Two Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Offenses

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gerardo Soto-Sigala, 42, of Mexico and Daisy Franco, 35, of California were sentenced March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for their participation in drug trafficking offenses.  Soto-Sigala possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced him to 75 months’ imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  After Soto-Sigala’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.  Daisy Franco distributed 500 grams or more of meth and Chief United States District Judge Rossiter, Jr. sentenced her to 68 months’ imprisonment.  After Franco’s release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.

On May 9, 2023, Lincoln Police officers conducted a probable cause traffic stop for a vehicle infraction on a grey‐colored 2010 Honda Odyssey that was traveling eastbound, near the area of Mile Marker 396 on Interstate‐80 in Nebraska.  During the course of the traffic stop, officers identified the driver as Gerardo Soto‐Sigala and the front passenger as the Daisy Franco.

Soto-Sigala gave consent for law enforcement officials to search the vehicle. During the search, officers discovered a concealed compartment underneath the center console of the Odyssey that contained approximately 50 individual packages of suspected methamphetamine.  A forensic laboratory analysis later confirmed it was 98% pure methamphetamine weighting 25.7 kilograms in total.   

This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.