Kearney Woman Sentenced to 4 1/2 Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Tammie J. Young, 53, of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln.  United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Young to 54 months in prison for one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture.  After serving her sentence, Young will be placed on supervised release for 3 years.  There is no parole in the federal system.

On September 28, 2021, investigators with the Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) conducted a controlled purchase of about an ounce of methamphetamine from Young in Kearney.  On October 14, 2021, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of about two ounces of methamphetamine from Young again in Kearney.  On January 5, 2022, Young’s vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation in Kearney.  A drug-sniffing dog was deployed around her vehicle and indicated to the presence of a narcotics odor coming from the vehicle.  Officer searched the vehicle and found a suspected methamphetamine pipe and a small baggie of suspected methamphetamine.  Young was arrested and searched, and officers found about a half ounce of methamphetamine in her pocket.  A lab determined that the methamphetamine Young distributed and possessed with intent to distribute in these instances totaled over 97 grams of methamphetamine mixture, of which at least 91 grams was actual methamphetamine.    

This case was investigated by TRIDENT.  TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.