Valentine Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine Conspiracy and Gun Charge

Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Venetia A. Torres, age 44, of Valentine, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 7, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for her role in a methamphetamine drug conspiracy.  Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Torres to 192 months on the drug offense and 180 months for being a felon in possession, to be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Torres is released from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.

On May 9, 2023, U.S. Postal Inspection Service searched a USPS Priority Mail parcel mailed from Beaumont, California, to an address in Broomfield, Colorado.  The package contained 1,075 grams gross weight of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The same sender also sent a USPS Priority Mail parcel to Valentine, Nebraska.  The package weighed 2 lbs. 13 oz. with a fictious return address and recipient based on addresses.

On June 7, 2023, Venetia Torres approached a postal contractor attempting to retrieve the package. Approximately two weeks prior, Torres attempted to retrieve a package addressed to a particular trailer mailbox even though USPS records showed no one currently assigned this mailbox.

On June 8, 2023, USPIS went to the North Platte Processing and Distribution Facility and located the subject parcel that led to Torres’s arrest. The parcel contained suspicious characteristics. A federal search warrant was obtained, and the contents revealed to be approximately 4.5 pounds of methamphetamine.

On Friday June 9, 2023, codefendant, Aaron Torres, accompanied by his minor brother, arrived at the post office and asked for and received the package containing methamphetamine. Both were detained and questioned by officers.

Defendant Venetia Torres, mother to both Aaron Torres and the minor sibling, arrived at the police department and admitted knowledge of the methamphetamine package and of two previous meth packages on May 22, 2023, and May 3, 2023. In Venetia’s vehicle officers found a Hi-Point .45 caliber handgun, which she admitted knowing was in the vehicle. Venetia Torres is prohibited from possessing firearms due to having prior felony convictions.

The narcotics were sent to a forensic laboratory for testing and confirmed as 1,700 grams of methamphetamine with 98% purity.

On December 6, 2024, codefendant Aaron Torres pled guilty to drug conspiracy. Sentencing has been set for March 14, 2025.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service