Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine
| U.S. Attorney’s Office May 08, 2012 |
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on May 8, 2012, a Lincoln man was sentenced to concurrent terms of 135 months in prison on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana between December 20, 2010 and December 29, 2010, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana on December 29, 2010. Adelfo Junior Soto will serve four years on supervised release following the prison term. He was also ordered to forfeit $1,596 in cash to the United States.
On three occasions in December 2010, an undercover Lincoln Police Department officer purchased ⅛ ounce quantities of methamphetamine from Soto’s co-defendant, Ivan Brooks, at the residence the two shared. Testing at the State Patrol Criminalistics Lab showed that this methamphetamine was at least 95 percent pure. On December 29, 2010, a search warrant was executed at the residence, leading to the arrests of both Soto and Brooks and the discovery of a total of over 1 ¼ ounces of methamphetamine. Samples of this methamphetamine also tested at least 95 percent pure. Officers also found more than ¾ ounce of cocaine and a small amount of marijuana. The drugs were found in various locations in the residence, including safes in both Soto’s and Brooks’ rooms. Also found was a total of $1,596 in cash. Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Brooks was selling methamphetamine and cocaine for Soto during this time. Soto was held responsible for the distribution of at least 500 grams (approximately 18 ounces) of methamphetamine and over 1 ½ ounces of cocaine.
Brooks pled guilty to the conspiracy charge and was sentenced in March 2012 to 10 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, which includes the Lincoln Police Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).