United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Enrique Steven Abarca, 26, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 27 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture with two prior serious drug felonies by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Abarca will serve 10 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Abarca was convicted of the conspiracy charge by a federal jury in December of 2021 after a four-day trial. He was held responsible for the distribution of more than 10 kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture in the Lincoln area between May and August of 2019.
Abarca had prior felony convictions for delivery of methamphetamine for which he received a sentence of one to three years from Platte County, Nebraska in 2016 and conspiracy to deliver cocaine for which he was sentenced to two years in prison from Dodge County, Nebraska in 2017. As a result of these two prior convictions for serious drug felonies, he faced a statutory minimum sentence of 25 years.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office.