An Ogallala man received a term of probation as a sentence in a felony drug case.
Dakota Young, 31, appeared in Box Butte County District Court on Feb. 8 to be sentenced on two felony charges arising from a traffic stop in July of 2022. According to the Affidavit for Custody, on July 19, 2022, a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol noticed a maroon 2005 Pontiac G6 with a South Dakota license plate traveling northbound on Highway 385. The trooper noticed the passenger side tail light was broken, and initiated a traffic stop. When the trooper approached the vehicle, they noticed the “overwhelming odor of marijuana” coming from the vehicle, which had multiple windows open, according to the Affidavit.
When the trooper made contact with the driver, who was later identified as Dakota Young, they indicated the cause of the traffic stop, and Young advised that he was aware of the defect. According to the Affidavit, Young said he was borrowing the vehicle and had trouble providing the registration. He gave the trooper an Oglala Lakota Tribal identification card and said he did not have a license. When the trooper asked about the license, Young told the trooper he had taken the test and failed, according to the Affidavit.
During the stop, the trooper noticed an ashtray in the center console cup holder with a lit marijuana cigarette pushed down in the tray, as well as a brown paper marijuana dispensary bag on the passenger floor board, next to another black bag that the trooper saw contained rolling papers.
Young told the trooper he was traveling from Alliance to Chadron after dropping someone off. The trooper asked about the marijuana, and Young admitted marijuana was present in the vehicle, according to the Affidavit.
“Young reached over to the passenger seat and picked up a black rectangular shaped container designed to hold cigarettes,” the Affidavit said. “Young indicated that he had another marijuana cigarette inside the container.”
When asked about other items of concern in the vehicle, according to the Affidavit, Young told the trooper about a pistol in the center console. The trooper asked if Young had a concealed firearm permit, and Young told the trooper he did not.
“After exiting, Young disclosed that the firearm was his,” the Affidavit said. “He described it as a ‘ghost gun’ that he had built.”
The trooper initiated a probable cause search of the vehicle with the help of another trooper, which yielded a loaded 9mm pistol without a serial number, a black backpack with containers with THC labels on them, with each container determined to contain 3.5 grams of marijuana each.
While searching the trunk of the vehicle, the troopers located a white trash bag with three bags of marijuana two sheets of paper and two glass jars. Each bag of marijuana weighed one pound. One of the glass jars contained a substance one of the troopers recognized as THC wax, and the trooper also identified the sheets of paper as sheets of pressed THC wax.
Another glass jar, according to the Affidavit, contained a white powdery substance in the shape of a ball, which field tested positive as cocaine. Following the search, Young was placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. After being read his Miranda Rights, Young agreed to speak with the trooper and admitted the substance in the jar was cocaine.
“When asked further about his trip, Young advised he had been coming from Denver that day where he had gotten the marijuana and cocaine,” the Affidavit said. “Young advised that he was not on his way to Chadron but on his way to the Pine Ridge Reservation.”
Young was transported to the Alliance Police Department where he was interviewed by law enforcement.
“Young admitted each sealed package of marijuana from the bag to be 1lb,” the Affidavit said. “Young admitted to buying them for $1,000 each. He stated he could sell them for approximately $3,000 each on the Pine Ridge Reservation.”
According to the Affidavit, Young admitted the cocaine was for personal use. The total amount of cocaine weighed 13.1 grams in packaging.
Young was charged with possession of a firearm while committing a drug violation, a class 1C felony, possession of cocaine with intent, 10-27 grams, a class 1D felony, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, a class 2A felony, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, a class 2 felony, drug tax stamp, a class 4 felony, and carrying a concealed weapon, a class 1 misdemeanor.
Young entered into a plea agreement in December which reduced the charges to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, a class 2A felony, and possession of a deadly weapon during felony, a class 2 felony. Young pleaded guilty to the charges.
Young appeared before Box Butte County District Court Judge Travis O’Gorman to be sentenced on Feb. 8. Judge O’Gorman sentenced Young to three years of probation and ordered him to pay the court costs.