Former Bruning Man Convicted for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Shane Robert Smith, 51, formerly of Bruning, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for receipt of child pornography. Smith was sentenced to 28 years in prison and 15 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. On February 13, 2020, a residential search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence. A forensic examination was completed of Smith’s seized devices. A laptop contained more than 200 image files of child pornography. On July 13, 2020, Smith was arrested and his new cell phone was seized and searched pursuant to a federal search warrant. The examination of the phone revealed around 15 additional child pornography files. Some of the child pornography images located on Smith’s devices were of a relative child.
The examination of Smith’s devices and evidence later obtained through a search warrant to Facebook additionally revealed many chat messages in which Smith talked about the sexual abuse of children. In several messages Smith bragged about sexually abusing his own children in the early 2000s. Within other messages Smith fantasized about sexually abusing other minors, including the relative who appeared in some of the child pornography photos that were located on Smith’s devices. Due to custody arrangements, Smith did not have direct access to this child.
Smith has previously been convicted for possessing child pornography in violation of the law of the state of Nebraska twice. On February 21, 2014, he was convicted for possessing child pornography in the District Court for Howard County, Nebraska. On March 6, 2014, he was convicted for possessing child pornography in the District Court for Hall County, Nebraska.
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.
Omaha Residents Charged with COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that an Indictment was unsealed today that charges Tamika R. Cross, age 42, Ronnie E. Cross, age 44, and Davida J. Anderson, age 51, all of Omaha, Nebraska, with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering.
The Indictment alleges that the defendants each engaged in a scheme to defraud lenders in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act that Congress enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses so they could preserve jobs and continue paying employees.
The Indictment alleges that these three defendants submitted fraudulent applications for more than $2 million in PPP loans on behalf of businesses that were not in operation, and that they obtained approximately $489,000.00 in PPP loan proceeds. 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.
An Indictment is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Omaha Man Convicted of Impersonating a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jeffrey Thomas Ostdiek, 56, of Omaha, Nebraska, was found guilty today following a three-day jury trial in federal court for four counts of impersonating a federal officer. The Honorable Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., scheduled Ostdiek’s sentencing for January 7, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. Ostdiek faces up to six years in prison.
Between October 2016 and at least January 2017, Ostdiek went to multiple locations in the Omaha area claiming to be a Postal Inspector or Postmaster General. Ostdiek wore identification that he made from Postal Service receipts along with a body-worn video camera. On one of these occasions, Ostdiek convinced an actual United States Postal Service employee to accompany him to the Douglas County Courthouse where he demanded to meet with a government official, all under the pretense of being a Postal Inspector investigating a legal matter concerning his brother.
In September 2020, Ostdiek went to multiple locations in the Omaha area claiming to be a United States Marshal. Ostdiek wore a six-pointed star belt buckle along with a body-worn video camera. On one of these occasions, Ostdiek went to a business in Omaha seeking contact information for a former employee. Ostdiek left a note to pass on to the former employee asking her to call “Marshal Thomas.”
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshal Service, and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Joshua M. Chafa, 29, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on September 29, 2021, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of Methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of ammunition. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Chafa to 60 months’ imprisonment on both counts to run concurrently. After Chafa’s release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 28, 2020 Omaha Police officers noticed Chafa in a vehicle on North 30th Street that had been reported as stolen. Chafa was arrested and found in possession of Winchester ammunition. During a vehicle search officers found a small silver chest containing dozens of small Ziploc bags, a digital scale, pipes, 5 grams of actual methamphetamine, and more ammunition. ATF agents determined that the Winchester rounds had moved in interstate commerce. Chafa admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and that he had recently served an eight-year prison sentence. Chafa was convicted previously in the District Court of Pottawattamie County, Iowa for second degree theft on March 29, 2012.
This case was investigated by the Omaha 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.
Indiana Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Offense Onboard Commercial AircraftRead the Press Release
An Indiana man pleaded guilty today to engaging in sexual contact with a sleeping woman on a flight from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Denver, Colorado.
According to court documents, Ian Wagner, 39, of New Haven, was a passenger on board a domestic flight from Indianapolis to Denver on Oct. 6, 2017. Wagner was seated next to an 18-year-old woman. During the flight, the woman fell asleep and later awoke to Wagner rubbing her inner thigh with his hand. After jerking away, the victim took a photograph of Wagner. The geolocation data associated with the photograph indicated that the plane was flying over Hastings, Nebraska.
The victim then left her seat, sought refuge in the restroom, but eventually returned because she believed the flight was full and no other seats would be available. After retaking her seat, she observed that Wagner had placed a jacket over his lap and his hand appeared to be moving up and down under the jacket. Wagner made eye contact with the victim and lifted his jacket to reveal his exposed penis. For over five minutes, Wagner masturbated while staring at the victim. Frightened and troubled by the incident, the victim lodged a complaint with the airline two days later and with criminal authorities in the following weeks.
Wagner pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15 and faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Wagner will be required to register as a sex offender.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Jan W. Sharp for the District of Nebraska, and Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan of the FBI's Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Division Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jamie B. Perry of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tessie L. Smith of the District of Nebraska are prosecuting the case.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced the Corey J. Collmann, 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Collmann to 48 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Collmann will begin a 5-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
An investigation conducted by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force determined that between September 30, 2017 and October 2, 2017, Yahoo! Inc., a company located outside the State of Nebraska, identified multiple images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that were uploaded using one of their services, known as Flickr.
Yahoo! Inc. provided to law enforcement the account, an email address, and IP address, of the user who uploaded the images of the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The FBI obtained information related to the IP addresses, which ultimately identified Collmann’s residence in Omaha, Nebraska.
On February 23, 2018, the FBI executed a search warrant of Collmann’s residence and seized his cellular phone and a tablet. Forensic analysis of the devices identified approximately 50 images of minors, at least one as young as 3 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
At the time of the search warrant, Collmann admitted to law enforcement that he used the Yahoo! Inc. Flickr application and that he had viewed child exploitive images.
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 Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Ian Michael Ivey, 24, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute/possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Ivey to 151 months in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Starting around February 1, 2018 and continuing until April 23, 2020, Ivey conspired with at least nine others to distribute methamphetamine in the Lincoln area. During that time, Ivey purchased up to pound quantities of methamphetamine to be distributed to others, and he sold methamphetamine to others in quantities ranging from a quarter ounce to two ounces of methamphetamine. On April 23, 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer purchased about 5 grams of methamphetamine from Ivey. In total, Ivey participated in the purchase and distribution of at least 3 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jason J. Mullen, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 9, 2021, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and an unspecified amount of marijuana, after a conviction for a serious drug felony. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Mullen to 21 years and 10 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Following his release from prison, Mullen will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Mullen was responsible for the distribution of at least five kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture and at least 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of marijuana in the Lincoln area between January of 2015 and May of 2020,
On April 9, 2020, a search warrant was executed at the Lincoln residence of Mullen and his co-defendant, Jerah Stovall. During that search, officers found approximately 2/3 ounce of methamphetamine and approximately six ounces of marijuana as well as a digital scale, packaging materials, and a .380 caliber handgun with ammunition. On May 1, 2020, officers were looking for Mullen on an outstanding warrant, and they saw him with Stovall and a third person. Mullen had a small amount of marijuana and some cash in his possession.
Mullen has a prior conviction from Adams County, Nebraska for Attempted Delivery/Possession with Intent to Deliver of Methamphetamine.
Stovall pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge with a prior serious drug felony conviction and was sentenced to 235 months in July 2021.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Federal Inmate Sentenced in Escape PlotRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Henry Poteet, age 66, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 10 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter for Conspiracy to Commit Escape. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release, Poteet will serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
On July 26, 2019, Poteet was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for Possession with Intent to Distribute More than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (actual). Pursuant to this sentence, Poteet was incarcerated at the USP Leavenworth Camp, a minimum-security camp, in Leavenworth, Kansas. Poteet’s 10-month sentence will run consecutive to the completion of his 10-year sentence.
On October 28, 2020, Poteet and Katherine Woitaszewski conspired for Poteet to escape from Bureau of Prison custody at USP Leavenworth Camp. On October 28, 2020, Woitaszewski contacted an individual identified as Witness 1 and asked if she could borrow Witness 1’s truck. Woitaszewski explained to Witness 1 that her vehicle’s tires had been slashed and she needed a vehicle to travel from Omaha to Leavenworth to help Poteet escape from prison. The United States Marshals Service became aware of the escape plot and through a ruse a Deputy U.S. Marshal was contacted by Woitaszewski who did not know his occupation and discussed the Deputy U.S. Marshal renting a truck on her behalf.
At approximately 7:16 PM on October 28, 2020, Poteet called Woitaszewski by phone from USP Leavenworth Camp. Woitaszewski and Poteet discussed Woitaszewski arriving in Leavenworth the next morning at 8:00 am and Poteet would call her at 8:15 am. Woitaszewski and Poteet discussed Poteet wearing a mask at all times.
Woitaszewski then contacted an individual identified as Witness 2 and asked Witness 2 to rent a truck on her behalf. Woitaszewski traveled with Witness 1 from Omaha, Nebraska to Carter Lake, Iowa to pick Witness 2 up from Witness 2’s residence. Woitaszewski, Witness 1, and Witness 2 then traveled to the Omaha Eppley Airfield. Witness 2 attempted to rent a truck from Budget Rental Car for Woitaszewski to use. Witness 2 was unable to rent a vehicle and Woitaszewski asked Witness 1 to rent a vehicle from Budget Rental Car for her to use to drive from Omaha, Nebraska to Leavenworth, Kansas to facilitate Poteet’s escape from USP Leavenworth Camp. Woitaszewski was arrested shortly after leaving Budget Rental Car.
Katherine Woitaszewski is still pending trial and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Following Poteet’s sentencing hearing, Scott Kracl, United States Marshal for the District of Nebraska, stated, “The hard work, persistence and cooperative effort of Deputy U.S. Marshals and members of the Metro Fugitive Task Force have once again proven the effectiveness of our Nebraska partners in keeping our community safe.”
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Role in Sex Trafficking of MinorsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Lauryn Besta, 22, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Besta to 142 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Besta will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office determined that from January 2016 and continuing through January 2019, in the District of Nebraska and elsewhere, Besta (also known as “Lola”) and a co-defendant, Darien Brewer, conspired and agreed to recruit, transport, and entice four minor females, under the age of 18 years old, to engage in commercial sex. The victims were introduced into the lifestyle of prostitution through the use of drugs and alcohol provided by Besta and Brewer. Besta and Brewer often referred to the minors as “the Bunny Gang.”
Investigators determined that Besta and Brewer would instruct the minors how to advertise, solicit, and charge for commercial sex acts in the District of Nebraska and elsewhere. They obtained commercial sex customers for the minors by purchasing and posting advertisements on internet sites such as www.backpage.com. Sex customers responded to the advertisements via telephone and text message and commercial sex acts were coordinated to occur at various hotels, motels, and other locations. Besta and Brewer used vehicles and public highways to drive the minors to various hotels, motels, and other locations for commercial sex acts, including Omaha, Nebraska; Lincoln, Nebraska; Iowa; and Houston, Texas. The minors paid a portion or all of the payments received for commercial sex acts to Besta and Brewer.
On August 27, 2021, Chief Judge Rossiter sentenced Brewer to 180 months’ imprisonment and a five-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Omaha Man Gets 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Tevin R. King, 28, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession of child pornography. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced King to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, King will begin a 15-year term of supervised release. Senior Judge Bataillon also ordered King to pay $3,000 in restitution and he will be required to register as sex offender.
On November 14, 2019, King self-reported to the United States Probation Office that he had viewed child pornography on his computer in his apartment in Omaha, Nebraska. King was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in the Northern District of Oklahoma on May 18, 2017 and was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release. After his release from prison, King moved to Nebraska where his term of supervised release was enforced.
On November 18, 2019, the United States Probation Office subsequently conducted a search of King’s residence to retrieve his computer. During the search of the residence, King admitted to looking at child pornography on his computer. He also admitted that he acquired and viewed the child pornography using the internet through the “dark web,” or Tor. King admitted using a computer cleaning software program to wipe child pornography files from his computer.
A forensic search of King’s computer identified at least 10 images of child pornography. The images depicted nude or semi-nude, prepubescent females, between 5-10 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which included exhibiting their genitals and pubic areas.
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 Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Train Passenger Sentenced in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Douglas Sibley, 38, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Senior United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Sibley to 120 months in the Bureau of Prisons to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 5, 2019, investigators with the commercial interdiction unit stopped Sibley at the Amtrack train station in Omaha. Sibley and several companions were passengers on a train that originated from Fullerton, California, and was bound for Chicago, Illinois. Officers saw luggage on a rack above the seats where Sibley and his companions were seated, as well as near Sibley’s feet. Officers requested permission to search the luggage which Sibley granted and a search warrant was lawfully obtained for a backpack that was locked. Inside the searched luggage, investigators found two vacuum sealed packages that tested positive for fentanyl in the amount of 2,045 grams.
The case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 188 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Daniel Cerna, Sr., age 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Senior United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Cerna to 188 months’ imprisonment. Cerna also forfeited all rights to $4,251 in U.S. currency seized during the investigation. After completing his term of imprisonment, Cerna will be required to serve an 8-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 19, 2018, Omaha Police Officers executed a search warrant on Cerna’s Omaha residence. Inside officers found Cerna, approximately 23 grams of actual methamphetamine, drug scales, numerous unused baggies, and $4,251 in U.S. currency. While officers were conducting the search, Cerna made a voluntary statement that all the drugs in the house were his.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Role in Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Darien T. Brewer, 30, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Brewer to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Brewer will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office determined that from January 2016 and continuing through January 2019, in the District of Nebraska and elsewhere, Brewer (also known as “BD”) and a co-defendant, Lauryn Besta, conspired and agreed to recruit, transport, and entice four minor females, under the age of 18 years old, to engage in commercial sex. The victims were introduced into the lifestyle of prostitution through the use of drugs and alcohol provided by Brewer and Besta. Brewer and Besta often referred to the minors as “the Bunny Gang.”
Investigators determined that Brewer and Besta would instruct the minors how to advertise, solicit, and charge for commercial sex acts in the District of Nebraska and elsewhere. Brewer and Besta obtained commercial sex customers for the minors by purchasing and posting advertisements on internet sites such as www.backpage.com. Sex customers responded to the advertisements via telephone and text message and commercial sex acts were coordinated to occur at various hotels, motels, and other locations. Brewer and Besta used vehicles and public highways to drive the minors to various hotels, motels, and other locations for commercial sex acts, including Omaha, Nebraska; Lincoln, Nebraska; Iowa; and Houston, Texas. The minors paid a portion or all of the payments received for commercial sex acts to Brewer and Besta.
On June 4, 2021, Besta pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. Sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2021
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Grand Island Woman Sentenced for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Andrea Gall, 22, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to 10 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of actual or pure methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Following her prison term, Gall will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 4, 2019, Jose Negrete was on probation and a state probation officer stopped by Andrea Gall’s and Negrete’s house in Grand Island to conduct a home inspection. The probation officer observed a .22 caliber handgun. Negrete first asserted that the gun was a toy, and later admitted it was a real firearm. Negrete had been previously convicted of a felony offense and he is prohibited from possessing firearms. The police obtained a search warrant. Inside the home, they found about $20,000 in United States currency and more than a pound of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was later sent to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office’s Forensic Services Bureau. Testing completed by their laboratory showed that the drugs contained at least 514 grams of actual or pure methamphetamine.
Negrete pleaded guilty on August 26, 2021 to possessing 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 19, 2021. He faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and he could potentially face up to life imprisonment.
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’s Department, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff’s Department, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former UNL Student Convicted for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Hunter A. Towle, 19, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for receipt of child pornography. Towle was sentenced to 10 years and 4 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release with special conditions. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Towle was ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution.
This case began when Towle was interviewed by the UNL Police Department (“UNL-PD”) on September 9, 2020 regarding an unrelated matter. During the interview, UNL-PD received consent to review the photos on Towle’s iPhone 8 Plus. The investigator immediately saw child pornography on the phone. The iPhone 8 Plus was seized, and a search warrant was received to search the phone. Subsequently, through further investigation, UNL-PD discovered that Towle had been the main suspect in the investigation of two cyber tips issued by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) that had been examined by the Nebraska State Patrol (“NSP”) earlier in 2020. NSP contacted Towle in April of 2020 to discuss these cyber tips. Towle admitted to sharing the child pornography images and told the NSP investigator that he would stop and seek medical assistance.
After UNL-PD seized Towle’s phone on September 9, 2020, additional search warrants were received including a warrant for a residential search. During the residential search on October 6, 2020, an additional cellphone of Towle’s – a Motorola Droid – was seized. A forensic download of Towle’s iPhone 8 Plus revealed 1,323 videos of child pornography and 48 image files of child pornography. A forensic download of Towle’s Motorola Droid cellular phone revealed 26 images of child pornography—which he had received subsequent to the September 9, 2020 interview by UNL-PD.
UNL-PD additionally received a search warrant for Towle’s Instagram account he had used to trade child pornography. A review of the Instagram account revealed consistent attempts by Towle to trade child pornography with other Instagram users. The Instagram account additionally revealed conversations between Towle and others in which he discussed methods of trading child pornography that would be hidden from law enforcement detection because he had previously been caught.
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 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department.
Multiple Convicted Felon Sentenced as a Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Carlos D. Montejano, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Montejano has multiple prior felony convictions. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Montejano to 90 months in the Bureau of Prisons. Montejano will serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 17, 2019, Omaha Police Department officers on routine patrol saw a silver Chevrolet sedan with no license plates or temporary stickers at the intersection of South 29th Avenue and W Streets in Omaha. They pulled behind the vehicle in an attempt to stop it when its front seat passenger, later identified Montejano, bailed out of the vehicle wearing a backpack and ran northbound. An officer gave chase, yelling loud verbal commands, identifying himself as a police officer, and directing Montejano to stop. Montejano did not comply and after approximately one block of foot pursuit, he was taken into custody. During the pursuit, Montejano threw his backpack along with other property.
Law enforcement recovered various property that Montejano had abandoned during the foot pursuit in the backpack: a loaded Ruger LCP .380 handgun with five rounds in the magazine, a second loaded extended 10 round magazine, and a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine. Montejano was previously convicted for making terroristic threats and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony in 2003, possessing a controlled substance in 2018, and criminal impersonation in 2019.
This case was primarily investigation by the Omaha 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.
Mississippi Man Sentenced for Interstate Bank Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Patrick Graves, 35, of Mississippi, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Graves to 42 months’ imprisonment for Bank Fraud, plus a consecutive 24 months for Identity Theft. There is no parole in the federal system. After Graves’s release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release. He will also be required to pay $92,050 in restitution.
On November 18, 2020, Graves was arrested in Omaha when he attempted to withdraw funds from an actual customer’s account using genuine account information but false identity documents. Further investigation revealed that Graves and others traveled from city to city conducting such transactions. During the approximately two months during which Graves participated in the scheme, he and confederates attempted transactions totaling $422,140 and obtained $91,950.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Council Bluffs Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Mexican Man Sentenced to 135 Months for Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Christian Gonzalez-Gardea, 26, of Las Cruces, Mexico, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. for Possessing with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Gonzalez-Gardea received a sentence of 135 months’ imprisonment with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
On January 29, 2020, deputies with the Seward County Sheriff’s Office conducted simultaneous traffic stops on a Ford F150 pickup truck and a tow truck hauling a Cadillac Escalade while both were traveling on I-80 in Seward County. The Escalade was found to be smuggling 27 pounds of methamphetamine. Deputies determined that the Escalade had broken down in Hebron, Nebraska, and was being towed to Omaha, Nebraska. The owner of the Escalade, Gonzalez-Gardea, was a passenger in the F150 pickup truck. The driver of the F150 pickup truck, Rex Kmiecik, and a passenger riding with the tow truck, Pedro Robles, were also arrested. Both had driven from Omaha to help get the Escalade towed to Omaha.
Kmiecik and Robles were also charged with Possessing with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Kmiecik has pleaded guilty with sentencing set for September 10, 2021. Robles is set for trial to begin on November 8, 2021. Both will be before Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr.
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 Seward County Sheriff’s Office, the DEA, and the Omaha Police Department.
Indian National Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Pradish Jehan Selvaraj, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Attempted Enticement of a Minor. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Selvaraj to 120 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. Selvaraj will also be required to register as a sex offender and is subject to deportation to India by U.S. immigration authorities when he completes his sentence of imprisonment.
Between October 26, 2020 and November 4, 2020, Selvaraj responded to an online prostitution advertisement by texting the phone number listed in the ad. An undercover law enforcement officer purporting to be a 15-year-old female responded to Selvaraj’s texts. During the conversations, Selvaraj agreed to pay $80 to engage in oral sex with the 15-year-old and a 12-year-old female. He arranged to meet both minor females in Omaha, offering to pay the females in exchange for oral sex and agreeing to bring them McDonald’s breakfast. When Selvaraj arrived at the meet up location, he was in possession of condoms and a McDonald’s breakfast order. Selvaraj was detained by law enforcement. Selvaraj admitted to answering the prostitution ad and texting with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old 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 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 and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Grand Jury - August 2021Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 11 unsealed Indictments charging 11 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.
* Gilberto Aguilar-Beltran, age 44, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Aguilar-Beltran with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine on or about February, 2021 and continuing to on or about July 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine on or about July 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about July 15, 2021.
* Jeremy M. Boyd, age 23, of Omaha, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Boyd with receipt of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct from on or about February 27, 2020 to on or about July 2, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $35,000 additional special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct on or about July 2, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $17,000 additional special assessment.
* Talis Dale, age 22, of Macy, Nebraska, is charged with sexual abuse of a minor on or about May 3, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment.
* Achocho Enita, age 28, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Enita with attempted enticement of a minor on or about July 13, 2021 to on or about July 23, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct on or about July 23, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment,
* Matthew Foster, age 34, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Foster with distribution of fentanyl analogue resulting in serious bodily injury on or about February 3, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with distribution of heroin and fentanyl analogue on or about July 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue and Methamphetamine on or about February 10, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Jessica Giles, age 32, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Counts I trough III charge Giles with distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about January 7, 2021 to on or about February 10, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on or about February 18, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Derrick Lloyd, age 28, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl on or about July 20, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment
* Clemencia Marcos Juan, age 42, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Juan with use of an identification document not lawfully issued on or about April 16, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with misuse of a Social Security number on or about April 16, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Salvador Mora Cisneros, age 40, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about July 21, 2021. 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.
* Mario A. Quiroga, age 21, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I and II charge Mario with interference with interstate commerce by way of robbery on or about July 21, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Fernando Luis Villegas-Valdez, age 33, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about May 5, 2021. 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.
California Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Methamphetamine PossessionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that John Earl Beridon, 47, of Canyon Country, California, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher for Possessing with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. Beridon received a sentence of 96 months’ imprisonment with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 9, 2020, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration were at the Federal Express facility in Ralston, Nebraska, when they seized a package with 392 grams of pure methamphetamine. The package was then delivered to the listed address where it was monitored until Beridon arrived and retrieved the package and was arrested. Further investigation established that Beridon was near the Federal Express store in California where the package was shipped from and flew out to Nebraska the day before the package was to arrive.
This case was investigated by the DEA and Nebraska State Patrol.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Robert Earl Partee, II, 28, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of substance containing methamphetamine. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Partee to 225 months in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation by law enforcement that included phone analysis, traffic stops, and other investigatory techniques uncovered that from the middle of 2018 until the end of November of 2019, Partee was purchasing methamphetamine and reselling it in large amounts in the Lincoln area. In total, Partee purchased at least 70 pounds of methamphetamine for resale to others. During this time, law enforcement twice seized methamphetamine from Partee and his vehicle. On April 30, 2019, officers stopped Partee’s vehicle for a traffic violation and found more than 300 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle. Later, on November 13, 2019, law enforcement found methamphetamine on Partee’s person during a traffic stop of his vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Plattsmouth Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Juan Burnell, age 34, of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court on Friday, August 13, 2021, in Omaha, Nebraska. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter sentenced Burnell to 25 years of imprisonment for distributing child pornography. After completing his term of imprisonment, Burnell will begin a 15-year term of supervised release.
On June 20, 2020, Burnell used his Instagram account to upload an image of child pornography to the internet. On October 13, 2020, law enforcement obtained the contents of Burnell’s Google account. The Google account contained five videos of child pornography. Burnell was already a registered sex offender and had been convicted of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse in Benton County, Iowa (2005) and third degree sexual assault of a child in Buffalo County, Nebraska (2011). In imposing the sentence, Chief Judge Rossiter stated that Burnell was “a danger to our children.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
The case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Mexican Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Almendra Escobedo-Orozco, 36, of Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Escobedo-Orozco to 100 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. Escobedo-Orozco is subject to deportation by U.S. immigration authorities when she completes her sentence to imprisonment.
In March of 2020, Omaha Police Department narcotics investigators received information that Joseph Rauber was distributing methamphetamine and that he was being supplied by a female, later determined to be Escobedo-Orozco. On May 14, 2020, investigators obtained a warrant to search a residence in Omaha frequented by Escobedo-Orozco. On May 19, 2020, while executing the warrant, investigators arrested two residents. During the search, investigators seized drug ledgers, packaging material, 8,677 grams of marijuana, $4,336.00, Mexican passports, and various identity documents. Escobedo-Orozco, who had just left the residence, was stopped driving a minivan and found with two pounds of methamphetamine. Another residence in Omaha frequented by Escobedo-Orozco was searched. There, officers seized $7,800.00, a box for a digital scale, and 6 grams of methamphetamine.
On May 28, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Rauber’s residence in Iowa. The search yielded approximately 83.8 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 3.6 grams of cocaine, 7 long guns, 11 handguns, ammunition, stolen property, digital scales, and $55,035.00 in drug proceeds. All currency seized in this case will be forfeited to the United States. Rauber was also convicted and on June 30, 2021, he was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 180 months to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by Omaha Police Department and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Prior Convicted Murderer Found Guilty of Attempted Home Invasion Robbery and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Rufus E. Dennis, 43, of Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted today in federal court in Omaha after a three-day jury trial. Dennis was found guilty of one count of Attempted Interference with Interstate Commerce by way of Robbery, one count of possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm due to his prior murder conviction and one count of possession of a stolen weapon. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. will sentence Dennis on November 5, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Dennis faces up to twenty years in prison for the attempted robbery, no less than five years and up to life for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that crime of violence, and up to ten years in prison on each of the remaining firearms charges.
The evidence at trial showed that Rufus E. Dennis “cased” a family’s home on four separate occasions in January, 2020 while he was gathering information about the home and the family’s movements. A single mother of two young children lived in the home, and Dennis planned to do physical harm to that woman in the presence of her elderly mother once he gained entry to the residence. Dennis ultimately planned to “leave no witnesses behind,” and to shoot anyone who saw his face during the home invasion. In furtherance of that plan, Dennis unwittingly attempted to buy hand guns from an undercover officer and recruited a confidential informant with the FBI to act as his lookout and getaway driver for the home invasion. Dennis attempted to break into vehicles on the property that he believed a drug dealer was parking at the home with the hopes that the vehicles would contain drugs or drug proceeds.
On the morning of the planned home invasion, agents, investigators, and officers with the Greater Omaha Safe Streets Task Force executed a search and arrest warrant at Dennis’ residence and recovered a stolen firearm that contained Dennis’ DNA on it. Dennis hoped to trade the rifle for a handgun with the undercover officer prior to invading the home.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bellevue Police Department, and the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Glenn Whitney, 26, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Sex Trafficking of a Minor. The Honorable Brian C. Buescher sentenced Whitney to 250 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Whitney will serve 5 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
Federal agents began investigating in September 2020, after an Omaha foster child was reported missing. The investigation showed that the 16-year-old victim engaged in commercial sex acts in the Omaha area with Whitney directing the minor victim, including where to conduct acts and how much to charge, and receiving financial proceeds from those acts.
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 Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Grand Jury - July 2021Read the Press Release
Omaha Man Charged with COVID Relief Program Related Bank Fraud
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned a one-count Indictment charging M.A. Yah with Bank Fraud in connection with a loan application to the Paycheck Protection Program. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The Indictment is a charging document that contains one count that is merely accusation, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
In May, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In other news from the Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska:
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 20 unsealed Indictments charging 23 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.
* Carlos Astorga Torres, age 27, of Hastings, Nebraska, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine on or about March 23, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Larry D. Brooks, age 59, of Omaha, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine (actual) on or about February 6, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Kimberly Brummett, age 58, of Elkhorn, Nebraska, is charged in a fourteen-count Indictment. Counts I through XIV charge Brummett with wire fraud on or about August 4, 2016 and continuing through on or about October 4, 2019. 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 for each count.
* Brooks L. Duester, age 43, is charged in a six-count Indictment. Counts I through VI charge Duester with bank fraud on or about February 21, 2017 and continuing through on or about September 19, 2019. 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 for each count.
* MacAnthony Gordon a/k/a Mactony Gordon, age 35, of Omaha, is charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on or about April 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Tia Hall, age 37, of Falls City, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Hall with receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm on or about July 8, 2020 and continuing to on or about July 9, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Balmore Hernandez-Castro, age 23, and Santos Rosendo Hernandez, age 43, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Hernandez-Castro and Rosendo Hernandez with assault on a federal officer on or about July 12, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Hernandez-Castro with assault on a second federal officer on or about July 12, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Delyahn R. Hill, age 23, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Hill with robbery of personal property of the United States on or about June 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on or about June 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with felon in possession of a firearm on or about June 15, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Morgan L. Howard age 27, of Omaha, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Howard with possession with intent to distribute one gram or more of LSD on or about February 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about February 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute Cocaine on or about February 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with felon in possession of a firearm on or about February 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Anton Johnson, age 51, of Bellevue, Nebraska, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender after traveling in interstate commerce on or about June 7, 2021 and continuing to on or about June 21, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Kashaun L. Lockett, age 36, Gary Lockett, age 37, and Robert Culberson, age 43, are charged in a six-count Indictment. Count I charges Kashaun Lockett, Gary Lockett, and Culberson with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 1, 2020 and continuing to on or about June 14, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about April 30, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine on or about May 25, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $8,000,000 fine, an eight-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about June 14, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count V charges the defendants with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about June 14, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count VI charges Gary Lockett and Culberson with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about June 14, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Steven A, Malechek, age 47, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Malechek with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 19, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about May 19, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about May 28, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about May 28, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 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 May 19, 2021 and May 28, 2021.
* Mike Akeen Obed, age 21, of Sioux City, Iowa, is charged with robbery of Siouxland Federal Credit Union on or about June 11, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Ramirez Heredia, age 20, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Ramirez Heredia with distribution of 10 grams or more of fentanyl on or about June 2, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with distribution of 10 grams or more of fentanyl on or about June 7, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment
* Bartolo Roman-Tapia, age 22, is charged possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about June 22, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Isidro Romero-Encarnacion, age 38, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about June 29, 2021. 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.
* Matthew Rosener, age 39, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender on or about June 15, 2020 and continuing to on or about May 26, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Maria Salazar, age 20, of West Point, Nebraska, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Salazar with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about April 7, 2021 and continuing to on or about May 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about April 19, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.
* Edward Smith, age 21, of Omaha, is charged with possession of firearm by a prohibited person on or about May 21, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Luis Vergaro-Jimenez, age 50, is charged with reentry of a removed alien after having been convicted of a felony on or about September 1, 2020. 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.
Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Jerah S. Stovall, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to 19 years and seven months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and an unspecified amount of marijuana, after a conviction for a serious drug felony, between January of 2015 and May of 2020. Following her prison term, Stovall will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Stovall was responsible for the distribution of at least five kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture and at least 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of marijuana in the Lincoln area. On April 9, 2020, a search warrant was executed at the Lincoln residence of Stovall and Jason Mullen. During that search, officers found approximately 2/3 ounce of methamphetamine and approximately six ounces of marijuana as well as a digital scale, packaging materials and a .380 caliber handgun with ammunition. Stovall’s purse had over $1,000 in cash in it. On May 1, 2020, officers were looking for Mullen on an outstanding warrant, and they saw Stovall with Mullen and a third person. Stovall’s driver’s license was suspended, so her car was seized and searched, resulting in the finding of more than ¼ ounce of marijuana in her make-up bag. Mullen was also found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana and some cash.
Stovall had a 2013 conviction from Scotts Bluff County for Distribution of Methamphetamine.
Mullen also pled guilty to the conspiracy charge with a prior serious drug felony conviction and is scheduled for sentencing in August of 2021.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Former Lincoln Correctional Officer Convicted for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Trevor Hansen, 30, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for distribution of child pornography. Hansen was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in prison and 6 years of supervised release with special conditions. There is no parole in the federal system. Hansen was additionally ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.
This case began when Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) in Nebraska received a cyber tip indicating that Kik user “MOOSE2356” (later identified as Hansen) uploaded a child pornography file on June 11, 2019. On July 1, 2020, HSI received a second cyber tip indicating that Snapchat user “MOOSE3257” (also later identified as Hansen) had uploaded child pornography. On August 17, 2020, HSI executed a search warrant at Hansen’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant, HSI seized Hansen’s smart phone and smart watch. Hansen also agreed to be interviewed. He admitted to viewing child pornography and that child pornography would be found on his cell phone. A review of Hansen’s cell phone revealed approximately 307 image files of child pornography. The examination of his cell phone also revealed text messages in which Hansen exchanged child pornography files with other people in quid pro quo type exchanges.
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 Homeland Security Investigations.
UNO Graduate Student Sentenced for Child EnticementRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced that Zhijun Xia, age 30, of China, was sentenced today to 210 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release, Xia will be on supervised release for 5 years and be required to register as a sex offender. Additionally, Xia was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution. Xia will be deported back to China after serving his sentence.
Judge Gerrard noted in pronouncing this sentence and recognizing the trauma the victim suffered that “It’s the Court’s hope the victim knows these incidents should not shape her life.”
Between June 1, 2018 to February 28, 2020, Xia was a graduate student at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Xia is a Chinese national. Xia met the victim’s mother who hired Xia to tutor the victim in the Chinese language. Xia began tutoring the victim in June of 2018. Xia met the victim in person for the tutoring sessions and began communicating with the victim over the social media application WeChat. Xia began inquiring over WeChat about the victim’s sexual history.
On July 10, 2018, the victim attended a summer camp at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska. Xia messaged the victim over the Internet using WeChat about his plan to visit her in Lincoln on July 11. During this conversation, Xia discussed various forms of birth control with the victim in response to the victim relaying her fears of becoming pregnant while in high school. Xia reserved a room at the Red Roof Inn and Suites in Lincoln for the night of July 11. Xia picked up the victim from the University of Nebraska campus and took the victim to the Red Roof Inn, where he subjected the victim to sexual penetration. Xia was 27 years of age and the victim was 15 years of age. It is a crime under Nebraska State law for someone over the age of 25 to subject someone between the ages of 12 and 16 to sexual penetration. Immediately following this incident, Xia continued to message the victim on WeChat regarding the July 11 incident.
Xia has also pled guilty to one count of First Degree Sexual Assault in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska for events occurring with the same victim in Omaha. He is scheduled to be sentenced on that case on August 25, 2021.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “The family of Zhijun Xia’s victim trusted him as an academic and tutor. He used that trust to prey on a teenage girl. His sentence today serves as an example of FBI Omaha’s unwavering commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute anyone who victimizes children.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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, Omaha Police Department, the University of Nebraska-Omaha Police Department, and the Lincoln Police Department.