A North Platte resident, Joey G. Romero, aged 37, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentencing took place on December 12, 2024, in Lincoln, Nebraska. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis delivered the sentence for one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Following his release from prison, Romero will be under supervised release for five years.
The conspiracy spanned from July 2022 to February 2023 and involved several individuals including Jamie Hopkins, Michael Stroble, Luke Schwartz, and others. The group operated in and around North Platte, Nebraska, distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine. Their activities were monitored through controlled buys and search warrants which led to multiple arrests.
During the investigation period in July and August 2022, a Confidential Informant (CI) conducted five controlled purchases from Hopkins and Romero totaling 26 grams of methamphetamine and ten pills that tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl.
In addition to the CI's contributions, three other informants provided information regarding Romero’s involvement in the drug distribution network.
Luke Schwartz received a similar sentence of 120 months on August 22, 2024. Jamie Hopkins was also sentenced to the same term on October 17, 2024. Michael Stroble's case remains pending; he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation was carried out by the CODE Task Force comprising law enforcement agencies across a vast area of west-central/southwest Nebraska. This includes entities such as the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department along with state-level bodies like the Nebraska State Patrol and federal agencies including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).