United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Nelson Nicholas Nunez-Acosta, 55, of La Vega, Dominican Republic, was sentenced on February 4, 2021 by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Nunez-Acosta received a sentence of 132 months with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
On April 26, 2018, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop on an NNN Transport semi-truck hauling a refrigerated trailer for a traffic violation. The driver, Felipe Minaya, was an employee of NNN Transport, and the passenger, Nelson Nicholas Nunez-Acosta, was the company owner. During the course of the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity. While inspecting the refrigerator unit inside the trailer, the trooper determined that there was a hidden compartment concealed behind the unit. After accessing the hidden compartment, the trooper discovered 42 bricks containing 118 pounds of fentanyl.
Further investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol determined that Minaya became aware that he was hauling narcotics when Nunez-Acosta flew from New Jersey to California to meet him. During this time, the semi-trailer was loaded with the fentanyl. In addition to the criminal sentence, Nunez-Acosta also forfeited the semi-truck.
Minaya was sentenced on November 9, 2020, to 70 months’ imprisonment with a three-year term of supervised release to follow.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
