United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Randall Alan Hughes, 58, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 38 years in prison by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard, for production of child pornography.  After serving his prison sentence, Hughes will then be required to be on supervised release for the remainder of his life and register as a sex offender.   

In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security received information that an ISP subscriber who resided in Lincoln, Nebraska was uploading child pornography in a chat room. A federal search warrant was served at Hughes’s residence in Lincoln, for evidence relating to production, distribution and possession of child pornography.  As a result of the search, cellular telephones and other computer storage media were seized for forensic analysis and investigators found evidence that proved Hughes has been producing child pornography involving prepubescent minor victims.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. 

Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 29 indictments charging 30 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

*          Mark M. Ackerman, age 31, of Crete, Nebraska is charged in a 15 Count Indictment with Wire Fraud on or about January 1, 2010 through October 15, 2017.  The Indictment alleges Ackerman, an office manager at Vertical Horizons Contracting, Inc., defrauded VHC causing losses of $1,741,369.05.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment for each count, a $250,000 fine for each count, a 3 year term of supervised release for each count, and a $100 special assessment for each count.

 

 *          Pedro Ajin,  age 58, of O’Neill, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation following a felony conviction on or about December 13, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

 

 *          Gilberto Antonio Baltazar,  age 47, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed Alien after deportation on or about January 4, 2018.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

 

 *          Bayron Remberto Cruz Lopez,  age 35, is charged with illegal reentry of a previously removed Alien after deportation on or about December 18, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

 

 *          Calvin Dugan, age 29, is charged with possession of child pornography on or about December 13, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 5 years-Life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment with an additional special assessment of $5,000. 

 

 *          Johnny Hernandez Hernandez,  age 32, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about December 14, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

 

 *          Randall Hughes, age 57, of Lincoln, is charged in a three-count Indictment.  Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with production of child pornography on or about December 13, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15-30 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 5 years-Life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment with an additional special assessment of $5,000.  Count II of the Indictment charges the defendant with production of child pornography on or about December 13, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15-30 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 5 years-Life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment with an additional special assessment of $5,000. Count III of the Indictment charges Hughes with possession of child pornography on or about December 13, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-Life term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment with an additional special assessment of $5,000 for each count.

 

 *          Juanita Lara, age 34, is charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine beginning on or about December, 2015 and continuing to on or about December 15, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. 

 

*          Richard Meloccaro, a/k/a Rick, age 53, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I charges the defendant with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine beginning on or about November, 2016, and continuing to on or about November 28, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about November 11, 2017. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about November 28, 2017.

 

 *          Tyler Palmer, age 24, of Columbus, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about November 21, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a 4 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.  Count II of the Indictment charges the defendant with using, carrying, or possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime on or about November 21, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life consecutive imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5 year term of supervised release and $100 special assessment. 

 

*          Gregorio F. Rangel-Avila,  age 38, of Gering, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about October 8, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

 

 *          Robert E. Sanford, age 36, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with bank robbery on or about January 11, 2018.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges Sanford with bank robbery on or about December 26, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

 

 *          Michael R. Schweitzer, age 47, of Beatrice, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment.  Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with threatening an employee of the Social Security Administration on or about July 20, 2017.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 6 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges Schweitzer threatening an employee of the Social Security Administration on or about June 30, 2015.  The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 6 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3 year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.