Two For One Deal

By Raul Fernandez 

(GERING, Neb.) — On July 4,2025 while on patrol, Gering Police Officer Enlow thought he saw a familiar face driving a white Ford focus. While at the stoplight on 10th and U St, the officer pulled next to the car. Recognizing the driver, he conducted a records search for Jacob Johnson. He learned that Johnson had a suspended license, but the car had pulled into McDonald’s during the records search.

Enlow later observed the white Focus exiting the parking lot, except now a female was driving. He then conducted a traffic stop on 10th and Q and went to the passenger side to make contact with the suspect. During the stop, the suspect denied driving the vehicle. Officer Enlow rebutted his response by alleging that they pulled into the McDonald’s to swap drivers. After placing the suspect under arrest, Johnson admitted and apologized for driving the car.

Prior to being placed under arrest, the suspect placed a small blue tin in the trunk of the car that he had in his pockets. The officer looked inside the tin and found a white powdery substance that through his experience recognized as meth and was later confirmed through field testing.

The female driver was identified as Sara Howell. During a search of her person nothing was found, until she was asked to remove her shoes. In her left shoe were three “tooter straws”. Enlow stated that through his experience, these metal tubes were used to ingest narcotics, specifically fentanyl. The substance inside the straws was not tested, but instead sent to the lab for substance verification. Both were arrested and transported to the detention center.

Jacob Johnson appeared before Judge Mickey on September 26, 2025, where he pled not guilty to possession of meth, possession of fentanyl and possession of paraphernalia. The judge scheduled a preliminary hearing on October 17, 2025 and issued a bond of $21,500 /10%.

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