United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Ricardo Gutierrez-Castillo, Eric Luviano-Cabrera and Heleodoro Luviano-Castillo were sentenced in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced all three to 168 months’ imprisonment.
There is no parole in the federal system. After their release from prison, all will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On January 2, 2025, investigators with the Omaha Police Department received a tip from the owner of a South Omaha Airbnb who observed suspicious behavior from the renters, including bringing in large pots and pans, large bags of what looked like salt, and fans. On January 3, investigators observed two individuals loading large totes from the Airbnb into a vehicle.
Investigators stopped the vehicle and identified Gutierrez-Castillo, 25, of Elkin, North Carolina, as the driver. Inside the vehicle, 33 kilograms of pure methamphetamine were found in the totes.After Gutierrez-Castillo was arrested, investigators took Eric Luviano-Cabrera, 41, and Heleodoro Luviano-Castillo, 41, both of Mexico and illegally present in the U.S., into custody. A search warrant on the Airbnb found a makeshift laboratory intended to separate methamphetamine concealed within other compounds. They also found an additional 15 kilograms of pure methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said, “Methamphetamine is a toxic poison undermining the safety and strength of our communities, and the Omaha Police Department should be commended for tearing down this criminal organization and disrupting the flow of this hazard substance into Nebraska from Mexico.” This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.