Kate Ruth, Witness Retaliation, Nebraska 2024

A Wichita, Kansas woman has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for her role in a witness retaliation plot. On September 5, 2024, Kate Ruth, 36, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to assault a witness and attempted assault of a witness. There is no parole in the federal system.

Ruth will begin a 3-year term of supervised release after her release from prison. The charges stem from a plot to harm a witness in a financial crimes case.

The witness, identified as Victim 1, was being investigated by the United States Secret Service for financial crimes, including crimes involving counterfeit currency and checks. Johnny Dolph, who claims to be a ‘shot caller’ in the Irish Mob Gang, a street gang that originated in Oklahoma, was the mastermind behind the plot.

Dolph and Jennifer Norwood, also known as Jennifer Dolph, began contacting Victim 1 in an attempt to prevent her from cooperating with law enforcement. Dolph believed Victim 1 and her husband were cooperating with law enforcement and put a ‘green light’ on them.

Following the execution of a search warrant at Dolph’s apartment in Omaha, Dolph and Norwood began researching the affiant agent and magistrate judge listed on the search warrant. They also reached out to individuals outside of Nebraska providing information about Victim 1, where Victim 1 resides, and where family members of Victim 1 lived.

Ruth was recruited by Dolph to travel from Kansas to Omaha to attempt to carry out his ‘green light’ on Victim 1. She was driven to Nebraska by Juanita Gibson, who also later received a 24-month prison sentence for conspiracy to assault a witness and attempted assault of a witness. Dolph and Norwood let Gibson and Ruth stay at their apartment in Omaha, where they researched Victim 1.

Juanita Gibson was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to assault a witness and attempted assault of a witness. Jennifer Norwood was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to tamper with a document or proceedings, conspiracy to assault a witness, and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

Johnny Dolph was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment for felon in possession of a firearm; possession of a firearm following a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; 2 counts of false statement during the purchase of a firearm; conspiracy to tamper with documents or proceedings; tampering with documents or proceedings; 2 counts of conspiracy to assault a witness; and 2 counts for attempted assault of a witness.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the Omaha Police Department, and the Richardson County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

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