Omaha Dealer Robinson Gets 15 Years for Guns & Drugs

OMAHA, NEBRASKA – Zaire Robinson, 28, of Omaha, is headed for a long stretch behind bars after receiving a hefty sentence for peddling poison and packing heat. U.S. Attorney Steven Russell announced Robinson was sentenced February 8, 2023, in federal court, facing a total of 180 months – fifteen years – in prison.

Robinson was convicted of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm while engaged in drug trafficking. Judge Brian C. Buescher didn’t show any leniency, handing down a 120-month sentence for the drug charge and another 60 months for the gun charge, to be served consecutively. Forget about parole; the federal system doesn’t offer it.

The case unraveled over a two-and-a-half-year period, beginning September 18, 2020, when a confidential source working with law enforcement purchased a Keltec .380 handgun and $80 worth of marijuana from Robinson. The transactions continued, escalating in firepower. On October 15, 2020, the source secured 3.5 grams of marijuana and a Ruger 9mm. The stakes rose again January 27, 2021, with the purchase of an AR15 rifle, a high-capacity magazine, and a variety of ammunition.

The investigation took a darker turn March 22, 2022, when the source attempted to buy 10 fentanyl pills from Robinson at his apartment. A subsequent search of the apartment on March 28, 2022, turned up a sickening haul: hundreds of fentanyl pills, a small amount of cocaine, and a Glock 22, .40 caliber firearm. But the apartment was just the beginning. This evidence led officers to a second location where they seized six pounds of methamphetamine and two ounces of powder cocaine.

Robinson, facing overwhelming evidence, ultimately admitted to possessing both the narcotics and the firearms. He built his little empire on misery, and now he’ll pay the price. The streets of Omaha are a little safer with this predator off them.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). They did the work, built the case, and now, justice – of a sort – has been served. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who flood our communities with drugs and guns will face the full force of the law.