Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Joseph Rauber, 51, of Pisgah, Iowa, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Rauber to imprisonment for a term of 180 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In March of 2020, Omaha Police Department narcotics investigators received information that Rauber was distributing methamphetamine and that he was being supplied by a female, later determined to be Almendra Escobedo-Orozco. On May 14, 2020, investigators obtained a warrant to search a residence in Omaha frequented by Escobedo-Orozco. On May 19, 2020, while executing the warrant, investigators arrested two residents. During the search, investigators seized drug ledgers, packaging material, 8,677 grams of marijuana, $4,336.00, Mexican passports, and various identity documents. Escobedo-Orozco, who had just left the residence, was stopped driving a minivan and found with two pounds of methamphetamine. Another residence in Omaha frequented by Escobedo-Orozco was searched. There, officers seized $7,800.00, a box for a digital scale, and 6 grams of methamphetamine.
On May 28, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Rauber’s residence in Iowa. The search yielded approximately 83.8 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 3.6 grams of cocaine, 7 long guns, 11 handguns, ammunition, stolen property, digital scales, and $55,035.00 in drug proceeds. Rauber was not at the residence at the time the warrant was executed. He was later arrested on July 30, 2020. All currency seized in this case will be forfeited to the United States.
This case was investigated by Omaha Police Department and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
