Omaha Man Sentenced for Cocaine and Firearm Charges

Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Lashannon Bland, 41, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and the possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Bland to 78 months in the Bureau of Prisons. Bland will begin a five-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.  There is no parole in the federal system.      

On January 17, 2020, officers received a Crime Stoppers tip that Bland had guns and drugs at his Omaha residence which also had children present.  A baggie which tested positive for cocaine residue was identified during a trash pull.  As a result, a state search warrant was issued in February 2020 for the residence. During the search, officers located a padlocked bedroom. A search of the bedroom revealed 2 handguns (a Phoenix Arms .25 caliber handgun and a Hi Point GHP .45 caliber handgun), 2 clear bags containing 7.94 grams and 4.22 grams of cocaine, 18 grams of marijuana, 2 digital scales, as well as several venue items for Bland.  Bland gave a statement admitting to possessing the firearms and narcotics as well as selling narcotics.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s 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. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partner, the Omaha Police Department.