OMAHA, NE – A routine traffic stop in Omaha last year blew up into a major weapons bust, culminating in a 70-month federal sentence for Mar D. Maluoth, 25, announced Wednesday by Acting U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr. Maluoth was convicted by a jury on July 20th after a three-day trial, and Judge Brian C. Buescher handed down the sentence today, with no chance of parole.
The trouble began on September 23, 2022, when Omaha police were surveilling a residence near 30th and Manderson Street, hunting for a wanted escapee. Officers spotted Maluoth exiting the house carrying what appeared to be a rifle, then entering a black Kia Optima. A subsequent traffic stop near 45th and Lake Streets revealed more than just a failure to yield at a stop sign.
According to court documents, Maluoth immediately began acting suspiciously as officers approached the vehicle, appearing to conceal something. A search of the Kia turned up marijuana and an open container of alcohol, but the real heat was under Maluoth’s seat. There, officers discovered a Glock 23, .40 caliber handgun equipped with a “Glock switch” – a modification that transforms a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machine gun.
The weapon wasn’t just modified, it was loaded. The Glock contained a round in the chamber and a partially loaded, extended high-capacity magazine. Forensic testing conducted by the Omaha Police Department confirmed the firearm functioned as a machine gun, a serious escalation of the initial traffic violation. The discovery immediately shifted the case from a minor infraction to a significant federal weapons charge.
Maluoth’s “furtive behavior” and refusal to comply with officer commands reportedly played a key role in escalating the search. After completing his 70-month prison sentence, Maluoth will face a mandatory three-year term of supervised release. The investigation was a joint effort between the Omaha Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case underscores the ongoing efforts of federal and local law enforcement to crack down on illegal weapons and prevent dangerous firearms from falling into the wrong hands. The ATF’s Kansas City Field Division oversaw the investigation, highlighting the regional focus on combating gun violence. The full Department of Justice release can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-ne.
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