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LINCOLN – United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ramon Lopez-Larios, 53, of San Ysidro, California, was sentenced on August 6, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 100 grams or more of fentanyl with the intent to resell, as well as illegal possession of a firearm.

Senior U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Lopez-Larios to 168 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. He will also forfeit $2,900 in U.S. currency to the United States because of his background in drug trafficking.

On August 18, 2022, the Nebraska State Patrol conducted a traffic stop of a California vehicle on I-80 at mile marker 231. Police deployed a sniffer dog, which indicated the presence of narcotics. Officers then searched the vehicle and found two statues. Officers used a Viken Backscatter X-ray machine and showed hidden packages inside the statues.

Officers examined the packages and found that they contained meth. Police seized 59 pounds of meth and 9 pounds of fentanyl from the vehicle. Upon further investigation, a firearm was found in a bucket in the back of the vehicle. Police confirmed that Lopez-Larios is an illegal immigrant. In addition, $2,900 was seized from Lopez-Larios’ pants pocket.

This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.