Ricardo Jiminez-Noveno, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Nebraska 2022

A San Francisco man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for his role in a massive methamphetamine trafficking operation in Nebraska.

Ricardo Jiminez-Noveno, 29, was sentenced to 156 months' imprisonment by United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard in Lincoln, Nebraska, following his conviction for possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as cocaine and marijuana, with the intent to distribute.

After completing his prison sentence, Jiminez-Noveno will also serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

The operation began on November 4, 2021, when a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol stopped a vehicle traveling east on Interstate 80 near Grand Island. The trooper noticed the vehicle was driving at 87 mph in a 75-mph zone and could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the car.

When the trooper approached the car, he saw a bag of marijuana inside the car. A search of the vehicle revealed a mason jar containing marijuana in the front passenger door compartment, a backpack containing a methamphetamine pipe on the front passenger floorboard, and a small bag of cocaine in the pocket of Esteban Dejesus Huerta Rocha, the driver.

In the trunk of the vehicle, troopers found approximately 8.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 5.5 pounds of marijuana, and 10.8 ounces of cocaine.

Jiminez-Noveno pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022. Rocha pleaded guilty on July 6, 2022, and was sentenced to a 135-month term of imprisonment, along with five years of supervised release.

Jose Alfredo Ek-Poot, the third individual involved in the operation, is set to stand trial on January 23, 2023.

The case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ne/pr/san-francisco-man-sentenced-thirteen-years-transporting-drugs