Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska

Acting United States Attorney Matthew Molsen announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 33 unsealed Indictments charging 35 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.

Jacob Smith, age 33, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges Smith with distribution of child pornography beginning at least on or about August 10, 2024, and continuing to on or about January 15, 2025.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Smith with possession of child pornography on or about January 17, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  

Jordan Vaughn, age 34, of Scribner, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Vaughn with production of child pornography between on or about November 1, 2019, and February 4, 2025.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Vaughn with possession of child pornography on or about February 4, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  Count III charges Vaughn with transfer of obscene materials to a minor. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a $100 special assessment.

Cody Williams, age 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about October 2, 2024.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a $100 special assessment.

Dustin Garcia Santiago, age 29, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Isabelle Ruth Engel, age 25, of Lincoln, Nebraska, are charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges Garcia Santiago with marriage fraud on about or between March 23, 2020, and March 30, 2020.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Engel with aiding and abetting marriage fraud on about or between March 23, 2020, and March 30, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a $100 special assessment. 

Darrell Damme, age 52, of York, Nebraska, and Jason Wainwright, age 36, of Seward, Nebraska, are charged in a three-count Indictment.  Count I charges Damme and Wainwright with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine beginning on or about September 10, 2024, and continuing to on or about October 21, 2024.  The maximum possible penalty for Damme, if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. The maximum possible penalty for Wainwright, if convicted on count I, is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 10 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment, based on his prior criminal history.  Count II charges Wainwright with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about October 18, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 10 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  Count III charges Damme with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about October 21, 2024.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.

Sherman R. Wade, age 44, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges Wade with bank robbery on or about July 3, 2024.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Wade with use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence on or about July 3, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 25 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  

Adrian Gonzalez, age 22, of River, Nebraska, is charged in a one-count Indictment with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about September 9, 2024.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.

Tyler Foreman, age 22, of Honey Creek, Iowa, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges Foreman with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about September 10, 2024.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 4 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Foreman with distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death on or about September 10, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 20 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 3 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  

Julius Leon Ditto, age 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges Ditto with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl on or about October 25, 2024.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges Ditto with assaulting, resisting, or impeding an officer on or about October 25, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 8 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  

Donald Isaiah Riley, age 47, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a one-count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about January 27, 2025.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Justin R. Anderson, age 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a one-count Indictment with using a false document on or about November 6, 2021.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:

Enrique Mendez Lopez, age 44

Julio Adrian Hernandez-Rodriguez, age 24

Carlos Narciso-Mendoza, age 37

Victor Reynoso-Perez, age 37

Manuel Zacarias-De La Cruz, age 28

Agustin Valenzo-Villanueva, age 36

Juan Chajal Ramos, age 41

Nicolas Bartolo Ramirez, age 38

Pascual Marcos Bernabe-Bernabe, age 27

Hector Antonio Rodriguez Menjivar, age 46

Luis Toscano-Perez, age 37

Marvel Anibal Pineda-Erazo, age 37

Jonatan Reyes-Ramirez, age 23

Hugo Lopez Jimenez, age 42

Orlando Caal-Cal, age 37

Carlos Manuel Castro-Cuin, age 34

Jose Gerardo Ibanez-Avila, age 34

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.

The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States after a felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:

Luis Rigoberto Medrano-Ramirez, age 45

Nelson Reina Lopez, age 32

The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:

Roberto Ortiz-Gomez, age 53

Melvin Javier Avila-Erazo, age 37

Edwin Jose Melendez-Lopez, age 44

The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.