Nebraska man sentenced for possessing methamphetamine and a firearm following HSI, law enforcement partner investigation

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City Taekuk Cho and United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Brandon Goodsell, 36, of Kearney to 210 months' imprisonment on Feb. 1. The sentence stems from Goodsell's convictions of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

After he completes his prison sentence, Goodsell will serve four years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

On Aug. 2, 2020, Goodsell was on a motorcycle when he fled from Nebraska State Patrol officers at high speeds throughout York and Hamilton counties before he crashed in a Hamilton County ditch and officers arrested him. When investigators searched the backpack Goodsell was wearing, they found a loaded pistol, more than 200 grams of methamphetamine in five different bags, marijuana, hash oil, a scale, baggies and several items of drug paraphernalia. A forensic scientist at the crime lab confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and marijuana.

This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the York County Sheriff's Office and the Trident Task Force. The Trident Task Force comprises officers from HSI, the Grand Island Police Department, the Hall County Sheriff's Office, the Hastings Police Department, the Adams County Sheriff's Office, the Kearney Police Department, the Buffalo County Sheriff's Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and the FBI.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI's workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents DHS's largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

Learn more about HSI's mission to combat drug trafficking in our community on Twitter @HSIKansasCity.