Nebraska
Lincoln woman sentenced for stealing drugs used as evidence in Nebraska State Patrol cases
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A 38-year-old woman who worked in the Nebraska State Patrol evidence room was sentenced Wednesday to nearly 22 years in federal prison for stealing more than 200 pounds of drugs that had been ordered destroyed.
Anna Idigima of Lincoln was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard for imprisonment and conspiracy to distribute drugs resulting in serious bodily injury. She will serve a term of 21 years and 10 months followed by five years of supervised release; the federal system does not offer parole.
An investigation revealed that Idigima, an NSP employee who worked in the stored evidence room, stole the drugs in June-August 2021. According to the news release from the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr, Idigima then gave the drugs to her boyfriend and co-defendant, George Weaver, to sell in Lincoln.
She was fired from the NSP in September 2021. Weaver pleaded guilty to related charges earlier this year.
“Video surveillance from NSP’s Lincoln evidence storage facility shows Idigima opening sealed boxes, taking items from those boxes, putting them in garbage bags and loading the bags into her personal vehicle on several occasions,” the release states.
Following an audit of the rooms Idigima had access to, Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force investigators were able to determine that numerous assorted pills, 154 pounds of marijuana, 19 pounds of cocaine, 6 pounds of fentanyl, 10 pounds of heroin, 3 pounds of meth, 32 pounds of THC, and 1,270 THC vape cartridges had been taken.
The theft of $1.2 million in NSP drug evidence resulted in nearly 100 criminal cases being dismissed.
Investigators also searched her boyfriend’s Snapchat account, where they found conversations about drugs as well as a photo of several large bags of marijuana, one of which had red tape resembling the sorts of evidence markings typically used by NSP in their investigations. A search of Weaver’s apartment, which is where the photo was likely taken, turned up residue evidence of cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana, the release states.
In the weeks following, two separate overdose incidents led investigators to ultimately trace the drugs to Weaver and Idigima, leading to their arrests. In both instances, the people overdosed on what they believed was cocaine and required Narcan in order to be revived. Authorities determined they had actually overdosed on cocaine laced with fentanyl.
According to the report, while Idigima was incarcerated Saline County Jail, she sent a letter to another inmate in the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York in January 2023 admitting to taking the drugs. The letter was intercepted by jail staff.
“In the letter, Idigima identified herself as ‘Anna Idigima’ and wrote: ‘You may have heard about the case. I was the evidence tech from the Nebraska State Patrol who took 1.2 million in drugs and sold them,’” the release states.
The Lancaster and Saline county sheriff’s offices, the UNL Police Department, and the Nebraska City Police Department assisted NSP in the investigation on this case.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 WOWT. All rights reserved.
Nebraska
Badgers Wire staff predictions for Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
Both programs enter play Saturday trying to figure out who they are and what they have left in the tank.
Wisconsin will be working with a new play-caller on offense, attempting to reestablish their strong form from earlier in the season. If the Badgers are to get back on track, it will be as a result of the reemergence of Tawee Walker in the backfield. Braedyn Locke is more suited for a rush-heavy attack on offense, sprinkling in passes when needed.
On the other side, after being a top 25 team, Nebraska fell back into the program’s old ways, losing several consecutive one-score games. Losers of four straight and at home for the last time in 2024, Matt Rhule’s squad will be itching to snap the 10-game skid versus Wisconsin. I’m inclined to go with history here.
Prediction: Wisconsin 24, Nebraska 20
Nebraska
'This is actually a cool place': Tourists spent record $4.6 billion in Nebraska last year
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Is Nebraska a new tourism hot spot?
A new report from Visit Nebraska shows a major increase in travel, providing an economic boost.
Last year, out-of-state visitors spent $4.6 billion in Nebraska, an all-time record.
And since 2019, the number of overnight hotel guests has doubled, with 76% of them coming from out of state.
What happened in 2019? Visit Nebraska began a new marketing strategy that included ideas such as finding out what locations it should be promoting and focusing on attracting out of state visitors.
“Truly it’s just because people have been invited to the state in a way they understand, in a way that makes sense,” said John Ricks, executive director of Visit Nebraska, also known as the Nebraska Tourism Commission.
SEE ALSO: Nebraska tourism slogan is no more. ‘Everything has a shelf life,’ official says
Ricks says the preconceived notion of Nebraska being a flyover state isn’t true. The commission just had to let people know what the state offers.
After talking with out-of-state visitors, it learned what barriers were keeping people from the Cornhusker State.
“There’s just a simple awareness problem and a familiarity problem,” Ricks said.
SEE ALSO: Nebraska Tourism receives second national award for ‘not for everyone’ campaign
We asked users of the Now Local News App, some who live here and some who don’t, what their favorite spots are in Nebraska.
“I think that going out to western Nebraska is my family’s favorite place to go,” Melanie Dawkins said. “I don’t think enough Nebraskans make it all the way out there, like to the Panhandle.”
Kimberly Grace, who lives out of state, said she likes visiting the Stuhr Museum at Grand Island.
“You can learn about the pioneer days, and they have houses that they put on the land where you can go to visit.”
SEE ALSO: Rooms fill up in Lincoln, one of Airbnb renters’ top college football destinations
Ricks says to keep this growth going, it’s always going to be about getting the word out.
“The more people we make aware, the more people who are discovering that, ‘Hey, whatever I heard in the past isn’t true, and this is actually a cool place.’”
According to Ricks, despite the 2023 numbers just getting released, this year’s numbers are already beating last year’s by over 10%.
Nebraska
Wisconsin and Nebraska are both seeking bowl eligibility and an end to their losing streaks
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Bowl eligibility goes to the winner. Wisconsin is looking to extend its bowl streak to 22 seasons, third-longest in the nation. Nebraska has lost four straight after a 5-1 start and is looking to go to a bowl for the first time since 2016, the longest drought in the Power Four. The Badgers, losers of three straight, have clinched bowl eligibility the last two years with wins over Nebraska.
KEY MATCHUP
Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola vs. Wisconsin pass defense. Raiola will be playing his second game with new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen as the play-caller. The freshman has struggled against Big Ten opponents. He’s thrown just three touchdown passes and been intercepted eight times over the last six games. Wisconsin has one of the best pass defenses in the conference and has allowed just three TD passes in six games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wisconsin: QB Braedyn Locke, like Raiola, has struggled and will have a new offensive coordinator following the firing of Phil Longo. The Badgers have scored a combined 33 points during their three-game losing streak, with Locke completing 49.4% of his passes (49 of 99) with two TDs and four interceptions.
Nebraska: DE Ty Robinson, a sixth-year player, will need to be his best in his final home game going against a Wisconsin offensive line that has allowed just 11 sacks. He’s one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the Big Ten, with 10 tackles for loss and six sacks.
FACTS & FIGURES
Wisconsin has won 10 straight meetings with Nebraska, including all nine since the Freedom Trophy was introduced in 2014. The Badgers are 11-1 against Nebraska since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. … Nebraska is 0-8 under second-year coach Matt Rhule when trying to win a sixth game to become bowl-eligible. … Badgers have allowed only two plays of 40-plus yards, tied with Ohio State for fewest in the country. … Wisconsin’s Tawee Walker is averaging 97.3 rushing yards per game in his six Big Ten starts.
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