News Release Unites States Attorney-Omaha
Jan. 20, 2022
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 13 unsealed Indictments charging 16 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.
* Torey Lee Benson, age 40, of Norfolk, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about November 27, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jarrett Turner Chappelear, age 25, of Fremont, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Chappelear with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 29, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Chappelear with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about October 29, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment consecutive to Count I, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Terry L. Dill, age 38, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender after traveling in interstate commerce on or about September 30, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Alfredo Ek-Poot, age 49, of San Francisco, California; Esteban Dejesus Huerta Rocha, age 41, of San Francisco, California; and Ricardo Jiminez-Noveno, age 29, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about November 4, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
* Nicholas J. Franks, age 44, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Franks with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about July 1, 2021 and continuing to on or about December 8, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Franks with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 27, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Franks with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about December 8, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a ten-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Erin Leigh Gehrig, age 39, of Alma, Nebraska, is charged with possession of a stolen firearm on or about April 13, 2021 and continuing to on or about May 4, 2021. 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.
* Melissa Grantski, age 50, of Utica, Nebraska, is charged in a seven-count Indictment. Counts 1-7 charge Grantski with willful failure to pay over tax beginning on or about 2015 and continuing to on or about 2017. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Armando Ibarra, age 48, of Hastings, Nebraska is charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges Ibarra with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about August 1, 2019 and continuing to on or about May 26, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Ibarra with aid and abet possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about November 15, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Ibarra with distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 30, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Ibarra with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about May 19, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Raymond E. McGaugh, age 30, of Omaha, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges McGaugh with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about June 27, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges McGaugh with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about June 27, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment consecutive to Count I, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
* Marco Antonio Mejia, age 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with illegal alien in possession of a firearm on or about August 18, 2021. 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.
* Ruben Pena Avila, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about December 28, 2021. 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.
* Luis Miguel Rodriguez-Ponce, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about June 21, 2021. 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.
* Amy Shepherd, age 42, of Oxford, Kansas, and Johnny Bradford, II, age 50, of Lancaster, California, are charged in a four-count Indictment. Counts 1-4 charge Shepherd and Bradford with wire fraud beginning on or about 2018 and continuing to on or about 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.