Woman (38) jailed for witness retaliation plot involving infamous Irish Mob Gang

Juanita Gibson (38) was convicted for conspiracy to assault a witness and attempted assault of a witness and sentenced in federal court in Omaha on Tuesday.

She will serve 24 months in prison followed by a three-year term of supervised release with no parole.

It follows the arrest and conviction earlier this year of Johnny Dolph (50) originally of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a leader of the Irish Mob Gang, which originated in the Oklahoma prison system, according to the Attorney’s Office of Nebraska.

Court documents show that Dolph was under investigation by the United States Secret Service for financial crimes involving counterfeit currency in 2021.

In September 2021, one of the Irish Mob’s gang members was caught in possession of counterfeit currency, forged cheques, and other items used for forging documents, with much of the evidence incriminating Dolph.

After his arrest, Dolph and a woman named Jennifer Norwood, or Jennifer Dolph, began contacting the arrested man’s wife in a bid to prevent her from cooperating with law enforcement.

Dolph, believing the couple were cooperating with law enforcement, put a “green light” on them, which is mob slang meaning permission to carry out a hit or other form of coercive action, according to local media reports.

In October of that year, after a search warrant was authorised for Dolph’s Omaha apartment, the Dolphs began researching the judge who authorised it, as well as the Secret Service agent who was the author of the affidavit

Dolph and Norwood also began providing information about the accomplice’s wife, including where she and her family live to others living outside Nebraska.

On November 19, 2021, Dolph contacted a woman by the name of Kate Ruth and requested that she travel from Kansas to Omaha to carry out a “green light” on the victim.

Gibson got involved in the plot when she drove Ruth to Nebraska while Dolph sent the pair money for fuel over CashApp, while inquiring about their trip and providing parking instructions.

Ruth and Gibson stayed with the Dolphs where the four researched the victim.

Gibson later admitted to the Secret Service, that she and Ruth had travelled to Nebraska at Dolph’s request to find a woman who Dolph had been looking for.

Authorities attempted to arrest Dolph on March 1, 2022, after law enforcement determined that a Hi-Point C9 9mm gun found in his possession had been obtained via the so-called, “straw purchase.”

In recorded calls, Dolph gave specific instructions to another gangster about how to find an item hidden in an air compressor inside a trailer kept in a storage unit in Omaha.

He told the man to destroy the evidence in the case by dousing it in gasoline and igniting it with a blow torch — and to send him a photo of it burning to prove he’d actually done it.

The FBI detectives in charge described their relief and “tireless efforts” that were “were instrumental in seeing justice served in this case,” said Kansas City Field Office Special Agent in Charge Brandon Bridgeforth.

“We can think of no greater outcome than protecting citizens and witnesses of crimes from violent criminals such as Johnny Dolph.”

"Our office has the power and authority to prosecute all offenses against the United States. Any attempts to subvert this pursuit of justice through illicit means will be met with aggressive prosecution," said Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr.

"Today's sentencing is an example of this commitment and should serve as a warning to those who are contemplating unlawful attempts to undermine the criminal justice process,” the Attorney said.

Dolph was sentenced on August 17, 2023, for various charges including felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of conspiracy to assault a witness, and two counts of attempted assault of a witness.

On November 14, Jennifer Dolph pleaded guilty to making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, conspiracy to destroy evidence and conspiracy to assault a witness.

Ruth’s trial is currently pending

With no parole in the federal system, Gibson will begin a three-year term of supervised release when she is free from prison.