United States Attorney's Office
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Latjor Gony and Jal Thong, both age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced on January 23, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for burglarizing pharmacies and Gony was also sentenced for possessing firearms by a prohibited person. United Sates District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced both Gony and Thong to 100 months’ imprisonment. Gony was also ordered to pay $42,489.01 in restitution to the victims and Thong was ordered to pay $46,929.53 in restitution.
There is no parole in the federal system. After Gony’s release from prison, he will begin a 6-year term of supervised release. After Thong’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
Between October 23, 2021, and December 22, 2021, pharmacies in central Nebraska towns were burglarized. Pharmacies in Ravenna, Holdrege, Minden, Alma, and Loup City were victimized. During each burglary, one to three individuals, dressed head to toe in hoodies, sweatpants, gloves, and masks, broke through the front door, entered the pharmacy, stole narcotics, then left within a few minutes. Evidence gathered by law enforcement agencies showed that Gony and Thong were the burglars.
Several different controlled substances were taken during the burglaries, to include hydrocodone, oxycontin, oxycodone HCL, oxycodone acetaminophen, Adderall, hydromorphone, and promethazine syrup. A distribution quantity of narcotics was stolen during the course of these burglaries.
Gony’s and Thongs phone records were examined by law enforcement. The records showed that Gony and Thong communicated with one another as well as with customers about the sale and distribution of controlled substances taken from the pharmacies. Data from the burglars’ iCloud, cell phone, and social media accounts included photos and videos of controlled substances taken from the pharmacies. Investigators found cell tower data showing that Gony’s and Thong’s phones were located in some of the towns at, or around the time that burglaries took place. Investigators also found images of Gony possessing firearms. From these images, investigators identified at least two different firearms, one of which came from a shooting range, and another was retrieved by Omaha Police officers several months later during a traffic stop. Investigators also found images of the burglars consuming controlled substances stolen in the burglaries.
Gony, who was on parole at the time of these crimes, had felony convictions from Nebraska preventing him from possessing firearms. His sentence in this case was enhanced because he had a prior conviction for drug distribution in Nebraska.
“When someone steals from a pharmacy, they’re hurting people who are often already in pain and in need of medicine. This is unconscionable,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “The DEA and our state, local and federal law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring down the individuals responsible for causing fear and destruction in our Nebraska communities as noted in today’s sentencing.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Omaha Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, The Kearney Police Department, the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office, the Ravenna Police Department, the Holdrege Police Department, and the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office.