Man sentenced to over a decade in prison for possession of meth in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. — A California man has been sentenced in a federal drug case that began in York County where he was found in possession of over two pounds of meth.

Federal officials say, Jason Smith, 48, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Upon completion of his prison term, Smith will also serve five years on supervised release.

The sentencing is from a case that occurred on June 3, 2022, when Smith was pulled over for a traffic violation on Interstate 80 in York County, Nebraska by a Nebraska State Patrol.

According to officials, during the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of Smith's behaviour and travel plans, prompting the involvement of a York County Deputy and his drug detection dog.

The drug detection dog alerted officers to the presence of narcotics. Subsequently, a probable cause search was conducted where officers discovered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine, divided into two separate one-pound bags.

Further examination led to the discovery of a methamphetamine pipe and a pill bottle in the center console, both belonging to Smith. The pill bottle contained approximately four grams of methamphetamine.

The methamphetamine was sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab for testing where the presence of methamphetamine in both one-pound packages, and in the pill bottle was confirmed.

Officials say the total weight of all methamphetamines seized from the car amounted to approximately 886.5 grams. The estimated street value of the seized methamphetamine was reported to be around $8,730.

At the time of his arrest, Smith was already serving a term of supervised release due to a prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Wisconsin in 2002.