Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Michael Tinsley, 47, was sentenced on August 11, 2022, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Tinsley to 184 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Tinsley will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In December 2020, a Richardson County Deputy Sheriff attempted to stop a red Chevy Avalanche driven by Tinsley. He fled from the deputy at a high rate of speed. Minutes later, the deputy found the Avalanche abandoned in a ditch. During an inventory search of the car, investigators found methamphetamine, syringes, spoons with residue, two scales, and two cell phones. The deputy obtained a search warrant for the Chevy Avalanche and for the cell phones. During a search of the seized cell phones, investigators found evidence of drug distribution by Tinsley. The methamphetamine was tested and confirmed to be at least 120 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Several witnesses told investigators that Tinsley had been selling them methamphetamine in varying quantities in 2019 and 2020.
On January 4, 2021, Tinsley was arrested at a Lincoln hotel by a Lancaster County Sheriff’s Deputy. He had approximately 7.6 grams methamphetamine and a pipe on his person. He admitted he had used methamphetamine in the past and admitted that he had methamphetamine on his person.
This case was investigated by the Richardson County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.