The day before the raids more than 100 law enforcement officers gathered in a North Platte National Guard armory for a briefing on the mass raid. United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Bath Par Kuol, 27, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 17, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Penalties range from 5 to 40 years in prison and fines that can reach into the millions of dollars. That HIDTA award, from a case which began in 2012, ironically spun off into this drug conspiracy involving this operation.. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. While spread across a nearly 200-mile-wide area, nearly a third of those charged were concentrated in the North Platte area. Several were well known to local law enforcement with many previous drug-related arrests. (Courtesy NBC Nebraska). Secure .gov websites use HTTPS You can cancel at any time. You have to understand we are talking about pounds and pounds and pounds of meth that these people were moving, said the law enforcement officer, speaking anonymously because they did not have authorization to speak publicly. An Arizona man who was driving the truck was arrested. Grand Island police officers surrounded the church., which is at 422 W. Second St. While all of those arrested will still face trial and are presumed innocent until found guilty, Gilg estimated more than 90 percent of the drug cases originating from a federal grand jury in the Omaha District have ended in guilty verdicts or plea agreements. United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced federal criminal charges against 12 members of the No Name Demons Gang in Lincoln, Nebraska. We cut off some tentacles.. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 22, 2023, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking. Defendants are presumed innocent until evidence proves their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Nearly 2,300 pounds of marijuana found in truck in Nebraska. State troopers have found a massive load of marijuana worth about $5 million in a disabled commercial truck on Interstate 80 in south-central Nebraska. (Photo by Bill Kelly, NET News). The first of 60 suspected meth dealers appeared in federal court in Omaha Friday following their arrest in a groundbreaking series of police raids in western Nebraska and Colorado. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Derrick Lloyd, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl analogue. Please subscribe to keep reading. The patrol says the search turned up nearly 2,300 pounds of marijuana concealed inside cardboard boxes marked as electronics and other items. The auto detailing shop in Blue Hill, Nebraska raided by the FBI this week. United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Darrel B. Twombly, 40, of Bayport, Minnesota, was sentenced on February 17, 2023, to 15 years and eight months for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture, 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and an unspecified amount of heroin by Senior United States District Judge John M. 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One investigator referred to the operation as a monster involving law enforcement agencies from 22 Nebraska counties, Colorado law enforcement, and federal agencies. Glass, 47, of Fremont, Nebraska, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to 9 months incarceration for Conspiracy to Commit Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law. All arrests were made without incident. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Departments past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. At approximately 3:35 p.m. Sunday, a trooper was on patrol on 27th Street near Interstate 80 in Lincoln when he saw what appeared to be two vehicles that had just had a crash. The trooper later became suspicious that the truck was involved in criminal activity, and it was towed to a patrol office in Lexington and searched. Press Release. Col. Bradley Rice, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said these arrests should be "a warning" to those dealing in drugs. Lock Deborah R. Gilg, U.S. attorney for Nebraska, announced on Tuesday that 63 individuals have been indicted as part of a yearlong Department of Justice investigation into a methamphetamine conspiracy in central and western Nebraska and northeastern Colorado. We will continue to investigate, arrest, and charge violent gang members who terrorize our community. 1620 Dodge St, Suite 1400 Jeff Bahr. Marshals Service and Webster County Sheriffs Department. =-=-= Follow Jeff on Twitteror onFacebook=-=-=. There was a problem saving your notification. The Grand Island Police Department and Hall County Sheriffs Department were among 29 law enforcement agencies that worked on one of the largest drug busts in Nebraska history. The federal government isn't actually measuring how inflation is hurting rural America, Participation in girls basketball is declining, creating challenges for some Nebraska teams, Getting around rural America without a car is hard. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KCCI-TV. Most of those arrested are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, reflecting that evidence would show they are dealers of 50 grams or more when they dealt with undercover officers. Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms. NORTH PLATTE, Neb. While there are no indications of a local presence of cartel representatives, and there was no large-scale coordination of controlling regional drug trafficking, law enforcement officials involved in the investigation say the arrests succeeded in smashing individual meth dealer groups in a number of communities. The Nebraska State Patrol says in a news release that the marijuana was found Saturday afternoon, when a trooper noticed a commercial box truck stopped on the shoulder of eastbound I-80 near Cozad and stopped to help. Teams of local and federal officers were deployed to locations across the region and arrests began at exactly the same time to reduce the chance those being pursued would warn one another. Other entities taking part were the Alliance Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, Cheyenne County Sheriffs Department, Cozad Police Department, Dawson County Sheriffs Department, Deuel County Sheriffs Department, Gering Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriffs Department, North Platte Police Department, Ogallala Police Department, Perkins County Sheriffs Department, Red Willow County Sheriffs Department, Scottsbluff Police Department, Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Department, Sidney Police Department, U.S. A year-long investigation . Legislature Nixes Food Benefits for Released Drug Offenders, Interdisciplinary Roundtable Seeks to Address Opioid Challenges, Federal Judge Allows Nebraska Execution To Move Forward. The defendants are alleged to have used the firearms not only to further their drug trafficking but also to commit robberies of individuals in Lincoln. A lock ( NET News previously reported on a series of arrests by federal and state authorities that laid the groundwork for this week's massive operation. Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Lincoln man after a hit and run crash led to a pursuit in north Lincoln. Everyone loves a parade, especially when you are robbing a bank. 2020 (184) 2019 (185) 2018 (133) 2017 (91) 2016 (116) 2015 (127 . Other defendants face up to 60 years in federal prison if convicted of their charges. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The charges allege a firearms conspiracy; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act); drug trafficking crimes; and multiple charges of possessing firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence and drug trafficking crimes. United States Attorney Steven A. Russell announced that Raymond McGaugh, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha on February 22, 2023, for Possession with Intent to United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Thomas Costanza, 52, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession of a firearm by a felon. Updated: 12:18 PM CDT Aug 17, 2020 State troopers have found a massive load of marijuana worth about $5 million in a disabled commercial truck on Interstate 80 in south-central Nebraska. Constance Baasch, 68, of rural Grand Island, died on Feb. 28 from injuries suffered in October. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. I am the Cops & Courts Reporter for the Grand Island Independent. February 21, 2023. Working closely with ourfederal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the Lincoln Safe Streets Gang Task Force has struck a major blow against violent gang activity in the Lincoln area. Suspects have addresses in North Platte, Scottsbluff, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, Lexington and Gibbon. This is an incredible effort involving nearly 30 law enforcement agencies, Gilg said in a news release. Milan Alexander, 42, who maintains residences in both Joplin and Webb City, was charged in a four-count . Colorado law enforcement agencies involved were the Denver office of the FBI, the Holyoke Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriffs Department and the U.S. attorneys office for the District of Colorado. North Platte Police Chief Mike Swain told reporters his department began to see a growing problem with drug trafficking in the community several years ago and reached out to other agencies for assistance. Have a question about Government Services? A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Gilg and other law enforcement officials will announce details of the operation on Friday morning in North Platte. Lincoln:(402) 437-5241. Kelly added, Federal statutes provide effective tools to combat violent crimes involving firearms and the cooperation of all levels of law enforcement, as here, will keep our communities safe., After todays arrests, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, Protecting the public from violent criminals is a fundamental core of the FBI's mission.