Omaha Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced today to more than 10 years in federal prison.

Jose L. Velez, Sr., age 39, from Omaha, Nebraska, received the prison term after a June 12, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, Velez admitted on or about February 23, 2024, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 14 pounds of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

Velez, Sr. was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Velez, Sr. was sentenced to 126 months' imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Velez, Sr. is being held in the United States Marshal's custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff's Office, the Clear Lake Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Mason City Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Cerro Gordo County Attorney's Office.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-CR-03018.

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