By Allison Peck | North Platte Post/Sandhills Post
The FBI Omaha Field Office reported a year of expanded enforcement activity and major investigative outcomes in 2025, highlighting efforts to reduce violent crime, combat national security threats, and strengthen accountability across Nebraska and Iowa.
“These results represent an incredible amount of grit, perseverance, and initiative by our special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, along with strong and enduring partnerships at every level of law enforcement," said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. "We owe a debt of gratitude to our local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement colleagues for their teamwork apprehending violent criminals, gang members, drug traffickers, corrupt public officials, malicious cyber hackers, spies, fraudsters, human traffickers, child predators, terrorists, and other subjects harming our community. FBI Omaha’s successes this past year simply would not have been possible without these partnerships. Our accomplishments reflect the deep impact we had across Nebraska and Iowa combatting the most pressing criminal and national security threats affecting our region. Our work continues in 2026, as we’ll continue standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement and community partners to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution.”
According to the FBI, collaboration with federal, state, local, and tribal partners resulted in more than 548 arrests, a 20 percent increase compared to 2024. Of those arrests, 58 involved violent crimes against children and human trafficking, leading to more than 1,000 combined years in sentencing, including two life sentences without parole and an additional 30-year sentence with lifetime parole.
Agents also seized more than 240 firearms and conducted over 900 searches with a warrant or court order, marking a 23 percent increase from the previous year.
Among the most significant cases in 2025 were the federal indictments of 54 individuals connected to the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua, accused of participating in an ATM jackpotting scheme that stole millions of dollars. Charges included conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, bank fraud, bank burglary, computer-related fraud, and money laundering.
In another national security case, David Franklin Slater pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully disclose classified national defense information after sharing classified material on a foreign online dating platform.
In December, 13 Chinese nationals were arrested across five states in connection with a racketeering and money laundering conspiracy involving the interstate theft and transport of used cooking oil, which investigators say was refined into biodiesel fuel and resold.
The FBI Omaha SWAT team also arrested MS-13 leader Gerson Emir Cuadra Soto in Grand Island. According to a criminal complaint, Cuadra Soto was allegedly part of a professional assassination squad for the gang and had previously been charged in Honduras in connection with a quadruple homicide.
Other major cases included the life sentence of Carl Dale Markely, a former nurse practitioner convicted of sexually abusing and trafficking dozens of victims; the conviction of two men linked to the 2019 disappearance of Sunny Sramek; and the 262-month federal sentence of Kevin Stanley Harris Jr., a high-level fentanyl dealer tied to the Black P Stones gang.
Authorities also disrupted a human trafficking ring operating in Omaha-area and central Nebraska hotels, arrested five suspects, and secured lengthy sentences in multiple child exploitation and drug trafficking cases, including a 50-year sentence for Lucas Oliver Knowles and a 27-year sentence for Guadalupe Ramirez.
Throughout the year, FBI Omaha participated in operations such as Operation Restore Justice, Operation Summer Heat, and Operation Relentless Justice, resulting in more than 30 additional arrests.
The FBI encourages anyone with information about federal crimes to contact law enforcement by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online at tips.fbi.gov.