Investigators with the WING (Western Nebraska Intelligence and Narcotics Group) Task Force have arrested two men and broken up a marijuana growing operation in Scotts Bluff County.

In the morning hours of Tuesday, December 18, the WING Task Force, with assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol, Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office, and the 1057 Military Police Unit, served a search warrant on a residence at 160283 CR 20, outside of Gering.

During the search, investigators found approximately 75 marijuana plants hidden behind a false wall in a potato cellar. Investigators also discovered a butane hash oil extraction lab, nine firearms, and a small amount of methamphetamine.

Robert Newton, 46, and William Burkhardt, 50, both of Gering, were arrested for cultivating marijuana, manufacturing hash, and possession of a controlled substance. Both men were lodged in Scotts Bluff County Jail. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges could be added.

The WING Task Force is made up of investigators from the sheriff’s offices and police departments that cover the eleven counties of the Nebraska panhandle and the Nebraska State Patrol.