Grand Jury - June 2021

Acting United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 16 unsealed Indictments charging 17 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

*          Kobe Amerson, age 18, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Amerson with unlawful user in possession of firearms on or about September 30, 2020, and on or about June 4, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about September 30, 2020 and on or about June 4, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of Marijuana on or about September 30, 2020 and on or about June 4, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a two-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.

*          Angela Michelle Brown, age 45, of Omaha, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Brown with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 13, 2017 and continuing to on or about April 16, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of Methamphetamine (actual) on or about April 16, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count III charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about April 16, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

*          Jose Cerritos-Valdez, age 45, is charged with reentry of a removed alien after having been convicted of a felony on or about June 10, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

*          Joseph Thomas Crum, Jr., age 29, is charged with escape from custody on or about January 29, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. 

*          Isaiah James Dorsey, age 19, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges Dorsey with production of child pornography on or about November 22, 2019.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $5,000 additional special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with distribution of child pornography beginning on or about November 22, 2019 to on or about November 19, 2020.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $5,000 additional special assessment. 

*          Riley Griffy, age 28, of Omaha, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Griffy with unlawful transfer or possession of a machine gun on or about April 15, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm on or about April 15, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count III charges the defendant with tampering with evidence on or about June 2, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.

*          James Robert Haage, age 29, of Omaha, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Haage with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine (actual) on or about November 2, 2020 and continuing to on or about May 26, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine (actual) on or about December 29, 2020.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count III charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about December 29, 2020.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

*          Elmer Rene Hernandez, age 42, of Omaha, and Kenneth G. Flowers, age 47, of Omaha, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Hernandez and Flowers with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine on or about March 16, 2021 and continuing to on or about March 18, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Hernandez with felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 18, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about March 18, 2021.  

*          Ryan T. Logan, age 41, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Logan with distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury, methamphetamine powder that tested positive for heroin and fentanyl, on or about October 21, 2019.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Logan conspiracy to distribute Heroin on or about September 2019 and continuing to on or about October 21, 2019.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. 

*          Eduardo Marquez, age 26, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Marquez with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of Cocaine on or about May 25, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of Fentanyl on or about May 25, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a four-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count III charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about May 25, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Count IV charges the defendant with addict in possession of a firearm on or about May 25, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

*          Dammon Mayfield, age 28, of Omaha, is charged with felon in possession of firearms on or about May 27, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. 

*          Octavio Padilla-Garcia, age 35, is charged possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine on or about February 19, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment. 

*          Darnell L. Polite, age 42, of Omaha, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Polite with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine (actual) on or about April 8, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about April 8, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

*          Jose Rivera-Pacheco a/k/a Hector Felix-Palomares, age 36, is charged with felon in possession of firearms on or about April 27, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. 

*          Marco A. Vallecillo, age 25, is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Vallecillo with possession with intent to distribute Marijuana on or about April 26, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a two-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about April 26, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute Marijuana on or about June 4, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a two-year term of supervised release, $100 special assessment.  Count IV charges the defendant with use and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about June 4, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

*          Cody D. Vancura, age 27, of Hayes Center, Nebraska, is charged in a four-count Indictment.  Count I charges Vancura with sexual exploitation of children after a prior sexual exploitation conviction on or about April 2, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 50 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $50,000 additional special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with receipt and distribution of child pornography with prior conviction on or about June 12, 2020 to on or about May 12, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $35,000 additional special assessment.  Count III charges the defendant with transportation of child pornography with prior conviction on or about June 12, 2020 to on or about May 12, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $35,000 additional special assessment.  Count IV charges the defendant with possession of child pornography with prior conviction on or about May 12, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and $17,000 additional special assessment.