Lincoln man to serve 26 years in prison on gun, drug charges

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A Lincoln man will spend a quarter of a century behind bars on gun and drug charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Blake Ruel, 35, was sentenced Friday to 26 years in prison for possession of meth with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

On May 11, 2021, an Omaha Police officer pulled over Ruel after authorities thought they saw him selling drugs.

A police K9 detected drugs inside Ruel’s vehicle, the attorney’s office said.

Inside, officers found more than 104 grams of meth and a handgun.

Ruel had been previously convicted of terroristic threats and possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver.

After his release, Ruel will serve an eight-year term of supervised release.

There is no parole in the federal system.