Reyes Ernesto Garcia-Urquizo, 38, of Broken Bow, Nebraska, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentencing took place on September 11, 2025, in Lincoln, Nebraska. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis handed down the sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. After serving his prison term, Garcia-Urquizo will be subject to five years of supervised release and faces deportation proceedings due to his previous status as being illegally present in the United States.
The investigation began in late 2023 when agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators with the CODE Drug Task Force received information about an individual picking up methamphetamine at remote locations. The source was identified as a Hispanic male in his late 30s or early 40s living in Broken Bow. In early 2024, an anonymous tip indicated that two Dawson County residents were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine obtained from a source in Broken Bow.
Investigators monitored these individuals and observed frequent travel between towns and visits to residences associated with drug activity in Lexington. Controlled purchases were conducted during which one target revealed he needed to travel to Broken Bow for more methamphetamine. Surveillance led investigators to identify Garcia-Urquizo as the suspected supplier.
Further investigation revealed that Garcia-Urquizo’s associate would coordinate meetings at rural intersections before both parties returned home. Authorities also determined that Garcia-Urquizo traveled to Colorado to collect methamphetamine from a known drop location used for drugs transported directly from Mexico.
The case was investigated by the CODE Task Force—a coalition comprising law enforcement agencies across a 22-county region in west-central and southwest Nebraska—with support from federal partners such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, along with state and local agencies including the Nebraska State Patrol, North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, and Army National Guard Counter Drug Unit.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF aims to identify and dismantle major criminal organizations through coordinated efforts among multiple agencies led by prosecutors using intelligence-driven strategies. More details about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
“United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Reyes Ernesto Garcia-Urquizo, 38, of Broken Bow, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Garcia-Urquizo to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garcia-Urquizo’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. However, he is also subject to immigration proceedings and faces deportation, having previously been found to be illegally in the United States.”
