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Press Release

Omaha Woman Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nebraska

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that on August 3, 2023, Alma L. Zapien, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 3, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for money laundering conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Zapien to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will also be subject to a three-year term of supervised release. 

Zapien was arrested after Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Agents learned she was assisting known drug traffickers by sending illicit drug proceeds to Mexico through wire remitter services she managed at her local convenience stores. Between June 2021 and June 2022, Zapien agreed with Javier De Leon Marin to wire transfer illicit drug proceeds from Omaha to individuals in Mexico. Over that time period, Zapien conducted more than 200 such wire transfers, totally more than $250,000 in drug proceeds to the drug trafficking organization in Mexico.

Javier De Leon Marin has pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and will be sentenced on November 3, 2023.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service

Contact

Matt Lierman – Chief, Drug Enforcement UniT (402) 661-3700

Updated August 8, 2023