Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office helps uncover beef theft ring

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and several other authorities have found the beef.

Back in June, the sheriff’s office began investigating after several semis holding frozen beef were stolen across Nebraska, including Lancaster County.

The sheriff’s office estimated the loss was around $1 million.

Since 2021, the sheriff’s office and Homeland Security Investigations discovered 45 other meat thefts that happened in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

Those thefts led to an estimated loss of around $9 million, according to the sheriff’s office.

Nebraska authorities soon discovered that these thefts were a part of a “highly sophisticated organized criminal enterprise” based in Miami.

The criminal enterprise had targeted beef and pork packaging plants, the sheriff’s office said.

Last Thursday, Nebraska authorities along with the Florida Highway Patrol and the HSI Miami El Dorado Task Force identified three targets in the criminal enterprise.

The authorities were able to recover three semitrailers containing about $550,000 worth of merchandise, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities then arrested Yoslany Leyva Del Sol, Ledier Machin Andino and Delvis L. Fuentes, who are all from Miami.

An investigation is ongoing with the HSI and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Task Force.

People in the U.S. and Canada may call the HSI Tip Line at (866) 347-2423 to report any suspicious or criminal activity.

Criminal activity in Lancaster County can also be reported to the Sheriff’s Office at (402) 441-6500.