Second man sentenced in 54-pound meth bust on I-80 in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A 26-year-old man was sentenced to federal prison Thursday in connection with a drug bust on Interstate 80.

Edwin Correa Miranda of Mexico got 11 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

On Aug. 17, 2023, a Nebraska state trooper pulled over a vehicle on I-80 in Hamilton County.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the driver, Juan Martinez Arroyo, was following too closely.

SEE ALSO: Man caught with 54 pounds of meth on I-80 in Nebraska is sent to prison

He and his passenger, Correa Miranda, gave conflicting accounts of their travels, raising the trooper’s suspicions.

So the trooper called in a drug dog, which smelled drugs in the vehicle.

Troopers searched the vehicle and found a duffle bag with 11 packages of meth in the trunk.

The Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab found that the meth weighed a total of 54 pounds.

Investigators said they also found a loaded handgun and five rounds of ammunition under the passenger seat.

Martinez Arroyo was sentenced last month to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release.

After prison, Correa Miranda will also spend five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.