LINCOLN, Neb. — A North Platte man was sentenced to more than 27 years in federal prison for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy that moved large quantities of methamphetamine through Nebraska, U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced Thursday.
Guadalupe Ramirez, 40, also known as “Shrek,” was sentenced July 3 in U.S. District Court in Lincoln to 324 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Susan M. Bazis also ordered Ramirez to serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Federal authorities say Ramirez was a key figure in a conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine into Nebraska, primarily through mail shipments from California and Mexico. The drugs were distributed across the state, including in Omaha. Investigators estimate that between 15 and 45 kilograms of meth were moved through Nebraska as part of the conspiracy.
The case was part of a broader investigation launched in 2021 by the FBI and members of the Cooperative Organization for Drug Enforcement (CODE), a multi-agency task force covering a 22-county area in west-central and southwest Nebraska.
During the investigation, authorities linked Ramirez to firearms and drug-related activity via social media. One public video posted to his Facebook page showed Ramirez firing a gun out the window of a vehicle he used in the drug operation. Judge Bazis described Ramirez as “essentially the second in command” of the operation and told him that “a lot of drugs moved through Nebraska because of you.”
The years-long investigation led to 36 federal indictments, 22 local arrests, and the seizure of drugs, firearms, and cash. The effort was recognized with the 2024 Community Impact Operation of the Year Award from the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
“The trafficking of drugs into our communities is not a victimless crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “It has a destructive effect on our neighborhoods and families.”
Woods praised the CODE Task Force’s collaboration, saying, “The outstanding work of the CODE Task Force demonstrates that full prosecutorial and investigation collaboration can accomplish tremendous outcomes in the interest of making Nebraska an even safer place.”
The case involved assistance from numerous local, state, and federal agencies, including the Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Service, North Platte and Lexington police departments, and several regional task forces.