United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 17 unsealed Indictments charging 19 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

• Mohamed Gamar Ahmed, age 19, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Ahmed with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl on or about March 28, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Ahmed with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about March 28, 2022.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment and up to life consecutive to Count I, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.     

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Brenda K. Banks, age 60, of Omaha, is charged in a nine-count Indictment.  Counts I through VIII charge Banks with wire fraud beginning on or about April 2, 2018 and continuing through June 25, 2020.  The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment for each charge.  Count IX charges Banks with bank fraud beginning on or about March, 2020 and continuing to on or about May, 2020.  The penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Martin Alvarez-Lopez, age 44, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony on or about April 21, 2022.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Kiara Jimenez, age 27, and Kelvin Baez-Adames, age 35, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue on or about August, 2021 and continuing to on or about May 4, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Danelle Charf, age 47, of Neligh, Nebraska, is charged in a five-count Indictment.  Counts I through V charge Charf with healthcare fraud beginning on or about October 7, 2020 and continuing through January 11, 2021.  The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment for each charge.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Tesluach K. Gatkuoth, age 25, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm on or about April 8, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Wagner Gomez-Batres, age 26, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 22, 2022.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Nestor Gomez-Orta, age 36, and Mellenize A. Utterback, age 30, are charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges Gomez-Orta and Utterback with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about April 25, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Utterback with felon in possession of ammunition.  The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about April 25, 2022.

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Anthony Jimenez-Godinez, age 22, of Franklin Park, Illinois, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 21, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Adrian Lemus-Cruz, age 24, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after felony conviction on or about April 20, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Juan Lopes-Castro a/k/a Juan Lopez-Castro, age 31, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 28, 2022.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Juan Lopez-Bernabe, age 36, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 16, 2022.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Javier Ramos-Padilla, age 47, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 26, 2022.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• BJ Jaquez Rice, age 29, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 11, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Detrick Anthony Michael Smith, age 29, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm on or about April 6, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Drug Enforcement Unit Chief Susan Lehr at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• Travis S. Walker, age 22, is charged with escape from custody on or about April 29, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

• DeJuan Wynne, age 29, is charged with escape from custody on or about April 28, 2022.  The penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Contact Criminal Chief Michael Norris at 402-661-3700 for further information.

This press release was released on May 18, 2022.