April 30, 2014

Two Men Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Omaha

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Heriberto Gomez, Jr., age 32, and Adrian Pisares-Valenzuela, age 25, both of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced for conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in Omaha, Nebraska. Mr. Gomez was also sentenced for money laundering. Sentencing proceedings were held before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon. Mr. Gomez was sentenced on April 28, 2014, to time served, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Mr. Pisares-Valenzuela was sentenced on December 23, 2013, to nine years in prison and will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release following the completion of his prison sentence.

Heriberto Gomez, Jr. owned Gomez Auto Sales and traded methamphetamine in exchange for work done on vehicles at his business. He sold vehicles to Mr. Pisares-Valenzuela and others, knowing the source of the payments were from drug sales or other illegal activities. Gomez falsified paperwork regarding the purchase of vehicles to disguise the sources of the funds by falsifying the purchasers’ name, purchase price, down payment and/or subsequent payment amounts. He also constructed concealed compartments in two vehicles that were purchased. He used four bank accounts to deposit cash received from those transactions. On two occasions, Mr. Gomez did not file a Form 8300, a Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business. A Form 8300 is required to be filed with the IRS when a cash purchase of more than $10,000 takes place.

This case was investigated by the Bellevue Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Omaha Police Department.