Sinaloan Man Sentenced for 32 Pounds of Methamphetamine

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jose Emmanuel Vaca-Saldana, 24, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced February 28, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Vaca-Saldana to 108 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.  After his release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. 

On April 15, 2023, the Nebraska State Patrol stopped Vaca-Saldana for a traffic violation.  Vaca-Saldana was with his wife, and he told troopers that they had flown out to Los Angeles for their honeymoon.  Troopers became suspicious after hearing that the two flew to Los Angeles on April 13, and had rented the car the same day.  Accounting for the time the two would have been driving from Los Angeles to reach Nebraska, they would not have been in Los Angeles very long.  This behavior was consistent with drug smugglers.  Troopers asked Vaca-Saldana for consent to search the vehicle, which he granted.  During the search, 32 pounds of meth was located.  Vaca-Saldana took responsibility for the meth. 

This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.