Federal court sentences Nebraska residents to prison for drug, firearm crimes

Feb. 3 roundup from federal court in Omaha
(KTVF)
Published: Feb. 3, 2023 at 7:14 PM CST
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OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Below is a roundup of sentences handed down last week in federal court in Omaha, according to updates Monday from acting U.S. Attorney Steven Russell.

The acting U.S. Attorney’s office in Omaha reminds the public that there is no parole in the federal system.

Carlos O. Lopez, 29, of Bellevue, was sentenced Monday by Judge Brian C. Buescher to five years and three months in prison for charges of distributing Alprazolam pills and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. A controlled buy in Bellevue took place in January 2020. During the buy, an informant allegedly bought 50 pills and a handgun from Lopez. Alprazolam is a Schedule IV controlled substance.

Derek J. Barbour, 35, of Malvern, Iowa, was sentenced Monday by Judge Brian C. Buescher to two years and nine months in prison for being an addict in possession of a firearm. In March 2022 Omaha Police officers were sent to a hotel for suspicious activity and found two people in the back parking lot, one of which was allegedly Barbour. Police spoke with Barbour who was standing beside her vehicle parked between a dumpster and a storage container. A co-defendant, Zachary Younts, was also allegedly there and was seen by officers digging around in the back seat. Officers allegedly saw an open bottle of alcohol under the driver’s seat. They also allegedly saw an unzipped backpack with a gun holster inside. Officers then found that Younts had an active warrant out of Sarpy County and arrested and searched him. Younts allegedly had marijuana and a live round of .22 caliber ammunition on his person. As a felon, Younts was not allowed to have guns or ammo. The vehicle was searched and officers allegedly found 12 guns and a large amount of ammo, which were later determined to have been stolen from a residence in Iowa. Barbour’s purse allegedly had three bags of methamphetamine inside, as well as pills and a hypodermic needle.

Nolan Lee Al-Jaddou, 38, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced Monday by Judge Joseph F. Bataillon to time served of roughly 30 months, following placement in a mental health treatment center. Al-Jaddou was already in federal custody since his arrest in March 2020. Al-Jaddou allegedly made a threat to shoot members of the Islamic Center of Omaha. Al-Jaddou claimed he was “not himself” when he made the threat. Al-Jaddou was identified in part by his ankle monitor that he was forced to wear after he was sentenced in Iowa for harassing the mayor of Council Bluffs.

Matthew W. Miller, 36, of Weeping Water, Nebraska, was sentenced Monday by Judge Brian C. Buescher to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. In August 2021, Miller allegedly pawned Winchester .357 ammunition at an Omaha pawn shop. Miller was previously convicted for multiple felonies in several Nebrasa, including theft, burglary, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Balmore Hernandez-Castro, 24, of Lincoln, was sentenced Tuesday by Judge John M. Gerrard to 30 months in prison for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. Hernandez-Castro will also be deported to El Salvador at the end of his sentence. Deportation officers had a warrant for Hernandez-Castro’s arrest in July 2021. Officers stopped a car he was in and Hernandez-Castro allegedly resisted arrest. He allegedly refused to get out of the car and a struggle ensued where he allegedly punched, kicked, and bit the officers. Lincoln Police arrived after a 911 call and Hernandez-Castro was eventually arrested after a Taser was used.

Robert McClelland, 39, of Winnebago, Nebraska, was sentenced Monday by Judge Brian C. Buescher to 11 years and 3 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor. In May 2020 the victim told authorities that McClelland touched her when she was 5 or 6 years old. She told McClelland to stop and he did. McClelland allegedly admitted to the incident when interviewed by law enforcement.

Ryan Daniel Linehan, age 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 31, 2023, to 100 months in prison following his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. After he is released from prison, Linehan will serve three years of supervised release. On Feb. 5, 2021, law enforcement encountered Linehan at work, operating an excavator. When notified officers were there to arrest him on an outstanding warrant, Linehan allegedly barricaded himself in the excavator, in possession of a loaded Ruger handgun, which led to a nine-hour standoff. In Linehan’s truck, officers also located a loaded Hi-Point handgun.

Rudy Ortega Raymundo, 35, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced Thursday by Judge John M. Gerrard to nine years in prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of meth mixture and 50 grams or more actual meth. In October 2021, law enforcement in Frontier County got information that a vehicle on Old Highway 23 was failing to maintain speed. A Sheriff’s Deputy saw the vehicle and followed it to a gas station. The deputy contacted the driver, identified as Raymundo, and he allegedly refused the deputy’s requests. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and allegedly found a trash bag with four bags of meth inside, as well as a meth pipe and a scale in the center console.

Stacy Lynn Delamotte, 36, of Doniphan, was sentenced Thursday by Judge John M. Gerrard to five years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth. In March 2021, Delamotte allegedly shoplifted from a Menards in Grand Island. Police responded and Delamotte allegedly fled the scene. Officers found her vehicle in the parking lot, towed it, and got a search warrant for it. Officers allegedly found one ounce of meth on the floor of the passenger seat, as well as a backpack with two more ounces of meth, a digital scale, and a small bag with one gram of meth inside. There was also $6,000 in the glove box.