Northern District of Iowa

12 persons were federally indicted in the Northern District of Iowa, 11 of whom were convicted by plea or trial and sentenced, namely:

Jeffrey Linn (Cherokee, IA),                                         34 months’ imprisonment

Dustin Martinez (Sutherland, IA),                               87 months’ imprisonment

Jason Werner (Cherokee, IA),                                      28 months’ imprisonment

Lauretta Payce (Fontana, CA),                                     64 months’ imprisonment

Christina Gianopoulos-Rohrer (Henderson, NV),          47 months’ imprisonment

James Conlan (Las Vegas, NV),                                   100 months’ imprisonment

Andrea Romo (Gardena, CA),                                       240 months’ imprisonment

Carl Thompson (Larrabee, IA),                                     45 months’ imprisonment

Craig Miller (Cherokee, IA),                                         36 months’ imprisonment

Lenora Jennings (Las Vegas, NV),                               3 years’ probation

Sabrina Bradley (Pahrump, NV),                                 42 months’ imprisonment

Jerilynn Wilson (Las Vegas, NV),                                 Acquitted

Two persons were charged and convicted in Nevada State District Court, namely:

Robert Randall (Encino, CA) and Robert Allen (Sylmar, CA).  Two persons have been charged in Kansas State District Court, namely: Ricky Lincoln (Tucson, AZ) and Keven Jones (Tucson, AZ). Two remaining federal targets of these conspiracies continue to be investigated.           

Over the course of the multi-jurisdictional investigation, various law enforcement agencies seized 46 pounds methamphetamine, ½ pound fentanyl (pills), ½ pound heroin and a firearm. Various defendants in the conspiracy, namely Martinez, Gianoplous-Rohrer, Payce, Thompson, Werner, Linn, Bradley, and Conlan also admitted to their involvement in the distribution of at least 30 more pounds of methamphetamine over about the same conspiracy time frame.

In the Northern District of Iowa, the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and USAO for NDIA assisted by the; Tri-State DEA Drug Task Force, USPIS, Cherokee Police Department, Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, FBI Las Vegas, Southern Nevada High Impact Narcotics Task Force, Colorado State Patrol, Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation HSI and USMS. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file numbers are 22-4066; 22-4049; 21-4032; and 22-4002.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Waterloo man who shot at a crowd outside a Waterloo nightclub was sentenced today to more than five years in prison.

O’Shea Taelly Wright, age 27, from Waterloo, received the prison term after a November 3, 2023, guilty plea to possession of ammunition by a felon.

Information disclosed during the plea and sentencing hearing revealed that Wright was involved in a fight outside a Waterloo nightclub on December 31, 2022.   Multiple people were involved in the fight.  During the fight, Wright walked to the SUV he had arrived at the nightclub in and retrieved a firearm from the front passenger seat.  Wright then fired multiple shots toward a group of people fighting nearby.  No one was shot or injured by Wright.  At the time, Wright was a felon based on a drug conviction and was on probation for that felony conviction. 

Wright was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Wright was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-2036.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Waterloo man who illegally possessed a firearm shortly after his release from federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison.  Shaquan Coffer, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 26, 2023, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence at Coffer’s guilty plea and sentencing hearings established that, in 2018, Coffer was sentenced in federal court to 34 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after a conviction on one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.  Coffer has an extensive prior criminal history in state court, including convictions for possessing a firearm by a felon, first-degree harassment, escape from custody, and theft.  In early March 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons released Coffer after he completed his federal sentence, and he began his three-year term of supervised release.

On April 2, 2023, Cedar Falls Police Department (“CFPD”) officers were dispatched to investigate a domestic assault in a moving vehicle.  Coffer’s girlfriend had called 911, because Coffer, the passenger in the vehicle, had kicked and cracked her windshield during an argument in the vehicle.  When the CFPD officers attempted to conduct a pat-down search of Coffer, he fled the scene on foot. During a foot chase, Coffer tossed a firearm on the ground in the driveway of a local business.  The firearm was stolen and loaded with an extended magazine.

Coffer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Coffer was sentenced to a total of 85 months’ imprisonment, 71 months for one count of possessing a firearm as a felon and an additional 14 months for violating the terms of his supervised release.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison terms.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.           

Coffer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Cedar Falls Police Department. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file numbers are 23-CR-2025 and 18-CR-2041.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who trafficked over 300 pounds of ice methamphetamine in the Dubuque, Iowa, area was sentenced today to more than 11 years in federal prison.

Jason Laufenberg, age 39, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 5, 2023 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine, a controlled substance.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that from 2019 to 2021, Laufenberg and co-conspirators trafficked over 300 pounds of ice methamphetamine in the Dubuque, Iowa, area.  Each pound cost Laufenberg about $3,500.

Laufenberg was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Laufenberg was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Laufenberg is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 23-CR-1008.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Nicholas Janvrin, 32, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  Janvrin pled guilty March 27, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Janvrin was previously convicted of burglary, third degree, in the Iowa District Court for Hamilton County, in 2021.  This type of conviction prohibits Janvrin from possessing any firearm.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 1, 2023, law enforcement was called to a local hotel in Webster City regarding a disturbance and observed Janvrin.  Janvrin was arrested for outstanding arrest warrants.  During a search of the hotel room, law enforcement officers seized a Smith & Wesson .22 revolver and drug paraphernalia from a bag in the room.  The Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory matched DNA from a known sample of Janvrin to the handle of the firearm and a toothbrush.  Evidence further established Janvrin’s involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from January 2023 through August 2023.  Janvrin obtained at least 40 pounds of methamphetamine from a source in Des Moines to distribute in the Fort Dodge area.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Janvrin remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  On the firearm conviction, Janvrin faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.  On the conspiracy conviction, Janvrin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-3026.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Hamilton Girard, age 65, of Stillwater, Minnesota, was sentenced March 19, 2024, to 4 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to Wire Fraud and fined $10,000.    

Evidence in the case revealed that in February 2020, Girard was designated power of attorney for an elderly person diagnosed with early onset dementia.  Girard used his position as power of attorney to misappropriate approximately $149,000 of the victim’s funds. Girard signed and issued unauthorized checks from the victim’s personal checking account to purchase items such as home improvement and home construction-related goods and services for his own benefit, including the installation of a pool.

Girard was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 4 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000.  He was ordered to make $115,171.40 in restitution to the victim.  He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Girard was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal a date yet to be set.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-3015.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed a firearm as a prohibited person was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.

Johnny Martell Brown, age 31, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an October 20, 2023 guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a felon and drug user.

In a plea agreement, Brown admitted that, on December 16, 2022, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, law enforcement officers stopped a car that he was driving.  Two minor children were also in the car.  Officers searched the car and found a loaded stolen firearm and marijuana.  In Brown’s underwear, officers discovered a Cheetos bag that contained marijuana.  Brown admitted that he regularly smoked marijuana.  He also has felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute heroin and possessing a controlled substance. 

Brown was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Brown was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Brown is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-34.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on March 15, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Juan Cardona-Tinajero, 34, from Guadalajara, Mexico, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being an illegal alien in United States.

At the plea hearing, Cardona-Tinajero admitted that from January 2023 to September 22, 2023, he and others in the conspiracy agreed to distribute at least 18 pounds of methamphetamine. Cardona-Tinajero also admitted that he was caught receiving approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine by mail which he intended to further distribute.  Cardona-Tinajero was receiving packages through the U.S. postal service from California which contained methamphetamine that he distributed in Sioux City area.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Cardona-Tinjaro remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  On the drug convictions, Cardona-Tinajero faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.  On the immigration conviction, he faces a possible maximum sentence of not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn S. Wehde and Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-4063 and 23-4072.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Terrance Buescher, age 58, from Rock Valley, Iowa, pled guilty on March 15, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

 At the plea hearing, Buescher admitted that from April 2022 through January 2023, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 20 pounds of methamphetamine in the Rock Valley area.  Buescher further admitted to obtaining pounds of methamphetamine about every ten days from a source in Colorado to distribute in Northern Iowa for about nine months.  

 Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Buescher was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Buescher faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

 The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the Rock Valley Police Department. 

 Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-4014.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who worked with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin was sentenced today to more than 34 years in federal prison.

Michael Garrick Denson, age 34, from Illinois, received the prison term after a September 14, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin. 

The evidence at trial showed that Denson was a methamphetamine and heroin dealer in the Dubuque, Iowa, area who was nicknamed “Ice Mike.”  Between February 2018 and February 2020, Denson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids.  On July 23, 2019, investigators observed Denson outside of a hotel in Dubuque.  Denson had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, and investigators stopped a car in which he was a passenger.  During the stop, Denson got out of the passenger side of the car and ran from investigators.  Investigators located six small baggies containing heroin near where Denson had been seated in the car. 

Denson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Denson was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 419 months and 18 days.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Denson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam J. Vander Stoep and Dan Chatham and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Dubuque Drug Task Force (consisting of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department) and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-01003-CJW.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

The former Midwest general manager of a nation-wide financial services company who defrauded his employer out of more than $3.4 million was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.

James Dwyer, age 46, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 26, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.

Information from the plea hearing and sentencing hearing showed that Dwyer was employed by Mobile Money, Inc. for over 20 years.  Part of Mobile Money, Inc.’s business operations were servicing ATMs across eastern Iowa.  Starting in January 2016, Dwyer defrauded and stole from Mobile Money, Inc. by stealing cash that was meant for ATMs or cash that was supposed to be deposited into a Mobile Money, Inc. bank account.

In January 2021, Dwyer told his superiors, which included someone Dwyer had been friends with for over 30 years, that there was approximately $1.1 million in cash locked in a vault in Waterloo that he could not access because the vault lock was broken.  It was later discovered that Dwyer had intentionally tampered with the vault in order to prevent anyone else from accessing it.  In February 2021, other employees got into the vault and discovered there was less than $100,000 in cash in it.

Also in January 2021, Mobile Money, Inc. executives discovered Dwyer had failed to deposit approximately $2.5 million in cash into bank accounts.  On February 1, 2021, Dwyer sent ten bank deposit tickets to Mobile Money, Inc., purporting to show he had deposited that money.  However, the bank deposit tickets were fraudulent and he had not deposited any such money.

Once Mobile Money, Inc. discovered Dwyer had been stealing from the company, the company determined his fraud had resulted in the company losing $3,407,000.  Even though this money was obtained illegally, Dwyer was required to report it as income to the Internal Revenue Service.  He failed to do so and filed false tax returns for multiple years.

Dwyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Dwyer was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $3,407,000 in restitution to Mobile Money, Inc. and the company’s insurance company.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Dwyer was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-cr-2046.

Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA

A former Cedar Rapids, Iowa, resident who helped other individuals procure more than 30 false and fraudulent COVID-19 pandemic loans, valued at more than $600,000, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, to six months in federal prison.  Diamond Davies, age 24, from Maple Grove, Minnesota, received the prison term after a July 31, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act is a federal law enacted in late March 2020 that provided emergency financial assistance, including Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan funds, to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Evidence at Davies’s plea and sentencing hearings showed that, over a two-month period in 2021, Davies helped to facilitate approximately 50 fraudulent PPP loan applications with a total value of approximately $1 million.  Of these fraudulent PPP applications, over 30 were successful, and the government and its participating lenders in the PPP lost over $600,000.  To obtain the fraud proceeds, false, fraudulent, and fictitious documents and statements, including fake tax documents, were submitted to various lending institutions in support of the PPP loans for the PPP applicants.  Davies helped collect a fee (a portion of the fraudulent loan proceeds) from some of the PPP applicants. 

Davies was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Davies was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $651,582 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and one of its participating lenders.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.  The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.  For more information on the Department's response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Davies is being held in United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-9.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who drove to Arizona several times to mail fentanyl pills to his co-conspirator in Sioux City, was convicted by a jury on March 1, 2024, after a 5-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.

Aki Awou, age 33, from Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.  The verdict was returned following about 4 hours of jury deliberations.

On February 21, 2024, just prior to heading to trial, Awou’s co-conspirator, co-defendant, and brother, Karom Bol, age 20, of Sioux City, entered a guilty plea to five counts: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of firearms by a drug user, and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Evidence in the case revealed that between January 2022 and May 2022, Awou traveled to the Phoenix, Arizona area, where he would mail packages containing thousands of fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone to Bol’s address’ in Sioux City, Iowa.  The Omaha Police Department’s Gang Intelligence Unit utilized a GPS tracker on Awou’s vehicle to pinpoint Awou’s travels and possible package locations, including at addresses in Sioux City and Post Offices in Arizona.  Postal Inspectors were able to intercept a package, and conduct a controlled delivery at one of the Sioux City addresses.  Afterwards, Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant.  During the search warrant, Bol was observed throwing firearms out a second story bedroom window.  During the search, agents identified a second location tied to Bol and Awou, and obtained a second search warrant for that residence.  Smaller quantities of additional illegal pills were found, as well as documents identifying Bol and Awou as the occupants of both Sioux City residences.

The day after the search warrants were executed, Postal Inspectors received notice of another package being sent from Arizona to the address in Sioux City.  The Postal Inspector was able to intercept that package as well before delivery, revealing that package also contained thousands of fentanyl pills.  Laboratory results subsequently revealed that Awou’s fingerprints were on three packages used as evidence in the case and Bol’s palm print was located on the package used during the controlled delivery.  Evidence also established Bol and Awou are known Trip Set gang members aka South Sudanese Soldier gang members.   

United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Timothy T. Duax stated: “This was a great example of local law enforcement from Iowa and Nebraska working with federal law enforcement to stop fentanyl dealers in their tracks, and prevent thousands of fentanyl pills from hitting the streets.”

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Awou and Bol both remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. 

Awou and Bol face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.  Bol must also serve a mandatory minimum and consecutive 5 years’ imprisonment for his possession of firearms during and in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. 

This case was investigated by the Omaha, Nebraska Police Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, United States Postal Inspector, DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force, Lancaster County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, and the ATF.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons, Shawn Wehde, and Patrick Greenwood. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 22-4051.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who created child pornography videos and distributed them online was sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison.

Abigail Elizabeth Lambert, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 12, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of children.

At the guilty plea, Lambert admitted that she used, persuaded, induced, or enticed at least one minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing one or more visual depictions of the conduct.  She also admitted that she knowingly distributed visual depictions of child pornography over the internet.  Court documents reflect that, in June 2023, Lambert exchanged messages with an undercover officer over a fetish website.  Lambert told the officer that she had committed sexual acts with two minors and that she had videos of the sexual acts.  On June 29, 2023, Lambert sent the undercover officer some of the videos she had previously described.

Lambert was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Lambert was sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Lambert is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23‑CR‑00049‑CJW‑MAR.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced March 6, 2024, to 18 months in federal prison.

Andrew Mitchell age 36, from Spirit Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 25, 2023, guilty plea to a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

In a plea agreement, Mitchell admitted that on August 8, 2023, he was stopped by law enforcement for riding his bike on the wrong side of the road in Spencer, Iowa.  Once stopped, Mitchell was recognized and identified by the stopping officer.  However, Mitchell provided a false name.  Other officers arrived and attempted to handcuff Mitchell while his proper identity was determined.  Mitchell resisted being handcuffed and was placed under arrest. During a search of Mitchell, law enforcement located a suspected THC vape pen, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a scale with methamphetamine residue, and a loaded 9mm firearm with an obliterated serial number strapped to his chest.  Mitchell admitted to being a user of controlled substances which prohibited him from possessing firearms.

Mitchell was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mitchell was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, fined $100, and he must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Mitchell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Greenwood and Jack Lammers and investigated by the Spencer, Iowa Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 23-4060.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported four times was sentenced today to one year in federal prison.

Pedro Guzman-Matom, age 30, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 8, 2023, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.

 At the guilty plea, Guzman-Matom admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Guzman-Matom was previously deported in November 2012, March 2013, February 2017, and August 2019.  On September 18, 2023, immigration officials learned Guzman-Matom had illegally returned to the United States and found Guzman-Matom at the Dubuque County Jail following his arrest on state charges.  Guzman-Matom was previously convicted in February 2017 in the Northern District of Iowa of illegally reentering the United States, served 98 days and was deported.  He was convicted in March 2018 in the Western District of Texas of illegally reentering the United States and sentenced to 13 months in prison along with an additional 10 months for violating his Northern District of Iowa supervised release by returning to the United States without permission.

Guzman-Matom was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Guzman-Matom was sentenced to 12 months’ and one day of imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Guzman-Matom is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-1025.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man, who was found with a firearm after being a convicted felon, was sentenced February 29, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison.  Kevin DeWolf, age 34, from Denison, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 21, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.  Shortly after being indicted for the firearm charge, DeWolf set a vehicle on fire in Crawford County, attempting to fraudulently collect the insurance proceeds.

DeWolf was previously convicted of manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver controlled substance, in the Iowa District Court for Crawford County, Iowa on or about July 15, 2022.  DeWolf also has a prior assault conviction. 

DeWolf was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand and was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.  DeWolf is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-4021.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Dubuque man who possessed multiple firearms, including one with a device to convert it into a fully automatic weapon was sentenced February 26, 2024, to three years in federal prison.

Jacqusyn Zechariah Grubb, age 21, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 29, 2023 guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a marijuana user.

Evidence in the case showed that Grubb possessed multiple firearms, including one that had a conversion device attached making it a fully automatic weapon, and high-capacity magazines.  Grubb also possessed a personally made firearm, also known as a “ghost gun.”  The court also found Grubb possessed a firearm in connection with the offense of possession for marijuana with intent to deliver.

Grubb was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Grubb was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Grubb is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-cr-1014.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed child sexual abuse material and solicited sexually explicit images from minor children was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison.

Steven Niedert, age 47, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 14, 2023, guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.

In a plea agreement, Niedert admitted he communicated with an eleven-year-old girl in November and December 2017.  The communications occurred using an app called AntiChat, which does not automatically retain copies of communications.  During those communications, Niedert asked the girl to send him sexually explicit photos, including two photos in which the victim was digitally penetrating herself.  The victim’s mother discovered the communications and reported them to the police.

Police officers used Niedert’s AntiChat and social media usernames to identify him as the individual communicating with the victim.  Pursuant to search warrant, officers searched Niedert’s Dubuque home in January 2019.  The officers seized numerous electronic devices.  Officers discovered thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material on the devices.  The files included the explicit images the victim had sent, as well as communications and images Niedert solicited from other minors.   

Niedert was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Niedert was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

Niedert is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Reinert and Tony Morfitt and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-1007.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A felon and drug user who possessed a firearm pled guilty on February 26, 2024, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Christopher King, age 52, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, King admitted that, in February 2023, he possessed a Glock pistol after having been convicted of two felonies and while being an unlawful drug user.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  King remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  King faces a possible maximum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 23-62.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Kyler Goettsch, age 26, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with being a prohibited person in possession of firearms.  The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on February 22, 2024, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids. 

The Indictment alleges that, in November 2023, Goettsch possessed two pistols after having been convicted of four felonies and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

If convicted, Goettsch faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.

Goettsch appeared for an initial appearance today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond.  Goettsch’s next appearance for trial is set for April 15, 2024.

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is CR 24-16.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison.

Juan De Leon-Santiago, age 42, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 13, 2023, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.

In a plea agreement, De Leon-Santiago admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  De Leon-Santiago was previously deported in November 2009, December 2015, September 2016, and May 2017.  On June 20, 2023, immigration officials learned De Leon-Santiago had illegally returned to the United States and found De Leon-Santiago at the Linn County Jail following his arrest on state assault charges.  On August 11, 2023, the defendant was convicted in Linn County, Iowa, of Domestic Abuse Assault (Strangulation), a felony.  De Leon-Santiago was also previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas of Illegal Entry into the United States, a misdemeanor, in November 2015, and Illegal Reentry into the United States, a felony, in February 2017.

In the plea agreement, De Leon-Santiago also admitted he knowingly used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card (a/k/a “Green Card”) to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in February 2023 and May 2023 at two different businesses in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Illegal aliens are not authorized to work in the United States.  The number on the Social Security card was unassigned.  The number on the number on the Permanent Resident Card was assigned to a male from Vietnam. 

De Leon-Santiago was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  De Leon-Santiago was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

De Leon-Santiago is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-47.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it was sentenced today to more than 10 years in federal prison.

John Trinidad Qualls, age 43, from Tucson, Arizona, received the prison term after a September 22, 2023 guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

In a plea agreement, Qualls admitted that, on December 31, 2022, in Floyd County, Iowa, deputies with the sheriff’s office stopped him for speeding.  Qualls was driving 33 miles per hour over the speed limit.  Qualls handed the deputies a pouch that contained his license, insurance, and registration.  There was marijuana residue inside the pouch, and both the pouch and documents smelled of marijuana.  Qualls admitted that he had used marijuana earlier that day.  Deputies searched the car and found 1,200 grams of methamphetamine. 

Qualls was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Qualls was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Qualls is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-2021.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who violated the terms of his federal supervised release for the third time was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.

Matthew Brockway, 44, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after admitting to multiple violations of his supervised release, including several failures to report/submit to urinalysis, numerous uses of controlled substances, and failures to report as directed by U.S. Probation.  Brockway initially was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment in 2010 for drug trafficking offenses and was first released to supervision on February 24, 2021.  Less than a year later, on January 27, 2022, Brockway’s supervised release was revoked for various supervised release violations, including new state law violations and he was sentenced to federal prison for 24 months.  After being released a second time on November 25, 2022, mere months later, on January 9, 2023, Brockway was revoked again for various supervised release violations, including using drugs and sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment.  On November 17, 2023, Brockway was released on his third supervision and has now been ordered to serve 30 months in federal prison.

Brockway was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Brockway is being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the United States Probation Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 08-3026.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to almost three months in federal prison.

Ramon Garcia-Cruz, age 41, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 18, 2023, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.

At the guilty plea, Garcia-Cruz admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Garcia-Cruz was first removed from the United States in October 2014.  Garcia-Cruz was also deported in March 2015 following his February 2015 conviction in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States.  On November 14, 2023, immigration officials learned Garcia-Cruz had illegally returned to the United States and found Garcia-Cruz at the Linn County Jail following his arrest on state charges. 

Garcia-Cruz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Garcia-Cruz was sentenced to 86 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Garcia-Cruz is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  

The case file number is 23-CR-85.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Tirrell Harlan Hopkins, Jr., age 23, from Mason City, Iowa, has been charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.­ The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on February 14, 2024, in United States District Court in Sioux City. 

The Indictment alleges that, on or about November 18, 2023, Hopkins, knowing he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowing he was then an unlawful user of a controlled substance as defined in 21 U.S.C. § 802, namely marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine, and knowing he had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, possessed a firearm and ammunition, and the firearm and ammunition were in and affecting commerce.

Hopkins is also charged with knowingly and intentionally possessing, with intent to distribute, less than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), having previously been convicted of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver marijuana, a felony drug offense on December 10, 2018, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa.

If convicted on all charges, Hopkins faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $2 Million fine, and 6 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.­

Hopkins appeared today in federal court in Sioux City and was held without bond.  Hopkin’s next appearance for a detention hearing is set for February 28, 2024. 

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the United States Marshal’s Service.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 24-CR-03008.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Cory Allen More, age, 33 from Manly, Iowa, has been charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.­ The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on February 14, 2024, in United States District Court in Sioux City. 

The Indictment alleges that, on or about October 23, 2023, More, knowing that he was then an unlawful user of a controlled substance as defined in 21 U.S.C. § 802, namely marijuana, knowingly possessed a firearm and ammunition, and the firearm and ammunition were in and affecting commerce.

If convicted, More faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.­

More appeared today in federal court in Sioux City and was held without bond.  More’s next appearance for a detention hearing is set for February 28, 2024. 

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Clear Lake Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Manly Police Department, Worth County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and United States Marshal’s Service. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 24-CR-03006.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was found in possession of a homemade large-caliber pistol in the Meskwaki Casino in 2022 was sentenced February 22, 2024, to five years in federal prison.

Som Boun Cam, age 56, from Council Bluffs, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 18, 2023 guilty plea to possessing a smooth bore, .410 gauge pistol, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

In a plea agreement, Cam admitted that on April 14, 2022, he was in the Meskwaki Casino hotel when he was involved in a scuffle with another guest and misplaced his backpack.  Hotel staff subsequently found the backpack, and when they looked in it on April 18, 2022, they found methamphetamine and a homemade smooth bore .410 gauge pistol.  On April 19, 2022, Cam returned to the hotel to claim his property.  Cam admitted he had manufactured the firearm.  This was a firearm that was required to be registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, but it was not registered to him.  Cam has a 1995 felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and methamphetamine, a 2017 felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, and multiple assault convictions.

Cam was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Cam was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Cam is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-00050.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Michael Ryan Mikkelson, age 37, from Clear Lake, Iowa, has been charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and person convicted of domestic violence.­ The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on February 14, 2024, in United States District Court in Sioux City. 

The Indictment alleges that from March 1, 2023, through October 3, 2023, Mikkelson knowingly possessed a firearm and ammunition having been previously convicted on four occasions of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and also convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

If convicted, Mikkelson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.­

Mikkelson appeared today in federal court in Sioux City and was held without bond.  Mikkelson’s next appearance for a detention hearing is set for February 28, 2024. 

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Clear Lake Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Manly Police Department, Worth County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and United States Marshal’s Service. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 24-CR-03009.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on February 21, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to 42 months’ imprisonment.

Sabrina Bradley, age 50, from Pahrump, Nevada, pled guilty on September 13, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Bradley was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine from November 2021 through December 2021.  Bradley admitted her involvement in assisting other co-conspirators to transport at least four pounds of methamphetamine from sources in Nevada to Iowa for further distribution, including in the Council Bluffs and Cherokee, Iowa areas. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Bradley was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following the imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Bradley remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 22-4002.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who distributed methamphetamine, possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and possessed a firearm as a prohibited person, was sentenced today to more than 19 years in federal prison.

Dennis Wayne Hager, age 65, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 1, 2023 guilty plea to two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and drug user.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on May 25, 2021, Hager distributed 110 grams of methamphetamine to another person.  On June 1, 2021, Hager distributed 222 grams of methamphetamine to another person.  That day, law enforcement officers searched his home and found a firearm that Hager was prohibited from possessing because he was a felon and methamphetamine user.  Hager had four felony convictions related to drugs.  Finally, on September 1, 2021, Hager possessed over 100 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

Hager was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Hager was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Hager is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department Narcotics Unit and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-40.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who conspired to steal firearms and other valuables from a family member’s home was sentenced February 20, 2024, to more than 7 years in federal prison.

Tresa Fiedler, 24, from LeMars, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 28, 2023, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to possess stolen firearms and one count of possession of stolen firearms.

Evidence in the case revealed that on October 1, 2021, Fiedler participated in a home burglary where she and coconspirator, Ian Bigler stole 10 guns. The burglary was planned in advance, and Fielder used diversions to insure the home was empty when the burglary was committed.  Afterward, Fielder and Bigler took several steps to conceal the conspiracy.  On October 5, 2021, Fiedler, in an attempt to leave town, purchased a 2008 Dodge Charger for $5,500 in cash.  On October 11, 2021, Bigler, fled from police in a 2008 white Dodge Ram pickup truck that contained evidence of the burglary (including a pistol which had been stolen during the burglary).  On October 15, 2021, Bigler equipped himself with a bulletproof vest and two firearms (including a pistol, which had been stolen during the burglary) and a shortened shotgun, and hid himself from law enforcement at a home in North Sioux City, and held another person against his/her will. 

Fielder was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 87 months’ imprisonment adjusted for time served.  She must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Ian Bigler was sentenced July 20, 2023, in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Fielder is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by LeMars, Iowa Police Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and ATF, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.   

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 22-4022.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Mason City woman who allowed her daughter and another individual to store methamphetamine in her home was sentenced February 21, 2024, to more nearly 4 years in federal prison.

Julie Ann Sankey, age 62, from Mason City, Iowa received the prison term after an August 29, 2023, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  Sankey was in possession of a half-ounce of ice methamphetamine that belonged to the co-defendants and was intended for sale.  Sankey allowed her co-defendants to store up pounds of methamphetamine for resale on 15 through 20 different occasions between 2020 and 2021.

Sankey was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Sankey was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment.   She must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Sankey is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Police Department, Clear Lake Police Department, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, and the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 22-3006.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed a firearm as a felon and a drug user was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison.

Sean Hamilton Pruden, age 44, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, received the prison term after a September 8, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Pruden, who was visiting Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for work, was a felon, a drug user, and on probation in another state, at the time he possessed a loaded firearm.  Pruden also had a firearm in his hotel room and a stolen firearm in his vehicle.

Pruden was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Pruden was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Pruden is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 23-CR-42.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was selling fentanyl was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Maurice Montez Tarver, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 30, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution and aiding and abetting the distribution of a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on four separate occasions between December 2022 and February 2023, law enforcement officers conducted an undercover operation and purchased pills containing fentanyl from Tarver.

Tarver was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Tarver was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Tarver is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Johnson County Drug Task Force and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.  The Johnson County Drug Task Force consists of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa City Police Department, the Coralville Police Department, the North Liberty Police Department, the University of Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-41.

A Brownsville, Texas man, who coerced a minor to engage in live streaming of sexually explicit conduct was sentenced February 6, 2024, to 20 years in federal prison.  Isaac Herrera, age 22, from Brownsville, Texas, received the prison term after a May 10, 2023, guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a minor.

Evidence in the case revealed that Herrera met a child online in 2019 and eventually cultivated a sexual relationship with the child.  Herrera coerced the child into live streaming sexually explicit conduct, where Herrera took screenshots during the stream.  Several of the images were found on Herrera’s phone when he was arrested in June 2022 after walking into a local school and claiming to be the minor’s guardian.  Herrera traveled from Texas to Iowa to engage in conduct with the victim.  While Herrera was in jail, pending trial, he also admitted to contacting the victim in order to influence the victim’s potential testimony, resulting in a no contact order.  Up until the evening before sentencing, however, Herrera made phone calls to the victim in an effort to continue communication and further influence testimony.

Herrera was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 240 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term, during which he will be prohibited from contacting three minor victims from this case.  There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Timothy Duax stated, “I am proud of the efforts of the FBI and Sioux City Police Department to capture a dangerous child molester, and see him sentenced to a lengthy prison term. The citizens of our community feel safer knowing that local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together seamlessly to protect children from dangerous predators like Mr. Herrera.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

Herrera is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Sioux City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 22-4060.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Waukon woman who embezzled over $200,000 from her employer was sentenced on February 1, 2024, to nine months in federal prison.  Heather Leigh Migliore, age 52, received the prison term after a July 19, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.

In a plea agreement, Migliore admitted that, between 2015 and 2021, she was the office manager of a tax preparation business that had offices in Waukon and Decorah in Winneshiek County, Iowa.  Migliore wrote over 600 fraudulent checks for her own benefit from the business’s checking accounts without her employer’s knowledge or permission.  Migliore also used one of the business’s credit cards to make over 200 fraudulent charges.  The owner of the business had to use a home equity line of credit to pay its bills during this timeframe.  In early 2021, Migliore also made false statements to the State of Iowa to obtain approximately $900 in federally funded, COVID-19 unemployment benefits.

Migliore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Migliore was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $229,351 in restitution.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Migliore was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-1015.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who robbed several Siouxland businesses at gunpoint was sentenced today, to 36 years in federal prison.

Kevon Spratt, age 30, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an August 25, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of 2 counts of interference with commerce by robbery, 3 counts of use and brandishing of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count of attempted bank robbery, and 1 count of possession of a firearm by a felon.  The jury acquitted Spratt of an additional count of bank robbery and use and brandishing of a fireman.

Evidence in the case revealed that on October 22, 2022, Spratt entered the Sgt. Bluff’s Stop Shell gas station in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, at approximately 7:11 p.m., armed with a handgun that had a distinctive gold barrel and gold ejection port.  Spratt forced the clerk to the register and robbed her before he fled on foot from the scene.  Spratt’s vehicle was seen on several surveillance cameras in the area beginning as early as 5:28pm. 

On October 24, 2022, Spratt entered the Check into Cash, in Sioux City, Iowa, just after 10:00 a.m., armed with the same distinctive handgun, forcing two employees to their registers. Spratt’s vehicle was seen on surveillance footage in the area as early as 7:00 a.m., the same video surveillance also captured his silver and black convertible-top car leaving the scene and crossing the bridge into South Sioux City, Nebraska, as he fled. 

On November 14, 2022, Spratt attempted to enter the Pioneer Bank in Salix, Iowa, as the teller exited the bank just after noon.  Spratt could be seen on surveillance footage circling the bank and town of Salix beginning just after 8:00 a.m.  Spratt was able to make entry into the bank but was unable to get away with any funds because of the actions of the teller.

Additionally, the sentencing court concluded defendant had committed two other armed robberies in the tri-state region. The court found on October 16, 2022, Spratt robbed the Dakota City, Nebraska Food and Fuel at gun point at approximately 8:04 p.m. and on November 11, 2022, Spratt attempted to rob the Conoco gas station in Jefferson, South Dakota, at gunpoint.

In several of these robberies Spratt pointed his weapon at clerks and even pressed his firearm into their bodies.  

Spratt had previously been convicted of many offenses including aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated robbery (where he pressed a toy gun into the head of his victim), and an attempted theft from a person (where he actually used a real gun to rob and carjack his victim), in Cook County, Illinois.           

Spratt was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 432 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $5,304.00 in restitution to two of his victims.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated that, “Due the fine work of local, state, and federal law enforcement, a dangerous individual who preyed upon the businesses of our community was brought to justice. Spratt traumatized his victims by placing them in fear for their lives. For the next three decades, those victims can sleep more soundly knowing he can’t hurt them. This case is a good example of what happens to people who commit violent crimes in the Northern District of Iowa.”

Spratt is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department; the Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Police Department; the Jefferson, South Dakota Police Department; the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department; the Woodbury County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department, the Woodbury County Iowa Attorney’s Office; the Monona County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department, the Dakota County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, The Iowa Department of Public Safety; Iowa State Patrol; the Iowa Department of Natural Resources; the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) and the United States Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-4011.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Jodeci Holmes, 22, from Estherville, Iowa, was sentenced on February 1, 2024, to 30 months in federal prison.  Holmes pled guilty September 21, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on April 1, 2023, in Estherville, Iowa, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Holmes was a passenger.  After the officer smelled marijuana from inside the vehicle, a search was conducted where marijuana and a 9mm pistol which belonged to Holmes were found.  Holmes was a marijuana user and had been convicted of felony possession with intent to deliver marijuana.  Both prohibit an individual from possessing a firearm.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Holmes was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of three years of supervised release following the imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Holmes remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Estherville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-3008. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who distributed methamphetamine from his garage in Lowden, Iowa, was sentenced on January 31, 2024, to 121 months in federal prison.

Dalton James Griebel, age 31, from Davenport, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 10, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.          

In April 2022, Griebel sold methamphetamine to an individual inside the garage of Griebel’s home in Lowden.  At the time of the sale, Griebel had a firearm in his waistband.  When law enforcement later searched the home, they found additional methamphetamine, a digital scale, drug paraphernalia, and parts of firearms and ammunition.

Griebel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Griebel was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Griebel is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Cedar County Sherif’s Office, the Muscatine County Drug Task Force, the Muscatine Special Operations Response Team, Tipton Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Clarence Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 23-CR- 00020.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A former local labor union president who embezzled union funds pled guilty on January 25, 2024, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  Brock A. Willson, also known as Brock A. Cligrow, age 42, from Linn County and Cedar County, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bank fraud.

In a plea agreement, Willson admitted that, from no later than about March 2020, and continuing through at least October 2021, he served in various capacities as a local labor union’s president, business manager/financial secretary, and coordinator of its joint apprenticeship training committee.  By virtue of his high‑level positions within the union, Willson had access to its bank accounts.  From the bank accounts, the labor organization entrusted Willson with making authorized payments for certain authorized expenses, including its training committee.  Willson abused his position of trust at the union to cause the local bank to make payments for his own person expenses, including but not limited to payments on his personal vehicle loan and purchases at department stores.  Willson admitted stealing at least $6,500 in union funds.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Willson remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing.  Willson faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1 million fine, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.  The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department assisted the investigation. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-67.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Cedar Rapids contractor who scammed victims of the 2020 Iowa derecho pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Scott Gregory Adkins, age 48, who did business as “Adkins Home Improvements LLC,” was convicted of one count of wire fraud.

On August 10, 2020, a severe storm, commonly referred to as a derecho, struck multiple counties in the Northern District of Iowa, as well as other parts of the States of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana.  Media reporting on the event, citing public and private sources, have estimated that the derecho, with winds exceeding 100 mph, caused an estimated total of $7.5 billion in damage across the affected states.  The derecho caused long-duration power outages across the Northern District of Iowa and the larger region, millions of acres of crops were damaged or destroyed, and numerous semi-trucks were blown off major interstate highways.  Just within the city of Cedar Rapids, power was cut to nearly all of the city’s residents by the derecho, and damage estimates indicate that over 1,000 housing units were rendered unlivable while hundreds of additional homes suffered damage.  Many of the city’s businesses were also damaged during the storm.

In a plea agreement, Adkins admitted that, from December 2020, through March 2022, he devised and perpetrated a scheme to defraud his customers, including victims of the 2020 Iowa derecho.  Adkins organized “Adkins Home Improvements LLC” in October 2020, approximately two months after the derecho.  By means of “Adkins Home Improvements LLC,” Adkins offered home repair services to victims of the derecho, as well as other individuals in the Cedar Rapids area who needed projects completed in the tight-labor, post-derecho construction market.     

As a part of his scheme, Adkins offered to provide construction services and materials to prospective customers of “Adkins Home Improvements LLC,” including but not limited to victims of the derecho.  Adkins provided estimates to those customers and demanded substantial advance deposits or downpayments before undertaking work on the projects.  Instead of completing the projects, Adkins spent some of the advanced funds on personal expenses, including but not limited to food, and transferred other such funds to a family member by means of a mobile payment service.  Adkins also made false statements and excuses to his customers about the status of their projects to conceal his illicit use of the funds and to lull his customers into a false sense of security.  Adkins stole over $150,000 as part of his scheme, and one of his victims was an elderly widow who suffered roof damage to her Cedar Rapids residence from the derecho.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Adkins remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Adkins faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-66.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A California man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine by mail, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison.

James Dean Sterner, age 67, from Tustin, California, received the prison term after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on June 28, 2023.  Evidence in the case revealed that from August 2019 to October 2019, Sterner conspired to distribute methamphetamine in and around Sioux City, Iowa after receiving the methamphetamine via mail.  Sterner was released on pre-trial supervision in 2020 but failed to appear for a change of plea hearing in October 2021, after submitting forged documents to the court falsely claiming to have cancer.  A warrant was issued, but Sterner’s whereabouts were unknown for over a year before he was arrested in April 2023 in Anaheim, California.  After pleading guilty to conspiracy charges, Sterner distributed methamphetamine-laced paper in the O’Brien County Jail while awaiting sentencing.  Sterner has 10 prior controlled substance-related convictions. 

Sterner was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 360 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Sterner is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Timmons and Mikala Purdy-Steenholdt.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 20-4088.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

An Iowa Falls man who possessed a stolen gun as a felon was sentenced January 30, 2024, to more than five years in federal prison. 

Deron Michael Humes, II, age 34, from Iowa Falls, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2023, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. 

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, on October 4, 2022, Humes carried a Shadow Systems, MR920, 9x19mm pistol into a gun store in Iowa Falls.  The Shadow Systems pistol had been stolen from its owner the week before.  While Humes was inside the gun store, he purchased a thirty‑round magazine for the firearm and asked an employee of the store if they had a device that could turn the firearm into a fully automatic weapon.  After Humes exited the store, law enforcement officers responded and confronted Humes.  During the encounter, officers searched the vehicle Humes was located in, and they found the Shadow Systems pistol hidden behind the glovebox compartment.  Humes had two prior felony convictions, and he was prohibited from possessing firearms. 

Humes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Humes was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Humes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa Falls Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23‑CR‑00032‑CJW.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed a firearm as a felon and unlawful drug user was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison.

Eric Thomas, age 49, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 7, 2023 guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

At the plea hearing, Thomas admitted that, in January 2023, he possessed a Ruger pistol after having been convicted of multiple felonies and while being an unlawful drug user.  Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that, on January 23, 2023, Thomas sold a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to another person while at Thomas’s residence.  That same day, law enforcement officers searched Thomas’s residence and located a Ruger pistol and 2.14 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl in Thomas’s bedroom.

Thomas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Thomas was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Thomas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force (consisting of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department).

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-1012.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A felon who possessed a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Malachi Patton Handley, age 23, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Handley admitted that, between December 2022 and March 2023, he possessed an SCCY pistol after having been convicted of three felonies.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Handley remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Handley faces a possible maximum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is CR 23-57.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Tama man who stabbed his brother 10 times was sentenced today to nearly four years in federal prison.  

Victor Arquis Garcia, age 26, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 9, 2023, guilty plea to assault causing serious bodily injury.   

Evidence at the plea hearing and sentencing showed that in November 2022, Garcia and his brother were drinking at their residence in Tama, Iowa, when the two became intoxicated.  A fight broke out between the two and Garcia retrieved a knife from the kitchen.  As the two continued to fight, Garcia stabbed his brother ten times resulting in injuries to the brother’s leg, armpit, and stomach.  The victim’s injuries required surgery to repair.  Garcia has a long criminal history including 14 prior criminal convictions. 

Garcia was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Garcia was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Police Department and the FBI.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-CR-11.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty January 26, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Kenneth Dawdy, 39, from Sioux City, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Dawdy admitted his participation in a conspiracy from January 2021 through June 2023 that distributed at least 3500 grams of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.  Dawdy also admitted to being a “middle-man,” assisting others in the conspiracy by acquiring and delivering money and methamphetamine to others.    

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Dawdy was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Dawdy faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.   

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-4055. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who used a false identification document bearing someone else’s social security number was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.

Diego Nava-Barrios, age 37, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cascade, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2023, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document.

In a plea agreement, Nava-Barrios admitted he knowingly used a fraudulent Social Security card to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in March 2016 at a business in Anamosa, Iowa, in September 2016 at a business in Cascade, Iowa, and in December 2016 at a business in Farley, Iowa.  Illegal aliens are not authorized to work in the United States.  The number on the Social Security card was a real Social Security number assigned to a United States citizen. 

Nava-Barrios was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Nava-Barrios was sentenced to 99 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Sosa-Jimenez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 18-CR-03.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who sexually exploited a child was sentenced January 25, 2024, to 30 years in federal prison.

Michael Heinitz, age 20, of Urbana, received the sentence after an August 4, 2023, guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of a child.  At the plea hearing, Heinitz admitted that, between August and September 2022, he recorded sexually explicit videos of a four-year-old girl.  Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing showed that Heinitz distributed, received, and possessed child pornography.

Heinitz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Heinitz was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $21,000 in restitution to seven victims depicted in child pornography he possessed.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Dupuich and Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Urbana Police Department, and the Iowa State Patrol.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is CR 23-33.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.