Omaha businessman takes plea deal in drug-trafficking case

Navarro was the president of DN Enterprises Inc.

Federal and local investigators served a search warrant at Navarro’s home southeast of 132nd Street and West Dodge Road in May 2014. At that time, Navarro and his wife, Christina, were taken into custody for questioning. Police say they recovered a Ruger 9mm handgun and cocaine belonging to Gilbert Navarro.

Gilbert Navarro was one of six people accused of being involved in the drug-trafficking ring and indicted on federal charges last year. A co-defendant, Juan Delgado, also took a plea deal Tuesday, pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute meth and conspiracy to launder money.

Christina Navarro, 44, has a pending charge of possession of a controlled substance in Douglas County District Court.

Authorities say Gilbert Navarro and an accomplice, Doroteo Ponce, were engaged in drug trafficking between February and May 2014.

Ponce helped arrange for a large shipment of marijuana to be delivered to him in the Omaha metro area, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Molsen.

Navarro assisted in unloading and selling more than 110 pounds of marijuana and then gave the proceeds from marijuana sales to Ponce, according to the plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Others accused in the case are charged with trafficking methamphetamine in addition to marijuana.

Delgado sold usually more than a pound of meth per customer for Ponce in 2014. Delgado told authorities that he knew his customers were reselling meth in smaller quantities.

Navarro purchased a 2014 Dodge Ram pickup truck for Ponce through his business, to conceal that money earned from drug trafficking was used to buy the vehicle, Molsen said. Navarro agreed to forfeit the truck.

Navarro will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Some of Navarro’s co-defendants have hearings scheduled to take plea deals, too. Ponce’s case is still pending.