Lincoln Man Sentenced to More Than 26 Years for Drug and Firearms Charges

Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Blake Ruel, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Ruel to a total of 322 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.  After his release from prison, Ruel will serve an eight-year term of supervised release.

On May 11, 2021, an officer with the Omaha Police Department stopped Ruel’s vehicle in Omaha after officers conducting surveillance in Lincoln and Omaha observed Ruel engage in what they believed to be drug distribution activity. A police K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in Ruel’s vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and located what was later determined to be more than 104 grams of methamphetamine as well as a handgun. Ruel had prior felony convictions for terroristic threats and possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and Omaha Police Department.