U.S. Attorney's Office
United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Eduardo Aldaba-Montanez, 29, of Grand Island was sentenced on April 19 by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 40 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. After he completes his prison sentence, Aldaba-Montanez will also serve three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On April 28, 2021, employees from a day care reported child neglect to the Grand Island Police Department which resulted in police going to a Grand Island residence to check on the welfare of the children. Police spoke with the children’s mother who said that she lived at the home with the father, Eduardo Aldaba-Montanez, and several minor children.
While at the residence, investigators located Aldaba-Montanez in the back yard. He said he lived there with his girlfriend and the children and was not working. Investigators were allowed to walk through the home based on evidence of dirty and unsanitary conditions. In the basement, identified as Aldaba-Montanez’s “man cave,” police observed containers with marijuana residue, marijuana pipes, and Ziplock baggies. Investigators then obtained a search warrant for the home.
During execution of the residential search warrant, investigators found 130 grams marijuana, 49.5 grams methamphetamine, 32 pipes, three scales, a box of sandwich bags, two marijuana grinders, containers with marijuana residue, money holders, a bb gun, a second small bag of methamphetamine residue, and two cell phones. The methamphetamine sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab where a forensic scientist found there to be at least 46 grams of actual methamphetamine. Both parents were arrested on felony drug and child neglect charges. The three minor children were taken into emergency temporary custody by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The Humane Society removed five dogs, two roosters, and two chickens from the property.
Police interviewed Aldaba-Montanez who admitted that he was “holding” the methamphetamine for another individual. He said this individual let him use some of the methamphetamine in exchange for him holding onto one to two ounces at a time. He explained how the individual would package the drugs and give them to him to sell, and he would receive drugs or money as repayment. Aldaba-Montanez admitted that he had delivered drugs a few times, acting as a “delivery boy” or “middleman” during drug deals. He estimated that he had sold methamphetamine two to three times in the last two months.
This case was investigated by the Grand Island Police Department and the Trident Task Force which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.