Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Phillip D. Goetz, 45, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Goetz to 70 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a three- year term of supervised release.
On May 12, 2021, Omaha Police received a tip from a confidential source that Goetz was going to meet co-defendant Markisha Hill to purchase methamphetamine near 72nd and Grover Streets in Omaha. Detectives conducted surveillance and observed Goetz approach and enter a vehicle driven by Hill. The vehicle went to various locations, but at a Taco Bell, Goetz got out of Hill’s vehicle and entered a beige Jeep Grand Cherokee which left the area briefly before returning. At this point, Goetz got out of the Jeep and returned to Hill’s vehicle.
Officers followed Hill’s vehicle, observed a traffic infraction, and stopped the vehicle on I-80 near the 60th Street exit in Omaha. Law enforcement saw Goetz attempt to conceal something in his jacket. After consent to search the SUV by Hill was denied, officers deployed a trained drug sniffing dog. The dog alerted on the SUV. Officers searched and located one pound of methamphetamine in the SUV’s center console.
Co-defendant Markisha Hill has pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and will be sentenced on December 9, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
