United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Juan Miranda-Funes today to 120 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Miranda-Funes will serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons.
Miranda-Funes, 44, was convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine with co-defendant Juan Carranza in the Omaha area between Feb. 1, 2019 and May 9, 2019. On Feb. 20, 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration used an undercover officer to make a purchase of methamphetamine from Miranda-Funes. The undercover officer arranged a second methamphetamine transaction with Miranda-Funes, which was to occur on May 9, 2019 at a grocery store in Omaha. On that date, investigators followed Miranda-Funes from his work place to Motel 89 in Omaha, where Carranza resided. Miranda-Funes parked at the motel for a short while, then departed, traveling to a QT convenience store. Investigators observed Miranda-Funes waiting in the parking lot at the QT. The undercover officer exchanged text messages with Miranda-Funes, who indicated he was waiting on someone to bring the methamphetamine to that location.
Investigators thereafter observed Carranza arrive and meet with Miranda-Funes at the QT. Miranda-Funes got into Carranza’s car and they drove to the grocery store, which was nearby. Investigators made contact with Carranza and Miranda-Funes while they were seated in Carranza’s parked car. Both men were arrested. Officers searched the car and recovered approximately one pound of methamphetamine from a container sitting on the passenger seat.
Carranza was sentenced on Sept. 24, 2020. Miranda-Funes will be deported from the United States to Mexico after serving his prison term
The case was primarily investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Omaha Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
