COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Nebraska man was sentenced late last month in Council Bluffs, to serve 84-months (7 years) in prison. According to U-S Attorney Richard D. Westphal, 36-year-old Richard Joseph Moreno, of Omaha, was sentenced following his plea of guilty to Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. After he is released from prison, Moreno will serve three years of supervised release.

On August 17, 2021, a Mills County Sherriff’s Deputy stopped Moreno for traffic violations. The deputy discovered the truck had been reported stolen. The truck smelled of spray paint and appeared as if it had been recently repainted from white to black. When Moreno stepped out of the vehicle, a marijuana pipe fell off his lap. During a search of the truck, officers located a locked bag and later opened it after obtaining a search warrant. Inside the locked bag was ammunition and a loaded firearm that had been reported stolen. Moreno had a prior felony conviction that prevented him from possessing a firearm.

The Mills County Sheriff Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).