Federal prison for Grand Island man’s drug and gun crimes

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - A Grand Island man is going to federal prison for drug and weapons crimes two years ago.

The U.S., Attorney’s office said Christopher Lee Perez, 36, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced Monday to 13 years in prison for a conviction for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. After he completes his prison sentence, Perez will also serve five years probation.

On December 1, 2021, law enforcement served a search warrant on Perez’s truck in Grand Island. Inside the truck, they found a backpack with a gun cleaning kit, a bag of 79 grams of methamphetamine, ammunition, and baggies. Under the driver’s seat, officers found a Taurus Millennium G2 pistol with a magazine containing rounds of ammunition. The pistol was readily available to protect Perez and the methamphetamine. Officers also found a digital scale on the rear floorboard.

This case was investigated by the Trident Drug Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.