Two Omaha men sentenced for burglarizing several central Nebraska pharmacies
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Two Omaha men were sentenced Thursday for multiple burglaries of pharmacies in central Nebraska.
Latjor Gony and Jal Thong, both 29, each got eight years and four months in federal prison.
After they are out, Gony will serve a six-year term of supervised release, while Thong will serve three years.
Gony was also ordered to pay $42,489.01 in restitution to the victims. Thong was ordered to pay $46,929.53 in restitution.
Between October and December 2021, numerous pharmacies were burglarized in Ravenna, Holdrege, Minden, Alma and Loup City.
During each burglary, one to three people — dressed in hoodies, sweatpants, gloves and masks — broke through the front door and stole drugs.
Several different drugs were taken during the burglaries, including hydrocodone, oxycontin, oxycodone hydrochloride, oxycodone acetaminophen, Adderall, hydromorphone and promethazine syrup.
Gony and Thong’s phone records showed that they communicated with customers about the sale of drugs taken from the pharmacies, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The phones also had photos and videos of the drugs.
Cell tower data also showed that Gony and Thong were in the towns at, or around, the time of the burglaries.
“When someone steals from a pharmacy, they’re hurting people who are often already in pain and in need of medicine. This is unconscionable,” said Steven Bell, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Omaha Division. “The DEA and our state, local and federal law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring down the individuals responsible for causing fear and destruction in our Nebraska communities as noted in today’s sentencing.”
Gony, who was on parole at the time of these crimes, was also sentenced for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He had previous felony convictions.
His sentence for the burglaries was enhanced because he had a prior conviction for drug distribution in Nebraska.
