Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Shawn Smith, 45, and Justin Cotten, 47, both of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced on Nov. 29, 2021 in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Smith to 60 months’ imprisonment on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. Cotten was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After their release from prison, each will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.
On Jan. 30, 2020, the United States Postal Inspection Service alerted the Drug Enforcement Administration of a suspicious package destined for an address in Blair, Nebraska. The address was known to investigators to be associated with Cotten and Smith. The following day, U.S. Postal Inspection Service obtained and executed a search warrant for the package and discovered approximately 166 gross grams of suspected heroin and approximately 352 gross grams of suspected methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and United States Postal Inspection Service.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
