District of Nebraska
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Oregon Man Sentenced to More Than 11 years for Marijuana and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michael J. Konior, 50, of Salem, Oregon, was sentenced on February 4, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Konior to 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Konior will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
Konior was charged based on his involvement with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported large quantities of marijuana and marijuana products, as well as the proceeds from the sale of those products, across the country for more than 20 years. Konior’s involvement began around January 1, 2000, when he began assisting the DTO with several illegal California marijuana grow operations. The marijuana from these operations was cultivated and shipped to customers outside of California to include Nebraska.
Konior’s involvement with the DTO progressed over the years after he established his own marijuana customers and began using the DTO to transport his own marijuana. The proceeds from the sale of the marijuana were then collected and shipped back to California by the DTO where it was distributed to other co-conspirators and owners of the marijuana. The investigation resulted in the seizure of thousands of pounds marijuana and marijuana products and more than $30 million in cash and assets purchased with the proceeds from the illegal sales.
This is the result of a long-term investigation that is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Nebraska State Patrol, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and various other state and local agencies across the United States.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jamaal McNeil, 48, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 29, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine actual with 1 prior conviction for a serious drug felony. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced McNeil to a total of 360 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After McNeil’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
McNeil was responsible for selling methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in Lincoln for at least six months in 2023. On November 29, 2023, he was contacted by the Lincoln Police Department in his vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted due to the odor of marijuana. Investigators found multiple plastic baggies. Six of the baggies field-tested positive for cocaine, six baggies field-tested positive for methamphetamine, and three baggies contained marijuana. Investigators also found four hydrocodone pills. McNeil was arrested and $853 was found on his person.
A search warrant was executed at McNeil’s residence in Lincoln. Investigators found additional quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as digital scales, and $2,495 in U.S. currency. The methamphetamine and cocaine were sent to the State Crime Lab. The lab confirmed there were at least 180 grams of methamphetamine actual and more than 212 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Additionally, the lab confirmed McNeil possessed more than 50 grams of cocaine and at least 6 grams of cocaine base.
McNeil was convicted in 2007 in the Nebraska federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine as was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
Jury Convicts Omaha Man for Distribution of Fentanyl Causing DeathRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on January 23, 2026, following a jury trial in Omaha, Nebraska, Paul “Tony” Billingsley, 65, of Omaha, was found guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death stemming from a May 6, 2024, incident, and distribution of fentanyl stemming from a May 24, 2024, incident. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. presided over the trial. Billingsley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison for the distribution causing death charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years for the distribution of fentanyl charge.
Evidence at trial revealed that on May 6, 2024, Billingsley sold fentanyl to co-defendant Elissa Larson. Within the hour, Larson distributed the fentanyl to a victim who overdosed and died. A family member later found the victim. Following the victim’s overdose death, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Billingsley on May 24, 2024. Law enforcement arrested Billingsley on June 3, 2024, and located more fentanyl in Billingsley’s possession.
Billingsley will be sentenced on April 17, 2026, before Chief Judge Rossiter. Co-defendant Larson has pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and will be sentenced on February 20, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Overdose Drug Taskforce comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nebraska State Patrol, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Omaha Police Department.
Investigation into International “ATM Jackpotting” Scheme and Tren de Aragua results in Additional Indictment and 87 Total Charged DefendantsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska returned an additional indictment charging 31 individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” Fifty-six others have already been charged. Many of the defendants charged in this Homeland Security Task Force operation are Venezuelan and Colombian nationals including illegal alien Tren de Aragua (TdA) members. This indictment alleges 32 counts including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, bank fraud, bank burglary, and damage to computers.
“Tren de Aragua is a complex terrorist organization that commits serious financial crimes in addition to horrific rapes, murders, and drug trafficking,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice has already prosecuted more than 290 members of Tren de Aragua and will continue working tirelessly to put these vicious terrorists behind bars after the prior administration let them infiltrate our country.”
“A large ring of criminal aliens allegedly engaged in a nationwide conspiracy to enrich themselves and the TdA terrorist organization by ripping off American citizens," said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. "After committing bank robbery, fraud, and other serious crimes, they will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable for their crimes. The Justice Department’s Joint Task Force Vulcan will not stop until it completely dismantles and destroys TdA and other foreign terrorists that import chaos to America.”
“This latest indictment demonstrates the Criminal Division’s commitment to dismantling cartels, including when they attack our nation’s financial systems with sophisticated malware,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The announcement of charges against a total of 87 defendants underscores both the massive scale of these alleged conspiracies and the strength and skill of our investigators and prosecutors who dismantle them. As cartels level up their criminal game, so will we.”
“Tren de Aragua uses ATM jackpotting crimes committed all across America to fund its terrorist organization which is responsible for horrific crimes such as human trafficking (to include sex trafficking of children in Nebraska), kidnapping, murder and other unspeakably evil and violent acts,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska will fight TdA directly by taking every action at our disposal to shut down their financial pipeline and handicap their ability to terrorize American communities.”
“TdA grew from a prison gang to a transnational criminal organization to a foreign terrorist organization. Using sophisticated malware to empty ATMs and damage U.S. financial institutions that also fund TdA’s terrorist activity will not be tolerated,” said Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) Co-Director Chris Eason. “The charges against certain TdA members are directly in line with JTFV’s mission: a collaborative, whole of government effort to destroy TdA. We are grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to investigate and bring these important charges.”
“A dedicated team of FBI Omaha agents and analysts are working shoulder to shoulder with our local, state, and federal partners to disrupt and dismantle an international criminal conspiracy ultimately funding a foreign terrorist organization,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “The wide variety of sophisticated criminal tactics employed by TdA poses a direct threat to communities across our country. This case highlights TdA's plot to deploy malware to steal vast funds from financial institutions across the United States. We will never stop following the money and surging resources to arrest and apprehend TdA members and leadership.”
The following photographs depict just a few of the alleged ATM jackpotting scheme in progress and equipment used:
The alleged conspiracy developed and deployed a variant of malware known as Ploutus, which was used to hack into ATMs and force ATMs to dispense cash. The conspiracy relied on the recruitment of a number of individuals to deploy Ploutus malware nationwide. Members of the conspiracy and TdA would travel in groups, using multiple vehicles, to the locations of targeted banks and credit unions. These groups would conduct initial reconnaissance and take note of external security features at the ATMs. Following this reconnaissance, the groups would open the hood or door of ATMs and then wait nearby to see whether they had triggered an alarm or a law enforcement response. The groups would then take steps to install malware on the ATMs, by removing the hard drive and installing the malware directly, by replacing the hard drive with one that had been pre-loaded with the Ploutus malware, or by connecting an external device such as a thumb drive that would deploy the malware. The Ploutus malware’s primary purpose was to issue unauthorized commands associated with the Cash Dispensing Module of the ATM in order to force withdrawals of currency. The Ploutus malware was also designed to delete evidence of malware in an effort to conceal, create a false impression, mislead, or otherwise deceive employees of the banks and credit unions from learning about the deployment of the malware on the ATM. Members of the conspiracy would then split the proceeds in predetermined portions.
The most recent indictment follows a previous one returned on Dec. 9, 2025, that alleged that TdA, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, conducted jackpotting attacks across America. The Dec. 9, 2025 indictment charged 22 individuals with offenses for their roles in the conspiracy: 13 individuals are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and 22 with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that TdA used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash. The indictment alleged a national conspiracy to commit these offenses with crimes committed all over the United States in furtherance of these conspiracies that generated millions in illegal proceeds for the combined defendants and the TdA organization.
A related indictment returned on Oct. 21, 2025 charged 32 individuals and alleged 56 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 18 counts of bank fraud, 18 counts of bank burglary, and 18 counts of damage to computers.
If convicted, the defendants face maximum terms of imprisonment ranging between 20 and 335 years.
According to court documents, TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities range from drug trafficking and firearms trafficking, to commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other violent acts to advance the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has also developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash.
In the past six months, the Justice Department has charged a total of 87 TdA members and leaders with a range of federal offenses that include material support to a designated foreign terror organization, bank burglary, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.
FBI’s Omaha Field Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Omaha is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI’s Denver, Houston, Miami, Oklahoma, Sacramento, Seattle, and Springfield Field Offices, and the U.S. Secret Service, United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Warrant Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Colombus Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory, Bluff City Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lincoln Police Department, Gothenburg Police Department, Loudon Police Department, Alcoa Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Milford Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Papillion Police Department, Central City Police Department, Holdrege Police Department, New York State Police, Berkeley Police Department, Cook County Electronic Monitoring Unit, Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, City of Rome Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Nebraska DMV Crime Analysts, Rantoul Police Department, Olathe Police Department, North Platte Police Department, Walla Walla Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Missoula Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Denver Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Glendale Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grafton Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Dubuque Police Department, Fargo Police Department, and Paducah Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and Joint Task Force Vulcan. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, Eastern District of California, Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Eastern District of Oklahoma, District of New Mexico, Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the District of Colorado, as well as the Larimer County Attorney’s Office, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 9th District Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 5th District Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General provided significant assistance.
This Operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from the FBI and HSI.
Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada, as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.
An indictment or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Investigation into International “ATM Jackpotting” Scheme and Tren de Aragua results in Additional Indictment and 87 Total Charged DefendantsRead the Press Release
[UPDATED] OMAHA – A federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska has returned an additional indictment last week charging 31 individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” Fifty-six others have already been charged. Many of the defendants charged in this Homeland Security Task Force operation are Venezuelan and Colombian nationals including illegal alien Tren de Aragua (TdA) members. This indictment alleges 32 counts including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, bank fraud, bank burglary, and damage to computers.
“Tren de Aragua is a complex terrorist organization that commits serious financial crimes in addition to horrific rapes, murders, and drug trafficking,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice has already prosecuted more than 290 members of Tren de Aragua and will continue working tirelessly to put these vicious terrorists behind bars after the prior administration let them infiltrate our country.”
“A large ring of criminal aliens allegedly engaged in a nationwide conspiracy to enrich themselves and the TdA terrorist organization by ripping off American citizens. After committing bank robbery, fraud, and other serious crimes, they will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable for their crimes,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Justice Department’s Joint Task Force Vulcan will not stop until it completely dismantles and destroys TdA and other foreign terrorists that import chaos to America.”
“This latest indictment demonstrates the Criminal Division’s commitment to dismantling cartels, including when they attack our nation’s financial systems with sophisticated malware,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The announcement of charges against a total of 87 defendants underscores both the massive scale of these alleged conspiracies and the strength and skill of our investigators and prosecutors who dismantle them. As cartels level up their criminal game, so will we.”
“Tren de Aragua uses ATM jackpotting crimes committed all across America to fund its terrorist organization which is responsible for horrific crimes such as human trafficking (to include sex trafficking of children in Nebraska), kidnapping, murder and other unspeakably evil and violent acts, said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska will fight TdA directly by taking every action at our disposal to shut down their financial pipeline and handicap their ability to terrorize American communities.”
“TdA grew from a prison gang to a transnational criminal organization to a foreign terrorist organization. Using sophisticated malware to empty ATMs and damage U.S. financial institutions that also fund TdA’s terrorist activity will not be tolerated,” said Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) Co-Director Chris Eason. “The charges against certain TdA members are directly in line with JTFV’s mission: a collaborative, whole of government effort to destroy TdA. We are grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to investigate and bring these important charges.”
The following photographs depict just a few of the alleged ATM jackpotting scheme in progress and equipment used:
“A dedicated team of FBI Omaha agents and analysts are working shoulder to shoulder with our local, state, and federal partners to disrupt and dismantle an international criminal conspiracy ultimately funding a foreign terrorist organization,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “The wide variety of sophisticated criminal tactics employed by Tren de Aragua (TdA) poses a direct threat to communities across our country. This case highlights TdA's plot to deploy malware to steal vast funds from financial institutions across the United States. We will never stop following the money and surging resources to arrest and apprehend TdA members and leadership.”
The alleged conspiracy developed and deployed a variant of malware known as Ploutus, which was used to hack into ATMs and force ATMs to dispense cash. The conspiracy relied on the recruitment of a number of individuals to deploy Ploutus malware nationwide. Members of the conspiracy and TdA would travel in groups, using multiple vehicles, to the locations of targeted banks and credit unions. These groups would conduct initial reconnaissance and take note of external security features at the ATMs. Following this reconnaissance, the groups would open the hood or door of ATMs and then wait nearby to see whether they had triggered an alarm or a law enforcement response. The groups would then take steps to install malware on the ATMs, by removing the hard drive and installing the malware directly, by replacing the hard drive with one that had been pre-loaded with the Ploutus malware, or by connecting an external device such as a thumb drive that would deploy the malware. The Ploutus malware’s primary purpose was to issue unauthorized commands associated with the Cash Dispensing Module of the ATM in order to force withdrawals of currency. The Ploutus malware was also designed to delete evidence of malware in an effort to conceal, create a false impression, mislead, or otherwise deceive employees of the banks and credit unions from learning about the deployment of the malware on the ATM. Members of the conspiracy would then split the proceeds in predetermined portions.
The most recent indictment follows a previous one returned on December 9, 2025, that alleged that TdA, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, conducted jackpotting attacks across America. The December 9, 2025 indictment charged 22 individuals with offenses for their roles in the conspiracy: 13 individuals are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and 22 with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that TdA used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash. The indictment alleged a national conspiracy to commit these offenses with crimes committed all over the United States in furtherance of these conspiracies that generated millions in illegal proceeds for the combined defendants and the TdA organization.
A related indictment returned on October 21, 2025 charged 32 individuals and alleged 56 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 18 counts of bank fraud, 18 counts of bank burglary, and 18 counts of damage to computers.
If convicted, the defendants face maximum terms of imprisonment ranging between 20 and 335 years.
According to court documents, TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities range from drug trafficking and firearms trafficking, to commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other violent acts to advance the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has also developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash.
In the past six months, the Justice Department has charged a total of 87 TdA members and leaders with a range of federal offenses that include material support to a designated foreign terror organization, bank burglary, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.
FBI’s Omaha Field Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Omaha is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI’s Denver, Houston, Miami, Oklahoma, Sacramento, Seattle, and Springfield Field Offices, and the United States Secret Service, United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Warrant Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Colombus Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory, Bluff City Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lincoln Police Department, Gothenburg Police Department, Loudon Police Department, Alcoa Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Milford Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Papillion Police Department, Central City Police Department, Holdrege Police Department, New York State Police, Berkeley Police Department, Cook County Electronic Monitoring Unit, Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, United States Capitol Police, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, City of Rome Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Nebraska DMV Crime Analysts, Rantoul Police Department, Olathe Police Department, North Platte Police Department, Walla Walla Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Missoula Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Denver Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Glendale Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grafton Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Dubuque Police Department, Fargo Police Department, and Paducah Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and Joint Task Force Vulcan. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, Eastern District of California, Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Eastern District of Oklahoma, District of New Mexico, Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the District of Colorado, as well as the Larimer County Attorney’s Office, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 9th District Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 5th District Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General provided significant assistance.
This Operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from the FBI and HSI.
Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada, as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.
An indictment or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Julius Phillips, 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 22, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine actual. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Phillips to a total of 146 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Phillips’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On November 21, 2024, following a series of controlled buys, Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force (LLCNTF) served a search warrant for Phillips’s residence. Prior to serving the warrant, law enforcement contacted Phillips outside the residence. A search of his person resulted in $7,201 in U.S. currency, a used syringe in his pants pocket, keys to the residence, and two cell phones.
Investigators proceeded with the search of the residence. In the kitchen freezer, they found a Ziploc baggie of marijuana. Under the marijuana, they found a second baggie containing methamphetamine. The Nebraska State Crime Lab confirmed the substances as 151 grams of marijuana and at least 280 grams methamphetamine actual. On the kitchen table, investigators found a digital scale and about 3 grams of marijuana.
In Phillips’s bedroom, investigators found a methamphetamine pipe, a sticky note with suspected methamphetamine residue, some marijuana shake, a CashApp debit card in Phillips’s name, and a pistol grip. They also found a Marlin Model 60 .22 Long Rifle, a BB gun designed to look like an assault rifle, .22 LR ammunition, and Winchester .38 special bullets.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Stromsburg Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Clinton Epp, 34, of Stromsburg, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 22, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for two counts of attempted production of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Epp to 210 months’ imprisonment on both counts, to be run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Epp’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release.
Cybertips were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that described a user who had been uploading child pornography to a Google account. The investigation revealed the person responsible was Clinton Epp. A search warrant was executed at Epp’s residence, and 13 electronic devices were seized. Along with locating both images and videos of child pornography, investigators also located videos created by Epp on a Canon Camera and on his Samsung cell phone of two minor children in various stages of undress.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Selling Fentanyl and FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Doob Tut, 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 7, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl analogue and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Tut to 137 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Tut’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Beginning in October 2023, a Federal Bureau of Investigation task force began investigating Tut for distributing fentanyl pills in Omaha. Individuals cooperating with law enforcement purchased fentanyl pills from Tut 11 times over a span of nine months. Tut would receive fentanyl pills from other dealers and then immediately sell them to the cooperators. Tut also twice sold firearms: an AR style rifle and a revolver. Tut was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of a previous felony conviction for robbery in Lancaster County District Court in 2013.
During the investigation, the task force arrested three individuals who were supplying Tut with fentanyl pills. All three pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm offenses, each receiving sentences between 235- and 300-months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mexican National Sentenced to 15 years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Alberto Ayala-Ordonez, 44, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced on January 9, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Ayala-Ordonez to 180 months’ imprisonment. Ayala-Ordonez also forfeited to the government $7,924 in U.S. currency that was seized during the investigation. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Ayala-Ordonez will serve a five-year term of supervised release.
Ayala-Ordonez was indicted based on his involvement with a Mexico source of supply of methamphetamine known to supply the Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa areas with the drug via a local network of couriers. Ayala-Ordonez was a local courier operating in Nebraska and Iowa who distributed the Mexican source’s drugs.
On October 2, 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled buy of one pound of methamphetamine from Ayala-Ordonez at an Omaha location. After the buy, surveillance officers observed Ayala- Ordonez meet with other co-conspirators who were found in possession of one pound of methamphetamine when stopped shortly after the meet.
On January 19, 2024, a search warrant was conducted on Ayala- Ordonez’s South Omaha residence where approximately 1,140 grams of methamphetamine and $7,924.00 in U.S. Currency were seized. In a post-Miranda interview Ayala- Ordonez admitted to his involvement in drug distribution for a Mexican source.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Dale Patrick Grant, 37, originally from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on January 9, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for failure to register as a sex offender. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Grant to 21 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Grant’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
In January 2020, Grant was convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska of sexual abuse of a minor, for which he was sentenced to a term of 48 months’ imprisonment. Because of the 2020 conviction, Grant is required to register as a sex offender, including updating his residential address to reflect any changes, which he acknowledged in writing on his release from federal prison in March 2024 onto supervised release. Despite his duty to register, beginning in late June 2025, Grant failed to update his registered address after leaving his registered residence in Omaha. Grant was later located by law enforcement in August 2025 in Grand Island and taken into custody.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Lamar Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison for Drug DealingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Kenneth Johnston, Jr., 46, of Lamar, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 8, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Distribution of at Least 50 Grams of Actual Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Johnston to 151 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Johnston’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Johnston was arrested following an investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol and CODE Drug Task Force. In the course of that investigation, Johnston sold a half pound of methamphetamine to a cooperating individual at a gas station in Big Springs, Nebraska, on two separate occasions in July of 2023. Subsequent testing by the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed that the substance was in fact methamphetamine, with a purity of 100%. At the time of the sales, Johnston was out on bond on a state case for simple possession of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and CODE Task Forces which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Hastings Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and a Related Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Andrew Juarez, 38, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 8, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and one count of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm during and relation to a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Juarez to a total of 230 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Juarez’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Between January 24, 2024, and March 23, 2024, CODE and TRIDENT task forces coordinated eight controlled buys of methamphetamine from Sonia Martinez and Andrew Juarez. Four of the controlled buys also involved purchasing six firearms. The buys were coordinated by a confidential informant and by an undercover officer. The Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed at least 470 grams of methamphetamine actual and at least 450 grams of methamphetamine mixture from the eight controlled buys in total.
Co-defendant Martinez is currently set for sentencing on March 12, 2026, before United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis.
This case was investigated by the TRIDENT and CODE Task Forces which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Grand Island Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Attempting Malicious Damage to Federal Property Using Explosive Materials and Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Eulisis Martin, 35, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 8, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of attempting malicious damage to federal property using explosive materials and one count of destruction of government property over $1,000. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Martin to a total of 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martin’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Martin will have to pay $1,841.65 in restitution.
On or about June 9, 2025, at approximately 1:15 a.m., Martin spray-painted “KILL ICE” on the front window of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office located in Grand Island. Martin then proceeded to the rear of the building, where he took a homemade Molotov cocktail, lit it, and threw it at the ICE office building. However, the Molotov cocktail did not fully function. A Molotov cocktail is a homemade explosive device which is used to start fires and/or cause explosions.
On June 14, 2025, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Martin returned to the location of the ICE office and punctured tires on seven different vehicles owned by the United States Department of Agriculture which were parked behind the ICE office. An officer with Grand Island Police Department observed Martin at the location before he fled the scene.
On June 16, 2025, a search warrant for Martin’s residence was executed. In his bedroom, law enforcement found two additional Molotov cocktails that matched the same design as the ones found at the ICE office, notes discussing what items to purchase to make a Molotov cocktail, and notes discussing how to properly use a Molotov cocktail.
On June 17, 2025, a search warrant for Martin’s vehicle was executed. Law enforcement found men’s boots that matched a boot print found at the ICE office, white spray paint, dark clothing, and a knife.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Grand Island Police Department.
Ohio Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years or Marijuana and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michael Garringer, 43, of Troy, Ohio, was sentenced on January 14, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and money laundering. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Garringer to 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Garringer will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
Garringer was charged based on his involvement with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported large quantities of marijuana and marijuana products, as well as the proceeds from the sale of those products, all across the country for more than 20 years. Garringer was involved in the DTO’s Midwest operations where a number of warehouses were used to distribute the marijuana products and proceeds. Garringer was responsible for managing warehouses in Chicago, Cincinnati, Nashville, and Florida, where loads of marijuana were delivered from California, then distributed to local customers. The proceeds from the sale of the marijuana were then collected and shipped back to California where it was distributed to other co-conspirators and owners of the marijuana. The investigation resulted in the seizure of thousands of pounds marijuana and marijuana products and more than $30 million in cash and assets purchased with the proceeds from the illegal sales.
This is the result of a long-term investigation that is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Nebraska State Patrol, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and various other state and local agencies across the United States.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 140 Months for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Derek Spurlock, 38, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 16, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with one prior conviction for a serious drug felony. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Spurlock to a total of 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Spurlock’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release.
On November 7, 2024, Spurlock was arrested on an active arrest warrant. Spurlock was carrying a backpack with him when he was approached by law enforcement. A search of the backpack resulted in approximately 440 grams of methamphetamine, 231 grams of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, two digital scales, syringes, and plastic baggies. Additionally, $341 in U.S. currency were located on his person. The methamphetamine was sent to the state crime lab and was confirmed to contain at least 410 grams of methamphetamine actual.
Officers applied for a search warrant for a hotel room in which he was staying. Inside the room, law enforcement found a glass pipe, plastic bags, and a plastic cup with methamphetamine residue.
In 2017, Spurlock was convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine in Lancaster County District Court.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Schuyler Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Anselmo Ramirez-Magana, 37, of Schuyler, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Ramirez-Magana to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On November 19, 2024, officers with the Schuyler PD conducted a traffic stop of Tiffany Gallardo and Ramirez-Magana. During the traffic stop, a second officer arrived and deployed a K-9 which indicated to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search resulted in the seizure of 158 grams of pure methamphetamine. When Ramirez-Magana was being arrested, he stated that the drugs were his.
This case was investigated by the Schuyler Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine and Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Alexander Jackson, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Jackson to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jackson’s release from prison, he will begin an eight-year term of supervised release.
In April 2024, an individual cooperating with law enforcement made two controlled buys from Jackson in Omaha. The first was for one ounce of methamphetamine. The second was for one ounce of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun.
Between 1991 and 2014, Jackson was convicted four times for drug dealing offenses in Douglas County District Court. Because of the 2014 prior conviction, Jackson faced an enhancement mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and eight years of supervised release for this federal offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Mexican National Sentenced to More than 20 Years for Methamphetamine Conspiracy Mexican National Sentenced to More than 20 Years for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Antelmo Obeso-Valenzuela, 52, a Mexican citizen living in Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Obeso-Valenzuela to 250 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Obeso-Valenzuela’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On February 8, 2024, Obeso-Valenzuela sold a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover detective outside an apartment building in Papillion, Nebraska. The undercover detective communicated with a source of supply in Mexico to arrange the purchase. The source of supply directed the detective to the apartment building to meet Obeso-Valenzuela. On February 20, 2024, police arrested Obeso-Valenzuela and searched an Omaha residence and an apartment in the Papillion building. During the searches, agents seized approximately 63 pounds of methamphetamine and more than $14,000 in cash. A search of Obeso-Valenzuela’s cell phone found photographs and videos taken throughout February 2024 indicative of methamphetamine trafficking.
The money seized will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Metro Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jacob Smith, 34, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Smith was previously employed as a family physician at CHI Health. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Smith to a total of 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Smith’s release from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release.
On January 17, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-Omaha received information regarding an ongoing undercover chat on a social media platform in furtherance of a child exploitation investigation. Through the investigation, HSI was able to determine that the user of the social media account was Jacob Smith.
On January 17, 2025, a federal search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence. During the search, eight electronic devices were seized. Search warrants were also executed for Smith’s various social media accounts. A forensic review was completed of the devices and accounts. In total, law enforcement located 8,955 images of child pornography pursuant to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
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.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless Justice
205 Child Victims Located and 293 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown, Including Two in the District of NebraskaThe Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes.”
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“FBI Omaha will continue surging resources to track and lock up child sex predators lurking in our communities. Working closely with our local, state, and federal partners, we’ll utilize every tool available to apprehend subjects, remove children from deplorable situations, and bring some measure of healing for victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office.
Kody Dickes, 34, of Ashland, Nebraska, has been charged in the District of Nebraska in a three-count Superseding Indictment on December 9, 2025, with distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Dickes has been in federal custody since April 30, 2025.
Dillon Summers, 54, of Cleveland, Tennessee, has been charged by complaint with felony Sexual Assault Use of a Communication Device in Douglas County, Nebraska. Summers was arrested in Tennessee on December 9, 2025.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, including one from the District of Nebraska, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders, including one from the District of Nebraska.
The FBI’s Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD’s mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Convicts Honduran Man for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on December 16, 2025, a jury found Marvin Aleman Zepeda, 37, originally of Honduras, guilty of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a federal officer after a two-day federal trial in Omaha, Nebraska. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., presided over the trial. Zepeda faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Evidence at trial established that on June 10, 2025, law enforcement, including Deputy United States Marshals, were assisting with the execution of a court authorized civil search warrant at Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha when they encountered Zepeda hiding in a crawl space. Despite receiving repeated commands from law enforcement to come out and surrender, Zepeda refused to comply. After more than 30 minutes of Zepeda failing to comply with law enforcement commands, two Deputy United States Marshals entered the crawl space to secure Zepeda. As the Deputy United States Marshals approached Zepeda, giving him commands to show his hands, Zepeda instead armed himself with a box cutter, or utility knife, with an open blade. Additional attempts were made to secure Zepeda’s compliance, including the presence of a K9 officer and K9. All told, it took nearly 90 minutes for law enforcement to ultimately secure Zepeda into custody.
Zepeda will be sentenced on March 13, 2025, at 9:00 AM, before Chief Judge Rossiter in Omaha.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office assisted in securing Zepeda.
Cozad Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Sean Westgate, 48, of Cozad, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United Sates District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Westgate to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Westgate’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
From the summer of 2023 into early 2024, Westgate and three other individuals from Cozad conspired to bring pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to the Lexington-Cozad area, where the drugs were distributed. As part of the investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants for Facebook records, which revealed individuals and residences involved in the distribution of methamphetamine. During a January 2024 search warrant at a co-conspirator’s residence in Cozad, investigators found a loaded handgun, ammunition, methamphetamine, and distribution paraphernalia. Cell phones obtained during the search warrant contained messages showing drug distribution. Recorded jail calls tipped investigators to the group’s travel plans to obtain more methamphetamine in Colorado. A search warrant for a tracking device led investigators to making a traffic stop on February 6, 2024. Westgate was a passenger in the vehicle, which contained methamphetamine, THC, and drug paraphernalia. A later search of Westgate’s Cozad residence turned up evidence of drug use and distribution paraphernalia.
This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force which is comprised of members from the Lexington Police Department, the Cozad Police Department, the North Platte Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. Investigators from the West Metro Drug Task Force in Colorado also assisted in the investigation.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Deyon Downing, 30, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Downing to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Downing is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On March 5, 2024, the victim was found unresponsive in an Omaha residence. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s overdose task force investigated the case and was able to track that the fentanyl pills came from co-defendant, Alexis Cuadras Graciano, in California to the co-defendant, Carlos Lopez Montoya, in Grand Island, who sold them to another co-defendant, Ventura Montoya Gonsalez. The fentanyl pills were then sold to co-defendant, Asia Blackburn, in Omaha, who sold them to Deyon Downing. Downing sold the pills to the victim before the victim died. The victim’s cause of death was acute acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl fluorofentanyl, paroxetine, and quetiapine intoxication. All the parties were in agreement to distribute fentanyl.
Asia Blackburn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 320 months’ imprisonment. Ventura Montoya Gonsalez and Carlos Lopez Montoya have both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Overdose Task Force.
Tren De Aragua Members and Leaders Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar ATM Jackpotting SchemeRead the Press Release
UPDATED - United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that a federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska has returned two indictments charging 54 individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” An indictment returned on December 9, 2025, charges 22 defendants with offenses corresponding to their role in the conspiracy, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that Tren de Aragua (“TdA”) has used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash.
One of the individuals named in the Indictment is Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, an alleged Tren de Aragua leader and Venezuelan entertainer who was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). OFAC’s press release alleged that Araya Navarro reportedly helped the notorious head of TdA, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. “Niño Guerrero”) escape from the Tocorón prison in Venezuela in 2012, and others in this network have laundered money for TdA leaders. Jimena Romina Araya Navarro was indicted by the grand jury for the District of Nebraska for material support to Tren De Aragua for factual allegations stemming from TdA’s nationwide ATM jackpotting scheme that included burglaries of many ATMs located in Nebraska. Jimena Romina Araya Navarro has been publicly photographed at parties and social events with the alleged head of TdA Nino Guerrero.
A related indictment was returned on October 21, 2025. That indictment charges 32 individuals and alleges 56 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 18 counts of bank fraud, 18 counts of bank burglary, and 18 counts of damage to computers.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum term of imprisonment ranging between 20 and 335 years.
“As alleged, these defendants employed methodical surveillance and burglary techniques to install malware into ATM machines, and then steal and launder money from the machines, in part to fund terrorism and the other far-reaching criminal activities of TDA, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The announcement of charges against 54 individuals today underscores both the scale of the alleged conspiracies and the tenacity of our investigators and prosecutors. The Criminal Division will not tolerate networks of thieves who breach the security of our financial system, including for the nefarious purpose of providing material support to terrorists.”
United States Attorney Lesley Woods said, “Many millions of dollars were drained from ATM machines across the United States as a result of this conspiracy and that money is alleged to have gone to Tren de Aragua leaders to fund their terroristic activities and purposes. A tirelessly dedicated team of Nebraska law enforcement agents and officers banded together to identify this vast international criminal network and to follow the money trail of this devastating financial crime back to its terroristic roots in Venezuela. The agents, analysts, detectives, and officers who came together on this case were able to expose this conspiracy from its lowest levels to the alleged mastermind behind the malware that was deployed against American ATMs all across the nation. The members of Nebraska law enforcement who selflessly dedicated themselves to this mission have not only made Nebraska safer from a designated terrorist organization by removing dozens of TdA members from Nebraska but have also dealt a blow to an organization with international reach and impact. This case demonstrates what state, federal, and local law enforcement officers can accomplish when they fully join forces. The United States Attorney’s Office stands ready to fight alongside our law enforcement partners to defeat any threat to national security and to Nebraska’s security. TdA members will find no safe harbor in the State of Nebraska.”
“TdA poses a direct threat to our communities both here in the Midwest and across our country. This violent terrorist organization relies on a wide range of criminal activities to generate revenue supporting their campaigns of violence and terror. This case highlights TdA’s plot to deploy sophisticated malware targeting financial institutions across the U.S., syphoning millions of dollars from American banks to fund acts of terrorism,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Omaha Field Office. “As criminal enterprises change tactics, we surge resources and adapt accordingly to protect the American people. FBI Omaha will continue standing shoulder to shoulder with our local, state, and federal partners in the fight to dismantle and disrupt the activities of TdA in our neighborhoods and across the globe.”
“Tren de Aragua is not just a criminal gang; they are a ruthless terrorist organization that preys on communities, spreads fear, and bankrolls violence across borders. HSI and our law enforcement partners will track you down, break up your networks, and ensure you never find safe harbor in the United States,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “Our mission is to protect American families from predators who think they can operate with impunity. We will not tolerate foreign terrorists stealing from our citizens and threatening our homeland. Our communities are safer today because of the relentless work of this team, and we are just getting started.”
According to court documents, TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities include a variety of violent and criminal offenses, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash.
The alleged conspiracy developed and deployed a variant of malware known as Ploutus, which was used to hack into ATMs and force ATMs to dispense cash. The conspiracy relied on the recruitment of a number of individuals to deploy Ploutus malware nationwide. Members of the conspiracy and TdA would travel in groups, using multiple vehicles, to the locations of targeted banks and credit unions. These groups would conduct initial reconnaissance and take note of external security features at the ATMs. Following this reconnaissance, the groups would open the hood or door of ATMs and then wait nearby to see whether they had triggered an alarm or a law enforcement response. The groups would then take steps to install malware on the ATMs, by removing the hard drive and installing the malware directly, by replacing the hard drive with one that had been pre-loaded with the Ploutus malware, or by connecting an external device such as a thumb drive that would deploy the malware. The Ploutus malware’s primary purpose was to issue unauthorized commands associated with the Cash Dispensing Module of the ATM in order to force withdrawals of currency. The Ploutus malware was also designed to delete evidence of malware in an effort to conceal, create a false impression, mislead, or otherwise deceive employees of the banks and credit unions from learning about the deployment of the malware on the ATM. Members of the conspiracy would then split the proceeds in predetermined portions.
The following photographs depict just a few of the alleged ATM burglaries in progress:
The following is a visual representation of the location of alleged jackpotting incidents committed across the United States, along with their geographical locations and total loss amounts as of August, 2025:
An indictment or a complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This year, the District of Nebraska has charged a total of 67 TdA members and leaders with a range of federal offenses that include material support to a designated foreign terror organization, sex trafficking of minors, assault, bank burglary, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.
This Operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, The Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Joint Task Force Vulcan. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, Eastern District of California, the Southern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of Illinois, the Eastern District of Oklahoma, District of New Mexico, Southern District of Florida, and the Eastern District of Wisconsin and have provided significant assistance.
Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada, as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, has also provided significant assistance.
FBI’s Omaha Field Office and HSI Omaha is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI’s Sacramento, Seattle, Springfield, Miami, and Oklahoma Field Offices, and the United States Secret Service, United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Warrant Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Colombus Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory, Bluff City Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lincoln Police Department, Gothenburg Police Department, Loudon Police department, Alcoa Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Milford Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Papillion Police Department, Central City Police Department, Holdrege Police Department, New York State Police, Berkeley Police Department, Cook County Electronic Monitoring Unit, Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, United States Capitol Police, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, City of Rome Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Nebraska DMV Crime Analysts, Rantoul Police Department, Olathe Police Department, North Platte Police Department, Walla Walla Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Missoula Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Denver Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Glendale Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grafton Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, and Paducah Police Department.
MS-13 Leader Wanted for Assassination of Four People in Honduras Arrested in Grand IslandRead the Press Release
UPDATED 12/10/2025 - United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Gerson Emir Cuadra Soto, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was charged with illegal entry of an unlawfully present alien in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska.
An unsealed complaint affidavit underlying the arrest alleges that Cuadra Soto, a Honduran national, was a leader in MS-13 who was part of a professional assassination squad for the criminal organization. After being charged in Honduras in 2022 with firearms charges related to the quadruple homicide, Cuadra Soto and two co-defendants were allegedly able to bribe their way out of the Honduran jail.
Following the bribe, Cuadra Soto is alleged to have entered the United States illegally in 2022 by crossing into the State of Texas from the Country of Mexico. From there, the complaint alleges that Cuadra Soto obtained a California driver’s license in his true identity. Federal agents then tracked him to the District of Nebraska where Cuadra Soto established a residence in Grand Island. He was arrested without incident on December 8, 2025, in Grand Island.
Special Agent Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha Federal Bureau of Investigation field division stated, “Our capture of alleged MS-13 leader Gerson Emir Cuadra Soto in Grand Island, Nebraska, highlights the critical work undertaken daily to address threats posed by transnational gangs. Hiding in the heart of the heartland is not a good option for violent offenders; we will turn over every stone to find you. The apprehension of Cuadra Soto is a testament to the power of our partnerships; we are grateful to FBI Houston and Joint Task Force Vulcan, the TRIDENT Task Force, the Grand Island Police Department, and CBP’s BORTAC team.”
Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City Mark Zito said, “Taking this criminal, illegal alien who is a suspected MS-13 leader and wanted for multiple homicides in Honduras off our streets demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to safeguarding our communities. This successful operation is a powerful example of why partnerships with local and state law enforcement are so critically important. By working together, we maximize our collective resources, share actionable intelligence, and ensure a coordinated approach to public safety.”
A complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, TRIDENT Task Force, and the Grand Island Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced to More than 58 Years for Fentanyl and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley Woods announced that Jeron Morris, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Morris to concurrent sentences of 360 months’ imprisonment for the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute, and 180 months’ imprisonment for felon in possession of a firearm. Morris received additional consecutive sentences of 300 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and 46 months for violating his supervised release related to a previous federal conviction. The combined sentences total 706 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Morris’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release.
In August, Morris pleaded guilty to the fentanyl and felon in possession charges and proceeded to trial for the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. After a two-day trial, a jury returned a guilty verdict.
The evidence at trial established that a Federal Bureau of Investigation task force identified a house in Omaha that was suspected of being a stash location for drugs, including fentanyl pills. During the investigation, Morris was identified as living in the house. On May 17, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence. In an upstairs bedroom, they found two loaded Canik 9mm handguns and more than $1,000 in cash on a bed. The items had been dumped out of a drawer of a bedside chest of drawers. In a closet of that bedroom, detectives recovered a heat-sealed package of approximately 993 fentanyl pills. Morris was arrested during a traffic stop nearby and found to have a baggie containing another 87 fentanyl pills. During a post-Miranda interview, Morris admitted the drugs and guns were his, describing the guns by caliber, color, and attachments.
Morris faced enhanced statutory penalties because of prior federal convictions for Bank Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Morris was released from federal prison within months of the search warrant. Morris began visiting the stash house while finishing serving his prison sentence at an area halfway house. Morris also had a prior conviction for Assault Using a Dangerous Weapon in Iowa state court, which enhanced his sentencing guidelines when coupled with the prior federal convictions.
Co-defendant Kadonta Muldrew, 31, of Omaha was sentenced on November 19, 2025, to 235 months’ imprisonment and eight years of supervised release.
As part of the investigation, more than $135,000 in cash was seized. That money will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department with assistance from the Council Bluffs (Iowa) Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, Papillion Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Iowa State Patrol. A sergeant from the Lincoln Police Department testified at trial as an expert in drug trafficking. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Clayton Reynolds, 39, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 25, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Reynolds to 214 months’ imprisonment on the drug trafficking charge and 60 months on the firearm charge, to run consecutive to each other. There is no parole in the federal system. After Reynolds’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Reynolds also admitted to the forfeiture of firearms and United States Currency that had been seized.
In April 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Greater Omaha Safe Streets Task Force began investigating Reynolds for his involvement in distributing fentanyl in the Omaha area. Over the course of three months, Reynolds sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on six separate occasions. On one occasion, Reynolds also sold a firearm.
On July 22, 2024, a search warrant was executed on Reynolds’s residence and a storage unit he used. In his residence, law enforcement found two pounds of pure methamphetamine, 296 grams of fentanyl, amphetamine, oxycodone, marijuana, crack, ecstasy, cocaine, and Xanax. They also found $18,062 in drug proceeds and a shotgun. At the storage unit, an additional $14,000 in drug proceeds and a handgun were seized.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department.
Hastings Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Seth Fontaine, 30, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Fontaine to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Fontaine is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On May 17, 2023, Fontaine sent a Facebook message to Victim 1 stating “do u got Narcan?” The victim replied, “yea.” Fontain then replied, “Cool, thank you, I got some real fentanyl, wanna smoke some.” The parties met at Victim 1’s residence in Hastings, and smoked fentanyl. Victim 1 became unconscious and was not breathing. First responders were called to the scene and administered Narcan. Victim 1 went to the local hospital and received further medical attention. At the scene, law enforcement located pipes with fentanyl residue on them, burnt tin foil, and a torch still lit.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 17 1/2 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Javier O. Jasso, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Jasso to a total of 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jasso’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Between January 24, 2024, and continuing until on or about May 28, 2024, Bryan Hall, Javier Jasso, and Jeremy Eaves worked together to sell cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in and around the Lincoln and Omaha areas. The group is responsible for possessing and/or distributing at least two kilograms of cocaine, 600 grams of methamphetamine, and 500 grams of fentanyl throughout the conspiracy. Law enforcement also made multiple controlled buys from Jasso during this time.
A search warrant was executed at the residence of Eaves, Jasso, and Hall. In Eaves’s bedroom, investigators found a baggie of M30 pills, $1,985 in U.S. currency, a package that was delivered to another residence containing drugs, his identification card, bank receipts, and 330 grams of methamphetamine. In Jasso’s bedroom, officers seized $5,050 of U.S. currency and an additional $415 of U.S. currency from his wallet. Drugs were also found on the floor in the community room. In a closet, officers found 170 grams of methamphetamine, baggies of M30 pills, pink pills, suspected MDMA, LSD, Adderall, unknown liquids, unknown pills, bags of mushrooms, THC cartridges, THC syrup, ammunition, and a Marlin lever action .22 caliber rifle.
Co-defendant Jeremy Eaves was sentenced on September 25, 2025, to 224 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
Co-defendant Bryan Hall was sentenced on October 23, 2025, to 30 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jason E. Pemberton, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Pemberton to 300 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Pemberton’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
In December of 2023, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents identified Pemberton as a narcotics distributor with a residence near 88th Plaza and Boyd Street, Omaha, and began a surveillance operation. On January 11, 2024, agents saw Pemberton leave his residence driving a Hyundai Veloster. They followed him to a McDonald’s parking lot where he parked and his co-defendant got out of a parked Chevy Silverado, approached Pemberton, and handed him a black backpack containing methamphetamine. Both vehicles departed immediately after the exchange.
Agents and local law enforcement officers followed Pemberton onto I-80, westbound. Officers saw Pemberton violate traffic laws while driving near mile marker 412, activated their emergency lights, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but Pemberton did not stop. He fled, reaching speeds of up to 110 MPH, and threw the backpack out the vehicle window. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle by deploying stop strips, but Pemberton made a U-turn and fled the wrong way down an interstate on-ramp near Lincoln, Nebraska, eventually lost control, crashed, and ran before officer took him into custody.
The backpack contained multiple bags of methamphetamine with a gross of weight of 11 pounds.
Later, on the same day of January 11, 2024, agents and officers served a search warrant at Pemberton’s residence. During the search, they seized 36 plastic bags of methamphetamine with a gross weight of 32.06 pounds. During the residential search, agents also found a digital scale, packaging materials, two cell phones, and a money counter.
On January 16 and 17, 2024, agents interviewed two known associates of Pemberton who both said Pemberton had been distributing methamphetamine and is affiliated with a Mexican drug trafficking organization.
The co-defendant in this case is similarly charged for his role the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine as well as a separate conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain. His cases are ongoing.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 235 Months for Fentanyl and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Kadonta Muldrew, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Muldrew to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Muldrew’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release.
In January 2024, a Federal Bureau of Investigation task force identified Muldrew as a dealer of fentanyl pills in Omaha and began an investigation. Between February and May of 2024, Muldrew sold pills to a confidential informant four times in quantities ranging from 50 to 200. Investigators also determined Muldrew was supplying at least one other dealer. On May 17, 2024, law enforcement arrested Muldrew and executed search warrants at three residences and a storage unit in Omaha. When he was arrested, Muldrew had approximately 234 fentanyl pills and $11,301 cash. Execution of the search warrants resulted in seizure of almost 2,000 fentanyl pills, four handguns, and more than $124,000 cash.
Co-defendant Jeron Morris, 33, of Omaha, has been convicted after a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because of prior federal convictions that enhance the statutory penalties, Morris faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years in prison and a maximum of life. Morris’ sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2025.
The cash that was seized will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department with assistance from the Council Bluffs Police Department (Iowa), Bellevue Police Department, Papillion Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Iowa State Patrol. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking MinorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that James Hatten, II, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 7, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for five counts of Sex Trafficking a Minor. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert R. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hatten to 480 months’ imprisonment on each count, to be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hatten’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release. Hatten was also ordered to pay a total of $304,800.90 in restitution to his victims.
Hatten was charged with sex trafficking five different minors, spanning from May 1, 2022, through December 6, 2023, in the Omaha area. At sentencing he claimed that he did not know his actions, which involved distributing drugs to minors in exchange for sex acts, constituted sex trafficking as he was not advertising and selling the victims to other people. Calling that of no consequence, Chief Judge Rossiter said the case involved a “reprehensible crime, reprehensible conduct” on the part of Hatten and noted the significant age gap between the perpetrator and his victims in imposing the sentence.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Omaha Crips Gang Enterprise Charged with Violent Crimes in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that 13 Crips gang members were indicted together on a range of federal organized crime charges, including murder in aid of racketeering, murder by firearm, firearms trafficking conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging firearms during and relation to crimes of violence, and other related offenses.
The following defendants were indicted on November 18, 2025:
Gregory Jerome Bahati,
Malik D. Bahati, II,
Johnny L. Chatmon, IV,
Deshawn P. Jackson,
Jaqueris J. Allen,
McKeith M. Bingham,
Kevin Rashad Pierce,
Lamar D. Glover,
Kavion Wright,
Cameron J. Williams,
Darnell L. Matthews,
Noah McIntosh, and
Antrevion McNichols.
The Indictment alleges the Crips gang committed violent acts, including shootings, that targeted portions of the city of Omaha that are claimed territory of rival gangs, such as the Bloods. Evidence adduced at the detention hearings in this matter indicated that many of the victims of these violent events had no gang affiliation at all and were merely innocent people allegedly gunned down by these gang members in their efforts to protect their reputation and status as a gang or to act in retaliation against rival gangs for Crips gang members who were themselves shot or murdered. Evidence at the hearings further indicated that the Crips attempted to claim city blocks in Omaha as their own territory and those actions made those neighborhoods a target for rival gang violence.
Among the Omaha shooting targets that described at the pretrial detention hearings were children under the age of 12, a graduation party with attendees of all ages, including children, a man returning from taking his son to baseball practice, a young man and woman driving down the road in their vehicle, and a mother and two sons who simply witnessed a fight amongst Crip gang members who were shot at and assaulted for recording the gang on a cellular phone.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said of the charges: “The recent indictment represents a significant step forward in protecting the safety of our community. The work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in bringing these charges forward, and I want to commend their partnership and commitment to justice. I am equally proud of the relentless efforts of the men and women of the Omaha Police Department—particularly those who have dedicated countless hours to these complex investigations. Their hard work directly contributes to a safer Omaha, and these indictments send a clear message that violent gang activity will not be tolerated in our city.”
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said, “Without the tireless efforts of the dedicated men and women of the Omaha Police Department, this gang would never have been taken into custody and out of these neighborhoods on these charges. The charges are the result of the police department’s resource-intensive and complex investigation into this alleged criminal network, and their dedicated efforts will provide these victims and their families their deserved day in federal court. This Indictment would similarly not have been possible without the outstanding investigative work of the Lincoln Police Department on the murder charges in the tragic shooting of Savieon Hopkins. The collaboration between OPD and LPD greatly furthered this investigation, and when those police departments join forces, no target is out of reach. Any gang that attempts to claim city streets in the State of Nebraska will make themselves the target of a federal investigation.”
Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha FBI Field Office said, “The work by the Omaha Police Department in this case will have a profound impact. Our Safe Streets Gang Task Force brings together multiple agencies in the Omaha Metro region to share resources, manpower, and gang intelligence. We will continue using all the tools we have to apprehend violent gang members who prey upon our neighborhoods with violence, intimidation and fear. We commend the unwavering efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office supporting this investigation.”
Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Lincoln Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Man from Guatemala Sentenced for False Representation of SSN and Resisting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Romeo Edilzar Yaxcal-Tiul, 26, of Guatemala, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for falsely representing a social security number and resisting a federal officer. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Yaxcal-Tiul to concurrent terms of 12 months’ imprisonment on each offense. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Buescher also imposed concurrent 1-year terms of supervised release on each count to follow the imposed terms of imprisonment, noting that while Yaxcal-Tiul will be deported by U.S. immigration authorities when he completes his sentence of imprisonment, the imposed term of supervision will serve as a deterrent to Yaxcal-Tiul returning to the United States.
Sometime after two unsuccessful attempts to enter the United States illegally in 2022, Yaxcal-Tiul ultimately entered the United States illegally and came to Nebraska. In October 2024, Yaxcal-Tiul used a fake name, fake Social Security Number (SSN), fake Social Security Card, fake Alien Number, and fake Legal Permanent Resident Card to gain employment at an Omaha area restaurant as a dishwasher. Investigators confirmed that both the SSN and Alien Numbers used by Yaxcal-Tiul were invalid and had not been assigned to Yaxcal-Tiul.
Yaxcal-Tiul was encountered by law enforcement at the Omaha area restaurant in June 2025. Despite clear identification by law enforcement as “police” and instruction not to move, Yaxcal-Tiul fled from law enforcement and into a crowded patio, diving into a booth filled with restaurant patrons. Members of the public assisted in securing Yaxcal-Tiul until law enforcement were able to take over. Yaxcal-Tiul continued to resist law enforcement on the ground, pulling his hands away and manipulating his body to avoid being handcuffed. Eventually, Yaxcal-Tiul was successfully secured and transported into custody. A law enforcement officer who assisted in apprehending Yaxcal-Tiul was injured during the pursuit.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
California Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Felix Cruz, 35, of Fresno, California, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Cruz to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cruz’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Cruz also forfeited $6,000 in U.S. currency seized at the time of his arrest.
On April 2, 2024, law enforcement utilized a cooperating witness who purchased approximately one pound of methamphetamine from Cruz at an Omaha location. The following day surveillance officers approached Cruz after observing him engage in a suspected drug transaction. Cruz attempted to flee and after a short foot pursuit was taken into custody. A box containing approximately two pounds of methamphetamine was recovered along with $6,000 in United States currency. A subsequent search warrant was executed on his Bellevue, Nebraska, residence where law enforcement recovered another 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine.
Cruz gave a post-arrest statement and admitted to trafficking several pounds of methamphetamine for a Mexican drug trafficking organization since March of 2024. Cruz also admitted the money found in his possession was proceeds from drug trafficking sales.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.
Grand Island Man Charged with Assault and Attempted Murder of Federal Task Force OfficersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Justin Jelinek, 43, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was charged on October 29, 2025, by criminal complaint in Lincoln, Nebraska. Jelinek is charged with Assault on a Federal Task Force Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, Attempted Murder of a Federal Task Force Officer, Discharge of a Firearm During and Relation to a Crime of Violence, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. These charges carry penalties with a minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment to life. Discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence carries with it a 10-year mandatory minimum imprisonment term and qualifies for up to life in prison.
The complaint alleges that on October 15, 2025, Jelinek fired upon Federal Task Force Officers with employed with the Nebraska State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations when executing a judicially issued search warrant in relation to receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials.
The complaint alleges that Jelinek confronted the officers with a firearm when they entered his residence after he did not respond to knocking and officers’ commands. Jelinek is alleged to have fired one round from a high-powered rifle when negotiations with Jelinek to drop his weapon and end the confrontation peacefully and safely failed. Jelinek shot out the front door of the residence at 7 officers who were on or around on the front porch. One officer returned fire. Eventually, Jelinek surrendered and was arrested. The officers executed the search warrant and seized several electronic devices and performed a preliminary review for child sexual abuse materials. Law enforcement obtained additional search warrants while on site and seized firearms valued at approximately $100,000 and approximately 25,000 rounds of ammunition.
Jelinek appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline M. DeLuca on October 30, 2025, for his initial appearance. A preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled for November 6, 2025, before Magistrate Judge DeLuca.
“This case underscores the extreme dangers our HSI agents and Task Force Officers face every day in the pursuit of justice and the protection of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge for HSI Kansas City Mark Zito. “Despite Jelinek’s continued disregard for anyone other than himself, our Task Force Officers remained steadfast in their mission to hold him accountable. HSI, in collaboration with our partners, will ensure that he faces the full weight of federal justice for his actions. We are grateful that our officers and task force members emerged from this incident unharmed, and we remain committed to safeguarding the public from those who threaten the safety and security of our communities.”
A Criminal Complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Omaha Gang Member Who Received Clemency Charged in ShootingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Khyre Holbert, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was charged by complaint for being a felon in possession of a firearm for his role in a shooting that occurred in Omaha, Nebraska on October 4, 2025. In November, 2018, Holbert pled guilty to three violations of federal law and was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Subsequent to his sentencing, on January 21, 2025, Holbert was granted clemency by former United States President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. At the time, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska objected to the grant of clemency due to Holbert’s gang affiliation and significant criminal history, along with the nature of his criminal convictions in that case, which included possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Clemency was ordered over that objection.
A Criminal Complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
An unsealed complaint affidavit was filed in conjunction with the charge that details Holbert’s criminal history, which is alleged to have disqualified Holbert from legally possessing a firearm on October 4, 2025, in the District of Nebraska. Holbert had several criminal convictions related to illegal firearms possession prior to his grant of clemency and prior to his alleged possession of a firearm on October 4, 2025.
As the complaint alleges, the same firearm that Holbert possessed during the shooting is allegedly a match for the firearm that was used in multiple other violent gun offenses that were committed earlier this year in Nebraska. The complaint alleges that Holbert attempted to dispose of the weapon, but it was recovered by law enforcement later. Forensics technicians were allegedly able to identify Holbert’s fingerprints on the seized firearm from the October 4, 2025 shooting. The firearm itself was loaded and equipped with a high-capacity magazine.
United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, “The Biden Administration’s last-minute commutations were not only a cruel blow to victims’ families, but also a fundamental failure to hold criminals accountable. This tragic case proves that crime must be met with consequences, not weakness. Our prosecutors in Nebraska are doing the job that the prior administration refused to do.”
United States Attorney Lesley Woods commends the tireless efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department to investigate this incident and to collect the evidence necessary to take a dangerous felon like Khyre Holbert back off the streets of Omaha. Woods stated, “Khyre Holbert should never have been prematurely released from federal prison and been free to participate in this violence. Omaha is safer with Mr. Holbert back in custody and off the streets. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska will fight to keep Mr. Holbert – and any other gang members who participate in similar violent acts – in federal custody.”
Special Agent Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha Federal Bureau of Investigation field division stated, “Protecting the public from violent criminals remains a top priority of the FBI. Federal, state, and local law enforcement on the Omaha Safe Streets Task Force work tirelessly to apprehend violent gang members who terrorize our communities. We will continue working with our partners to crush violent crime and safeguard our neighborhoods from individuals like Khyre Holbert.”
Omaha Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Firearms and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Latrell Knight, 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 25, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl analogue, distribution of fentanyl analogue, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Knight to 120 months’ imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, 87 months’ imprisonment on the distribution charge to be served concurrently, and a consecutive 60-month term of imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 180 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After Knight’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In 2024, Federal Bureau of Investigations determined that associates and co-conspirators Latrell Knight and Dale Jackson were receiving “M-30” pills from a common drug supplier and selling them. “M-30” pills are frequently counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and analogues of fentanyl.
Between April 17, 2024, through September 10, 2024, Knight and Jackson sold a confidential source (CS) M-30 pills. These transactions would occur outside of Knight’s residence and at a Casey’s gas station near 72nd and Grover streets in Omaha. Knight and Jackson would sell together and separately. In addition to the pills, Knight sold a DB9 9mm handgun to the CS during a drug deal on May 6 and a Glock 17 9mm handgun to the CS on July 11. In total about 1,616 M-30 pills were sold to the CS as part of the conspiracy.
Both were arrested on January 23, 2025.
Knight’s co-conspirator, Jackson, pleaded guilty to distribution and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl analogue. He was sentenced on August 15, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment on the conspiracy charge and 70 months’ imprisonment on the distribution charge, both sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department.
Former State Official and Lincoln Club Owner IndictedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned an Indictment charging Hobert Rupe, 58, and Brent Zywiec, 45, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, with offenses related to honest services fraud. Rupe and Zywiec were arrested on September 24, 2025.
Rupe, former Executive Director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, and Zywiec, a partial owner of “The Office Gentleman’s Club” and “The Night Before Lounge” in Lincoln, are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud and three counts of Honest Services Fraud. Additionally, Rupe is charged with two counts of Wire Fraud, and one count of Hobbs Act Extortion Under Color of Official Right. The alleged conspiracy occurred between on or about January 1, 2022, and May 28, 2025. The maximum possible penalty for each of the charges is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100 for each count.
Rupe is alleged to have violated his oath of office as the Executive Director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission when he allegedly conspired with establishments’ owners to include Zywiec to receive a stream of significant personal and financial benefits in exchange for illegal assistance he provided the owners of the establishments. The alleged stream of benefits included commercial sex acts, cash, and free benefits at the clubs that others pay to receive such as VIP dances, alcoholic drinks, and cover charges. In exchange for these benefits, Rupe would fail to report or investigate numerous liquor license violations that occurred at each establishment and would separately abuse law enforcement resources in an attempt to harm Zywiec’s competitors in Omaha.
Rupe is additionally charged with failing to disclose these benefits on his state accountability forms.
Finally, there is a count of the Indictment that alleges Rupe extorted a business owner in the community for $65,000 with the understanding that Rupe would provide assistance with helping that business owner retain a liquor license that the business owner would not otherwise qualify for under state rules and regulations.
United States Lesley Woods stated, “Public corruption undermines the trust of all Nebraskans in their officials. The citizens of Nebraska are the primary victims of this case. The Executive Director of the Liquor Control Commission should be the official who polices establishments like the ones identified in the Indictment for the benefit of public safety. Furthermore, allowing individuals who should not have liquor licenses to obtain or retain those licenses is a dangerous abuse of power. There are good public safety reasons for many of the rules that govern liquor licenses, and the Executive Director of the Liquor Control Commission should serve as the public guardian against those threats to public safety, not be the enabler of them. Mr. Rupe is alleged to have violated that trust and allowed himself to be unlawfully influenced in the execution of those duties. This investigation was a joint effort with the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office is grateful to those partners for their tireless efforts on this critical investigation.”
Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Bellevue Woman Sentenced to Nine Months for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Joya M. Kinney, 45, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 24, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for one count of embezzlement from an organization that received federal benefits. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Kinney to 9 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kinney’s release from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Kinney was additionally ordered to pay $495,652.13 in restitution.
From 2014 until her termination in May 2023, Kinney was the bookkeeper for an incorporated private school located in Nebraska. This school received a Paycheck Protection Program loan in the amount of approximately $302,500 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As the bookkeeper for the school, Kinney was responsible for handling funds and making financial entries into the school’s accounting system.
In May of 2023, an outside auditor reported inconsistencies in the school’s accounting records. When confronted, Kinney admitted to school staff that she had conducted four $10,000 cash withdrawals the auditor identified, which were not authorized by the school. Kinney was then terminated from her position.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted an investigation and found additional financial losses at the school. Specifically, records and other evidence gathered by the FBI showed that between March 2016 to May 2023, Kinney embezzled approximately $452,176 from school funds, which included taking cash, using school funds to pay her personal credit card, making unauthorized purchases charged to the school, and receiving unauthorized checks.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bellevue Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Micah J. Cornell, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for one count of transportation of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cornell to 97 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cornell’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Cornell was additionally ordered to pay $6,000 which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of cases.
The investigation of this case began with a CyberTip received in November 2023. The CyberTip included one child pornography file which was uploaded to an online platform. A search warrant was executed on that account which revealed approximately 150 child pornography videos, including videos of prepubescent children with ages varying from infant to twelve years of age.
After further investigation, a search warrant was executed at Cornell’s residence on June 5, 2024. During the execution of the search warrant, investigators seized Cornell’s devices and Cornell was interviewed. Cornell admitted he was the owner of the subject email address and account. Upon a review of Cornell’s cellphone, 77 image files and 33 videos containing child pornography were located by law enforcement on that device.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Grand Jury for the District of NebraskaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned nine unsealed Indictments charging 10 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.
Dylan Piche, age 24, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Piche with receipt and distribution of child pornography beginning on or between November 10, 2023, and June 10, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Piche with possession of child pornography on or between July 29, 2024, and July 30, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Thomas Leone Henry, age 37, of Williams, Arizona, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl on or about May 30, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Jennifer Suing, age 48, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or between February 10, 2025, and March 2, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 25 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than a 10-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Lloyd A. Nelson Jr., age 70, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with theft of government funds between on or about March 15, 2022, and September 16, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Mallory M. Chartraw, age 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Maria K. Siemsen, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, are charged in a five-count Indictment. Count I charges Chartraw and Siemsen with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl beginning on or about February 1, 2022, and continuing to on or about April 8, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Chartraw and Siemsen with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl between or about April 7, 2025, and continuing to on or about April 8, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Siemsen with distribution of fentanyl on or about March 14, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Siemsen with distribution of fentanyl on or about March 27, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges Siemsen with distribution of fentanyl on or about April 1, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Charles Aldrich, age 18, of Macy, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Aldrich with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm on or about August 25, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Aldrich with use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence on or about August 25, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Travis M. Knipp, age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with escape from custody on or about August 16, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
Salih M. Samin Totakhil, age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with international parental kidnapping between on or about March 19, 2022, to June 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 3 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
Carlos Hernandez Moreno, age 21, of Kearney, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Hernandez Moreno with bank burglary from on or about August 16, 2025, continuing through on or about August 17, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Hernandez Moreno with damage of protected computer from on or about August 16, 2025, continuing through on or about August 17, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Scribner Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Two Counts of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jordan Vaughn, 34, of Scribner, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for two counts of production of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Vaughn to 360 months on each count of conviction and ordered the sentences to run consecutively to one another, for a total of 720 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Vaughn is released from prison, he will begin a life term of supervised release.
The case began when it was discovered Vaughn had been sending images of his genitals to a minor child. Further investigation identified that Vaughn was sexually abusing multiple young children, aged 12 and younger, and preserving digital evidence of the assaults. Vaughn would additionally sexually assault one or more of his victims while the victims were asleep. A search of Vaughn’s phone located a large amount of child pornography in addition to evidence of production of child pornography. Vaughn worked at the Winnebago Police Department in Winnebago, Nebraska in late 2024 and early 2025 but was terminated over the instant offenses.
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said in response to the conviction and judgment: “The successful investigation and prosecution of this egregious child sex offender not only ended the living nightmares of each vulnerable victim he targeted but also stripped this predator of his police badge and prevented him from carrying a weapon on the Winnebago reservation and having access to more children in the line of duty. The just and appropriate sentence in this case fits the outrageousness and depravity of the unthinkable crimes committed against these innocent 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 Lincoln Police Department in conjunction with the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Omaha Gang Member Sentenced to 220 Months for Fentanyl and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Clifford Wright III, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 10, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Wright to a total of 197 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Wright’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Chief Judge Rossiter also sentenced Wright to a consecutive 23 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release from a 2021 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A jury convicted Wright of the three charges on June 6, 2025, after a seven-day trial. The evidence at trial established Wright, a documented member of the 29th Street Bloods in Omaha, who was observed on surveillance footage at a crowded gas station in north Omaha on October 31, 2022, making apparent hand-to-hand drug transactions from his vehicle. Shots erupted toward the crowded parking lot from across the street and Wright exited his vehicle holding a handgun, but his handgun appeared to malfunction or not fire.
Omaha police identified Wright based upon prior investigations and their knowledge of Wright as a gang member. Wright has two prior convictions in federal court for illegal firearm possession, including the conviction for which he was on supervised release at the time.
Wright was arrested on November 2, 2022. A search of a safe belonging to Wright pursuant to a warrant uncovered approximately 850 fentanyl pills and three loaded handguns, including a 9mm handgun that was visually consistent with the handgun Wright tried to fire at the gas station on October 31, 2022. The 9mm was the only handgun from the safe that had a round in the chamber. Two of the handguns had been reported stolen, including one stolen from the inventory of a federal firearms licensee in Omaha during a burglary.
Review of extracted data from Wright’s cell phone showed that he had been dealing drugs dating back to February 2022, the month after he was most recently released from federal prison. Wright appeared to also be selling cocaine, ecstasy pills, and marijuana, based upon his text messages.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department. An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also testified as a firearms expert at trial. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
North Platte Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michael W. Stroble, 32, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Stroble to 138 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Stroble’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Between July 2022 and February 2023, Joey Romero, Jamie Hopkins, Michael Stroble, Luke Schwartz, and others conspired to sell methamphetamine in and around North Platte. The group was responsible for the distribution of pounds of methamphetamine and was subject to multiple controlled buys, search warrants, and arrests.
By January 2023, Stroble and Hopkins were dating, living together, and selling methamphetamine together. On January 17, 2023, a controlled buy of 48 grams of methamphetamine from Schwartz and Stroble occurred less than half a mile from Hopkin’s home. On January 30, 2023, another controlled buy of 36 grams of methamphetamine from Hopkins and Stroble occurred at Hopkins’s home.
A search warrant was served on Hopkins’s residence in North Platte on February 7, 2023. During the search, law enforcement found multiple baggies of methamphetamine to include on a nightstand, a bed, Hopkins’s purse, on the floor, and in the toilet. Law enforcement also found two bongs, 29 pills, owe notes, three scales, spoons with residue, 224 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a box of Winchester .380 ammunition with 23 rounds in it, and empty baggies in the house.
Stroble’s co-defendants were sentenced in 2024. Schwartz was sentenced on September 5, 2024, to 120 months’ imprisonment; Hopkins was sentenced on October 17, 2024, to 120 months’ imprisonment; and Romero was sentenced on December 12, 2024, to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the CODE Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Noble Outdoors Associate Sentenced for Lacey Act Violation for 2019 Mule Deer HuntRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Mark Cooper, 73, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for violating the Lacey Act. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Cooper to two years’ probation, a $5,000 fine, and $15,000 restitution. In addition to the sentence imposed, Cooper abandoned a 5 X 5 mule deer taxidermy mount originating from the illegal 2019 mule deer hunt associated with the conviction, three additional mule deer taxidermy mounts and antler sets, and several white-tailed deer antlers. Judge Bazis also ordered that Cooper shall not hunt, fish, trap, guide, outfit, or otherwise associate or be in the field with anyone engaged in those activities for a period of two years.
Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act protects the nation’s wildlife resources by prohibiting wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. A joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division determined that Dustin Noble operated a big game guiding and outfitting business from his North Platte residence and provided illegal hunting and guiding services to paying clients, family, and other associates, many from outside the state of Nebraska, between 2015 and 2021. Noble also operated a commercial taxidermy business providing services of converting hides, skins, antlers, and other trophy parts of wildlife into taxidermy mounts. Some of Noble’s taxidermy clients included hunters unlawfully guided by Noble. During those hunts Noble’s friends, associates and clients agreed with Noble to violate Nebraska hunting laws to take wildlife including mule deer and wild turkeys.
The investigation determined that on numerous occasions Cooper, a close associate of Noble, hunted with and on various occasions accompanied Noble while providing guiding services to hunting clients, and assisted Noble transporting raw hides for the Noble Outdoors taxidermy business. On October 31, 2019, Cooper illegally killed an approximately 172-inch 5 X 5 mule deer during the archery deer season in Lincoln County, Nebraska, while accompanied by Noble and two Noble Outdoors clients. Cooper killed the mule deer from a seated position within Noble’s pickup while parked on a public roadway with a center-fire rifle. Under Nebraska state law, hunters are prohibited from possessing firearms or using firearms to hunt deer during the archery season and from shooting from or over a roadway. On November 7, 2019, Cooper delivered a shipment of raw wildlife skins on behalf of Noble Outdoors to a commercial carrier. Cooper delivered the shipment containing numerous wildlife skins knowing the shipment was destined for a fur dressing company in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and knowing it contained illegally taken wildlife including at least Cooper’s 172-inch mule deer and another trophy-sized mule deer Cooper knew was taken illegally by Noble on October 28, 2019.
The investigation substantiated 114 unlawful hunts conducted and provided by Noble during the course of the conspiracy. Noble’s unlawful activities primarily targeted trophy-sized mule deer, including early season mule deer in velvet antlers. As revealed by extensive evidence obtained during this investigation, Noble’s illegal hunts included the taking of more than 12 species of wildlife, including most notably: 61 mule deer, 33 wild turkeys, 4 pronghorn, 3 white-tailed deer, an American alligator, a timber rattlesnake, and approximately 12 upland game birds, migratory non-game birds, game fish, and furbearing or non-game animals.
This sentencing completes the final prosecution of numerous defendants related to violations committed by Dustin Noble and Noble Outdoors associates and clients between 2015 and 2021. Twenty defendants have been collectively sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment, 15 years’ probation, 32 years’ hunt/fish/trap restrictions, and ordered to pay more than $275,000 in fines and restitution for state and federal convictions related to this case. The investigation included the seizure and subsequent forfeiture or abandonment of more than 50 trophy wildlife antlers or taxidermy mounts from 27 Noble Outdoors clients or associates.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
Broken Bow Man Sentenced to 10 years in Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Reyes Ernesto Garcia-Urquizo, 38, of Broken Bow, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Garcia-Urquizo to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garcia-Urquizo’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. However, he is also subject to immigration proceedings and faces deportation, having previously been found to be illegally in the United States.
In late 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and investigators with the CODE Drug Task Force discovered information about a subject picking up methamphetamine “in the middle of nowhere” and that the source of this methamphetamine was a Hispanic male in his late 30s or early 40s located in Broken Bow. In early 2024, CODE investigators would receive an anonymous tip that two Dawson County residents were distributing large amounts of methamphetamine that they received from a source located in Broken Bow.
CODE investigators began investigating the Dawson County subjects and observed that they were frequently leaving town in their vehicles and then returning and going to residences in Lexington that belonged to known drug users or areas of reported drug activity.
CODE then began conducting controlled buys. During one buy, the target advised he did not have methamphetamine with him and would be traveling to Broken Bow to get more. Investigators were able to conduct surveillance and ultimately identified Garcia-Urquizo as the likely source in Broken Bow. Through law enforcement investigation, the CODE investigators learned that an associate of Garcia-Urquizo would contact him and then meet up with Garcia-Urquizo at a rural intersection before returning to their respective places.
Investigators learned Garcia-Urquizo’s source and found he traveled to a specific location in Colorado to pick up his methamphetamine at a known drop location for methamphetamine brought directly from Mexico.
These cases were investigated by the CODE Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes federal partners with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, and Army National Guard Counter Drug Unit.
This effort is 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.
Walthill Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Arthur Marr, Sr., 48, of Walthill, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 8, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Marr to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Marr’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
In October 2024, Marr assaulted a man on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation, repeatedly striking the victim and causing serious bodily injury, including broken bones and internal damage. Marr’s assault caused the victim to be hospitalized for two days, during which time Marr messaged the victim and threatened to come to the hospital and assault the victim again.
This case was prosecuted in federal court because the offense was a felony and occurred on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation in Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jonathan Ayer, 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 5, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for bank fraud. Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Ayer to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ayer’s release from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Chief Judge Rossiter ordered Ayer to pay $6,406.89 in restitution.
On January 31, 2023, a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery man was delivering mail in a neighborhood near North 25th and Crown Point avenues in Omaha when he was robbed at gunpoint. The armed robbers demanded his arrow key and were able to obtain it. An arrow key is like a mastery key, allowing the holder to gain access to secure publicly accessible USPS drop boxes, such as blue collection boxes. U.S. Postal Inspectors canvassed the area of the robbery and obtained surveillance video from several neighboring homes, which captured a black sedan that appeared to be following the mail carrier on his route. Footage identified the black sedan leaving the area at an accelerated speed around the time of the robbery. No suspects were immediately identified, but the investigation into the robbery continued.
In April 2023, a victim placed two checks in the blue collection box at the Florence Post Office in Omaha. In May 2023, the victim checked his bank account and saw that one of the checks, originally made out to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), had cleared his bank account. The check was originally made out to the IRS in the amount of $15,171. The image of the deposited check had been altered. The victim indicated the writing on the check was all fraudulent and the only thing that was the same was his signature. The victim reported another check was attempted to be cashed; however, the payment was declined by the bank as a stop payment was placed on the check. The check was in the amount of $10,913 and written out to the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The attempted cashing showed the check was altered and the payee was also changed.
In May 2023, a U.S. Postal Inspector had contact with the Florence Post Office. The clerk indicated they believed they were having issues with an arrow key being used at the location as the volume of mail picked up from the blue collection box outside the Post Office was lower than normal.
Investigation into the bank fraud ultimately identified two addresses in Omaha of interest, which were neighboring homes. The investigation also revealed two possible suspects who were captured on surveillance video cashing checks at ATMs and in Walmart stores. One of the suspects drove a black sedan. Investigation ultimately revealed Jonathan Ayer and Ronnie Colvin, III were suspects in both the robbery and bank fraud.
A search and arrest warrant were simultaneously executed on both Ayer and Colvin in the early morning hours of December 7, 2023. Colvin was pulled over in a vehicle away from the home. Subsequent searches revealed thousands of checks, stolen mail matter and firearms. Colvin was charged with the firearm, robbery, and bank fraud offense. Ayer was charged with bank fraud.
This scheme involved obtaining legitimate checks from the mail and altering the original payee and amount of the check, replacing it with names and identities of individuals whose banking account information Ayer and Colvin had access. Ayer and Colvin would pass the fraudulent checks, obtaining cash. As a result of this scheme, the intended loss amount was over $4.4 million, and the actual loss was more than $200,000.
Colvin was sentenced on August 14, 2025, to a total of 126 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, assaulting a USPS mail carrier, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 150 Months for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Miguel Angel Rodriguez Ramirez, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 3, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for transportation of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Rodriguez Ramirez to 150 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Rodriguez Ramirez’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On May 1, 2024, Google LLC made a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating a Google user uploaded 13 videos depicting child pornography. The IP address associated with the CyberTip resolved to an Omaha residence where Rodriguez Ramirez resided. A Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a search warrant for Rodriguez Ramirez’s Google account and, in reviewing the Google account’s contents, confirmed Rodriguez Ramirez uploaded the videos referenced in the CyberTip to his Google Drive in March 2024. On August 8, 2024, the FBI executed a residential search warrant at Rodriguez Ramirez’s Omaha residence. Agents seized his iPhone and several electronic devices from within the residence. Rodriguez Ramirez informed agents he received the child pornography videos from a link someone sent him via Telegram and then uploaded the images to his Google Drive.
Agents forensically extracted and analyzed Rodriguez Ramirez’s electronic devices. The content of Rodriguez Ramirez’s Google account and his device extractions revealed he possessed at least 270 child pornography image files and 13 child pornography video files. The files included pornographic images and videos depicting prepubescent children, including an infant, and contained masochistic conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.