Federal court finds Omaha man guilty of child porn charges

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Below is a roundup of sentences handed down last week in federal court in Omaha, according to updates Monday from acting U.S. Attorney Steven Russell.

The acting U.S. Attorney’s office in Omaha reminds the public that there is no parole in the federal system.

Chance Devlin Eddings, 30, of Lincoln was sentenced Friday by Judge John M. Gerrard to 10 years for conspiracy to distribute/possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. In an investigation with Lincoln police and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, it’s reported Eddings was in connection with distributing meth in the state with nine other people from October 2018 through June 2021. Officials say he brought meth to resell others and sold at the most two ounces of meth to at least six other people. The release states he bought and distributed over 500 grams of meth during this time.

Prince L. Spellman, 39, of Omaha, was found guilty last Friday of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, or phencyclidine (PCP), possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. In an investigation with Omaha police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, officers went near a neighborhood in response to a ShotSpotter alert last March. 911 callers described a Jeep Cherokee as a suspected car involved in an incident of shots being fired in the area which matched the car officers saw in the area as well. More information from witnesses confirmed the Jeep as the suspected car and officers collected bullet castings from the scene according to the release. While patrolling the area in an unmarked car the next day, officials say, OPD gang unit detectives saw the suspected Jeep again and were able to stop the car with help from other detectives at a McDonald’s. The release states there were three people in the car and officers saw a gun in plain sight behind the driver’s seat. The car was searched and the driver later identified as Spellman was searched and arrested. According to the release, officers found a brown liquid that was later discovered to be PCP, over 50 grams of white power that was determined to be cocaine, and a bottle of blue pills that was revealed to have fentanyl. Further investigation revealed the gun found in the Jeep is connected to the bullet castings in the area of the ShotSpotters alert and they determined the same gun was used in the shots fired incident. It’s reported Spellman will be sentenced in January 2023.

Gregory Lukassen, 50, of Omaha, was found guilty on Oct. 5 for distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. Lukassen’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2023, and they face between 5 and 20 years in prison. According to the Department of Justice, a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alleged that Lukassen’s internet service provider reported uploads of child pornography. In Jan. 2020, officers contacted Lukassen and Lukassen allegedly admitted to chatting online about sexual fantasies and receiving child porn unintentionally during the chats. Devices were seized from Lukassen and allegedly showed cached images of at least 38 photos of child porn.

Joseph L. Harwell, 40, of Superior, Nebraska, was sentenced Oct. 5 by Judge John M. Gerrard to 76 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Allegedly on April 4, 2021, A Beatrice Police officer saw Harwell park his vehicle and walk away. The officer then deployed a drug dog and the dog indicated for narcotics. The Justice Department did not specify how the officer had probable cause to deploy a drug dog. Police searched Harwell’s vehicle and allegedly found a backpack that had meth, a digital scale with drug residue and several zip-lock bags. After sending the meth to a lab, it was determined it was 160.93 grams of meth, which at least 140 grams of which was actual meth.