Northern District of Iowa

A man who sold over 30 pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 20 years in federal prison.

Robert Lee Michael Bates, age 31, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 2, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at prior hearings in the case showed that David Belton, a/k/a “Blood,” and others orchestrated shipments of between 30 to 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine between Los Angeles, California, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, between 2017 and March 2022.  Belton paid other individuals to transport the ice methamphetamine, typically in a vehicle that contained a specially made hidden compartment.  Once the ice methamphetamine arrived in Cedar Rapids, Belton or his associate would retrieve the methamphetamine and distribute it to other members of the organization for sale to customers.  Evidence at prior hearings showed that Bates was intercepted over a wiretap of phones used by the Belton organization.  Evidence showed Bates was ordering pounds of ice methamphetamine and 100 ecstasy pills from the organization.

Bates was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Bates was sentenced to 248 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Bates is the last of twelve co‑defendants in the investigation to be sentenced:

• Kiyonte Levell Sowell was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment;
• Albert Henry Bailey was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment;
• Jesus Vera was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment;
• Calub Joseph Storlie was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment;
• Christopher Eric Curley was sentenced to 175 months’ imprisonment;
• David Poitier Belton was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment;
• Derek Michael Mims was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment;
• Phillip Lanell Rogers was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment;
• Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr. was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment;
• Elmer Mims was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment; and
• Timothy Michael Webber was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.

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

The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.

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

The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.

A Sioux City, Iowa nurse who stole fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone was sentenced today to 9 months in federal prison.

Morgan Miralles, age 32, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 30, 2023, guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.

Evidence in the case revealed that as early as April 2020, and continuing through August 2022, Miralles diverted controlled substances that were supposed to be dispensed to patients and kept them for her for her own personal use. Miralles falsified documents on an almost weekly basis by omitting information from log entries designed to track the disbursement of controlled substances. Miralles further admitted that in a “petty and vindictive” act of revenge, she stole vials of Benedryl after not receiving a promotion.

Miralles was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand 9 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.  Miralles was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons a date to be determined.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being 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 23-4049.

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A Cedar Rapids man who possessed ammunition and firearms while being a drug user was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.

Booker Deon McKinney, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2023 guilty plea to possession of ammunition by a drug user.

Evidence at sentencing showed that on April 17, 2021, McKinney was in a vehicle with a juvenile male.  Police officers searched the vehicle and located a privately made firearm, also known as a ghost gun, with an extended magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.  McKinney’s DNA was located on the firearm, and he later admitted handling the weapon.  During 2020 and 2021, McKinney used another individual to purchase firearms for him.  McKinney later assaulted that same person and was convicted of Assault Causing Bodily Injury, Domestic Abuse, Strangulation.  McKinney also admitted to handling a firearm in 2022 that was used in an incident where shots were fired in the area around his parents’ residence.

McKinney was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  McKinney was sentenced to 120 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.

McKinney is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.  His sentence was ordered to run consecutive to his state conviction in the strangulation case.

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

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

The case file number is 23-cr-2.

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A Chicago man who distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and was found in possession of a firearm, was convicted by a jury on January 25, 2024, after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

Antonio Rayshaun Evans, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.  The verdict was returned yesterday following about one hour and thirty minutes of jury deliberations.             

The evidence at trial showed that beginning in the summer of 2021 and continuing to March 2023, Evans distributed over 70 pounds of methamphetamine and significant amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine.  On April 2, 2023, Evans distributed four pounds of methamphetamine, and on April 11, 2023, Evans distributed four ounces of cocaine.  On April 18, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped Evans’ vehicle and arrested him.  A closer inspection of Evans’ vehicle revealed a hidden compartment in the dash of the vehicle, which contained a firearm, over 26 grams of crack cocaine, and over 12 grams of fentanyl. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Evans remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Evans faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $44,500,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; 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‑02033‑CJW.

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A prohibited person who possessed a firearm was sentenced on January 24, 2024, to 70 months in federal prison.

Ezekiel Menteer, age 24, of Waterloo, received the sentence after an August 9, 2023, guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Menteer admitted that, in January 2022, he possessed a Kimber pistol after having been convicted of a felony and while being an unlawful drug user.  Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing showed that defendant used the pistol to fire eight shots outside a Waterloo bar.

Menteer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Menteer was sentenced to 70 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 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 was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 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 23-2009.

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A Mason City, Iowa man who pointed a shotgun at a woman and threatened to kill her, was sentenced today, January 25, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison.

Joseph Fitzgerald, age 64, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 11, 2023, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and domestic misdemeanant.

Evidence in the case revealed that on November 23, 2022, Fitzgerald pointed a shotgun at a woman he resided with, who was disabled, and threatened to kill her.  The woman was able to call 911.  When officers arrived on scene, Fitzgerald initially refused to let officers enter the home, but they were eventually able to make contact with the woman, who was still upset by the interaction. Fitzgerald has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for domestic violence, illegal drugs, and burglary.  Notably, Fitzgerald also had eight driving while intoxicated convictions and 13 assault convictions. 

Fitzgerald was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand 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.

Fitzgerald 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 Mason City, Iowa Police Department and ATF, 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 23-3009.

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A Nebraska man who planned to distribute methamphetamine, pled guilty January 24, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Calvin Wright, 33, from Creighton, Nebraska, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Wright was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in 2016 in Nebraska.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on July 5, 2023, in Sioux City, Iowa, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Wright was a passenger.  Due to suspicious activity, a K-9 was deployed and indicated to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle.  Once law enforcement began to search the vehicle, Wright admitted everything in the car was his.  In a backpack which had been between Wright’s legs in the vehicle, law enforcement found approximately 95 grams of pure methamphetamine, scales, and drug paraphernalia.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Wright remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Wright faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood 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 23-4052.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and distributed methamphetamine was sentenced on January 23, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Phillip Pringle, 53, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on June 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of methamphetamine.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that between January 2015 and December 2019, Pringle and others distributed more than six kilograms of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge/Humboldt, Iowa, areas.  In September and October 2019, Pringle was the source of methamphetamine for an individual selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer.  On October 19, 2020, an arrest warrant was issued for Pringle’s failure to appear for a pre-trial release revocation hearing.  Over two years later, on February 14, 2023, Pringle was arrested by the United States Marshals Service as a federal fugitive.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Pringle was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Pringle remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and 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 20-3022.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on January 25, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Christina Gianopoulos-Rohrer, 50, from Cherokee, Iowa, pled guilty on March 15, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on December 6, 2021, in Woodbury County, Iowa, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in which Gianopoulos-Rohrer was a passenger and seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine which Gianopoulos-Rohrer intended to distribute to other persons.  Gianopoulos-Rohrer also admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 6 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022.  Gianopoulos-Rohrer further admitted her involvement with others in obtaining four pounds of methamphetamine from sources in California and Nevada, along with others, and transporting it back to the Cherokee, Iowa area for further distribution. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Gianopoulos-Rohrer was sentenced to 47 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release following the imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Gianopoulos-Rohrer remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transferred to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and 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, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 22-4002 and 22-4066.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who fled a traffic stop after arming himself with a firearm as the officer approached was sentenced January 17, 2024, to more than 4 years in federal prison.

Michael McCullum, age 33, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence in the case revealed McCullum was stopped for speeding in the predawn hours of April 30, 2023.  As the Officer approached the vehicle, he observed McCullum grasping a handgun with his right hand, looking over his left shoulder for the approaching officer, as if preparing to engage the officer.  The officer took control of the situation, drew his sidearm, and ordered McCullum and his passenger to keep their hands up.  McCullum initially complied, but then dropped his hands and fled the traffic stop in his car at a high rate of speed.  McCullum’s vehicle was later discovered thanks to a report of a reckless driver.  Officers found McCullum and his car, freed the passenger, who had been trapped when McCullum sped away from the traffic stop, and later found the firearm McCullum had hidden nearby.     

McCullum has a history of interactions with law enforcement that started as early as 15 years old.  He has a felony conviction for armed robbery/armed with dangerous weapon.   

McCullum was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 51 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.

Judge Strand commented the situation the defendant created was “chilling” and but for the well-trained officers disciplined actions and approach the situation could have been tragic. 

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.

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

The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department 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 23-4030.

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A man who had domestic abuse convictions and was found on three occasions with different firearms in Cedar Rapids was sentenced January 23, 2024, to ten years in federal prison.

Colby Lakeith Shannon, Jr., age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 10, 2023, guilty plea to three counts of possession a firearm by a person with a prior domestic abuse conviction.

In a plea agreement, Shannon admitted that, on July 15, 2022, he was at a gathering where firearms were discharged.  When Cedar Rapids police officers responded, they recovered a stolen .45 caliber handgun from a vehicle that was linked to Shannon by DNA testing.  This firearm had previously been reported stolen.  The next day, July 16, 2022, Shannon fled from the police in a high-speed chase through a Cedar Rapids residential neighborhood.  When officers found Shannon’s abandoned vehicle, they found a firearm with an obliterated serial number and marijuana.  On October 30, 2022, Cedar Rapids police officers responded to an alarm at a business in downtown Cedar Rapids.  They found Shannon passed out in a running vehicle behind the business.  When they removed him from the vehicle, they found another stolen firearm in the vehicle. 

Shannon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Shannon was sentenced to 120 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.

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.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force.  The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department’s Police Community Action Team.

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

The case file number is 23-CR-00012.

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Douglas Kelley, 67, from Sioux City, Iowa, and former MercyOne nurse was sentenced on January 18, 2024, to over 10 years in prison for Possession of Child Pornography and Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud.

Kenneth Hurd, 32, from Harrisburg, South Dakota, was sentenced on January 3, 2024, to two years’ probation for Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud.

Brian Gene Raff, 44, from Orchard, Nebraska pled guilty in federal court on November 29, 2023, to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.  Raff remains free on bond pending sentencing.

Evidence at Hurd’s and Kelley’s sentencing hearing’s established that Kelley knowingly conspired with co-defendants to obtain and acquire fentanyl by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.  The trio used Kelley’s position as a nurse at MercyOne Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa, to obtain fentanyl and other controlled substances for personal use and to illegally distribute to others.  Raff further admitted that he conspired with his co-defendants to distribute his minor child’s prescription ADHD medication, Vyvanse (amphetamine), a Schedule II Controlled Substance.

During the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Kelley’s cell phone and recovered six videos and 20 images of child pornography.  These videos and images included material that depicted prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.  The materials also portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct, as well as toddlers and bestiality.  Kelley had previously been convicted of offenses relating to the possession of child pornography in Buena Vista County, Iowa in 1993. 

“By using his position as a nurse, Kelley violated the public’s trust while stealing controlled substances for himself and others.  He also possessed child pornography, allowing for the heartbreaking victimization of children and their sexual exploitation.  The sentencing of Kelley in this matter sends a strong and powerful message that those who violate the law will be held accountable,” said Curt L. Muller, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  “We will continue working with our State, Federal, and Tribal law enforcement partners as we investigate and seek justice against those who would victimize our programs and their beneficiaries.”

Kelley was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 126 months’ imprisonment.  He must pay $1,200 in fines and assessments and serve a 5-year term of supervised release upon release from custody.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Hurd was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to two years’ probation.  He was also ordered to obtain mental health and substance abuse evaluations and comply with any recommended treatment.

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.”

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Inspections & Appeals, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Sioux City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-4022.

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Johnnie A. Cannon, age 38, from Sioux City, Iowa, formerly from Arkansas, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of distributing and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of methamphetamine.  Cannon was convicted by a jury on January 18, 2024, after a three-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.  The verdict was returned following close to four hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that Cannon worked with others to distribute at least seven pounds of methamphetamine from January 2021 through March 14, 2023.  Evidence further showed that on at least three occasions in February and March 2023, Cannon supplied ¼, ½ and ½ pounds of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator, who then distributed the methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.  On March 14, 2023, during a traffic stop, Cannon was found in possession of $3,000 in serialized, buy money used by law enforcement minutes before to buy drugs.  In 2010, Cannon was also convicted in federal court in 2010 of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  Cannon was released from federal prison in 2019.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Cannon remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Cannon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten 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 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 23-4023. 

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A prohibited person who possessed a firearm was sentenced on January 18, 2024, to 110 months in federal prison.

Ethan Porter, age 33, of Cedar Rapids, received the sentence after a July 11, 2023, guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Porter admitted that, in June 2022, he possessed a Taurus pistol while being an unlawful drug user and after having been convicted of three felonies and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Porter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Porter was sentenced to 110 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 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 was 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 23-6.

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A twice convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a sawed-off shotgun was convicted by a jury today, after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Larry Jones, age 62, from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a shortened shotgun.  The verdict was returned this afternoon following about one hour of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that on September 7, 2022, Jones was involved in a dispute with another individual.  During the dispute, Jones went into his house and emerged with a sawed-off shotgun.  The other individual took a video on his cellphone of Jones with the firearm.

Officers from the Waterloo Police Department were eventually dispatched to the scene and learned of the gun.  They eventually found the firearm behind Jones’ property after he told an officer that he wrapped the shotgun in a tarp and threw it behind his house.  The weapon had a barrel length of approximately 13 inches.  Any weapon with a barrel length of 18 inches is illegal to possess unless it is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.  Jones had also previously been convicted of felony burglary twice.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Jones was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Jones faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and six years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Nagin and Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department. 

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.

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

The case file number is 23-CR-2015.

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A woman who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to six years in federal prison.

Allison Mills, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 25, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Mills was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for mailing methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service.  Mills received at least five packages from California that each contained multiple pounds of methamphetamine.  In exchange for allowing these packages to be delivered to her address, Mills received a pound of methamphetamine from one of her co-conspirators for each box she received.

Mills was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Mills was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Mills 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 Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force.  The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion 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 22-CR-91.

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A Waterloo man who distributed significant quantities of methamphetamine was sentenced on January 5, 2024, to 30 years in federal prison.

Jeffery Turner, age 48, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 28, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. 

Evidence at trial showed that, between 2020 and 2022, Turner obtained approximately twenty pounds of methamphetamine from three different sources — a source in Waterloo, who in turn was obtaining methamphetamine from a Mexican source; a source in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and a source in California.  On two occasions in 2022, law enforcement conduced controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Turner.  

Turner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Turner was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Turner 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, Patrick J. Reinert, and Dillan Edwards and investigated by Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

The case file number is 22‑CR‑02059‑CJW.

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A man who committed a drug trafficking offense was sentenced on January 10, 2024, to fourteen years in federal prison for possessing large quantities of methamphetamine.

Cody James Darland Heinrichs, age 34, from Newton, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 1, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.       

After Heinrichs was traffic stopped by police in Waterloo, Iowa, they located over 1,200 grams of methamphetamine hidden under the hood of his vehicle and $2,000 on his person.

Heinrichs was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Heinrichs was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Heinrichs 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Black Hawk County Sherriff’s Office.

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

The case file number is 23-CR- 2017.

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A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced January 5, 2024.

Anthony Bartusek, 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 4, 2023, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense.  In 2015, Bartusek was convicted in federal court of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the hearings showed that between April 2022 and March 2023, Bartusek and others distributed more than two kilograms of methamphetamine. On March 9, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a disorderly call at a local hotel and found Bartusek under the influence of drugs, with marijuana on his person, and in possession of a backpack full of drugs.  Law enforcement seized approximately 11 ounces of methamphetamine, 1.5 ounces of cocaine and 15 ounces of marijuana.  This occurred about 11 months after he was released from federal prison.

Bartusek was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  He was sentenced to 153 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Bartusek 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 Shawn S. Wehde and 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 23-4024.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on January 4, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Thomas Powell, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on May 15, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense.  Amongst other convictions, Powell was previously convicted in federal court of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in 2010.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on November 13, 2022, while in Sac County, Iowa, Powell was found with over 90 grams of pure methamphetamine that he planned to distribute to other persons.  At sentencing, Powell was found to be a career offender with multiple prior convictions relating to drugs, fraud, and violence towards others.   

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Powell was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment and must serve a term of 10 years of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Powell remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sac County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and 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 23-4002.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison.

Davion Everette Madlock, age 24, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after as August 21, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between October 2022 and November 2022, Madlock posted videos and photos on social media advertising the sale of marijuana.  On November 11, 2022, law enforcement officers searched Madlock’s residence.  During the search, officers located a firearm with a laser sight and an extended magazine that was loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition on a coffee table in front of a couch where Madlock would sleep.  Behind that couch, officers located a shoe box that contained 33 individually tied sandwich baggies each containing marijuana, a digital scale, and a paper identification card belonging to Madlock.  At the time of the search warrant, Madlock was a felon based on multiple prior gun-related felony convictions.

Madlock was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Madlock was sentenced to 84 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.

Madlock 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 Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department 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-2027.

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A Tama man who punched and kicked his girlfriend in the face was sentenced today to nearly there years in federal prison.  

Bryce Saunders Kapayou, age 43, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 13, 2023 guilty plea to domestic abuse assault. 

Evidence at the plea hearing and sentencing showed that in April 2023, Kapayou punched and kicked his girlfriend in the face.  She was transported to a local hospital where she was treated for substantial injuries to her nose and face.  Evidence showed that Kapayou was drunk and in possession of a machete at the time of the assault.  Kapayou has a long criminal history and has 51 prior criminal convictions. 

Kapayou was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Kapayou was sentenced to 31 months’ and 16 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.

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-46.

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A former Iowa businessman who defrauded the federal and state governments out of over $150,000 in pandemic benefits, and who also possessed firearms and ammunition after multiple prior felony convictions, was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.  Justin Eugene Dowie, age 41, from Cedar Rapids, received the prison term after pleading guilty on July 19, 2023, to one count of bank fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of possessing ammunition as a felon.

Evidence at Dowie’s sentencing, and other hearings in the case, showed that, in 2020 and 2021, Dowie repeatedly submitted false applications to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) in attempts to receive Paycheck Protection Program loans (“PPPs”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”).  During the pandemic, Congress authorized PPPs and EIDLs to assist businesses and individuals suffering financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dowie applied for approximately $1 million in PPPs and EIDLs from the SBA, and while many of his attempts were unsuccessful, he received over $100,000 from the SBA in his own name and using a stolen identity.  During the same timeframe, Dowie also received over $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits from the State of Iowa, again using his own name and a stolen identity.  Dowie also perpetrated other fraud schemes on individual victims, including stealing insurance benefits intended for a victim of the derecho—a severe windstorm that damaged numerous properties in the Cedar Rapids area in August 2020—and obtaining over $13,000 from a line of credit.

Dowie is a former businessman in the Cedar Rapids and Des Moines areas.  He is also a convicted felon with sixteen prior criminal convictions, including five drunk driving convictions in state court.  In late 2022 and early 2023, Dowie possessed firearms and ammunition even though he was prohibited from doing so

on account of his criminal record, which included felonies for drunk driving in 2008, conspiracy to commit a nonforcible felony in 2015, and attempted eluding in 2018.  While Dowie illegally possessed the firearms and ammunition, he refused to leave another man’s home after the other man had temporarily allowed Dowie to stay in the home during a snowstorm and cold weather.  The other man ultimately had to leave his own home when Dowie took it over illegally.

Dowie was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Dowie was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $190,539.65 in restitution to the victims of his crimes, including the federal and state governments.  He must also serve a five-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.

Dowie 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, assisted the investigation. 

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

The case file numbers are 23-CR-10 and 23-CR-55.

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Seth Peterson, 30, from Alden, Iowa, was sentenced on January 5, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to 71 months’ imprisonment.  Peterson pled guilty on August 4, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  Peterson was previously convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault with the Intent or Display a Weapon, and Extortion.

At the hearings, evidence showed that an investigation into Peterson for vandalism led to search warrants for his social media, and ultimately his residence.  At his residence, law enforcement found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number and drug paraphernalia.  Peterson admitted to knowingly possessing the firearm, being a felon at the time he possessed the firearm, and being a user of methamphetamine and marijuana, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Peterson was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of supervised release of three years following the imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Peterson remains in custody of the United States Marshal 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 Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 23-3007.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Spencer man was sentenced January 4, 2024, to more than 4 years in federal prison.

Leighton Marshal Jones, age 42, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 18, 2023, guilty plea to Possession of Child Pornography.

Evidence at Jones’ sentencing hearing established that between January 1, 2012, and December 7, 2017, Jones possessed over 1,500 images of child pornography copied across six electronic devices.  Jones admitted to officers that he downloaded the child pornography in approximately 2012.  Jones stated he had no interest in it but kept the child pornography because it was “different,” and he “knew he would not be able to get it again if he deleted it.”  These images included material that portrayed toddlers, bestiality, and sadistic and masochistic conduct.

Jones was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Jones was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $14,000 in restitution to several victims.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Jones 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 Federal Bureau of Investigations and Spencer Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-4015.

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A man who committed drug trafficking offenses while on federal supervised release for a prior gun conviction was sentenced on January 4, 2024, to 168 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine.

Ryan Marshall Thomas Streets, age 44, from Poway, California, received the prison term after a July 10, 2023 guilty plea to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.           

Streets, who resided in Onslow, Iowa, distributed large quantities of methamphetamine on two occasions in January of 2023 in Maquoketa, Iowa, while he was on federal supervised release for a prior gun offense. In March 2023, Streets’ supervised release was revoked, and he was sentenced to two-years in custody for violating the conditions of his supervised release.

Streets was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Streets was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Streets 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 Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Clinton County Sherriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Police.

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

The case file number is 23-CR- 1011.

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A brother and sister from Dubuque, Iowa, who conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine were sentenced this week to federal prison.

Jacob Patrick Demaio, age 42, and Codi Lyn Demaio, age 35, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after both pled guilty on July 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance near a protected location.

From August 2019 through January 2022, both Demaios were involved in a conspiracy to distribute hundreds of pounds of “ice” methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school.  There were several residences used by the brother and sister to store and traffic the “ice” methamphetamine in Dubuque and elsewhere.

Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Jacob Demaio sold hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine to multiple people between 2019 and 2022.  Drug customers dropped off hundreds of thousands of dollars at the various “stash” houses.  That money was intended to be given to Jacob Demaio. 

Evidence also showed that Codi Demaio sold pounds of methamphetamine to several people in Dubuque between 2019 and 2022.  On occasions when her brother was incarcerated, she took over his drug operation and sold pounds of methamphetamine.  She was once instructed to go to California with $25,000 to buy drugs, though she instead traveled to Las Vegas and lost all the money.  

Jacob and Codi were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Jacob Demaio was sentenced to 306 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  Codi Demaio was sentenced to 172 months and 27 days of imprisonment and must serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Jacob and Codi are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Nicole L. Nagin and investigated as part of 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, 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 22-CR-1039. 

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A woman who hid a $147,000 inheritance check from her creditors in bankruptcy court was sentenced on December 21, 2023, to federal prison.  Debra S. Leisinger, age 58, from Sumner, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 7, 2023 guilty plea to one count of bankruptcy concealment.

In a plea agreement, Leisinger admitted that, on December 8, 2022, she filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, by means of sworn court filings.  When a debtor files a petition seeking protection from creditors under the bankruptcy laws, a “bankruptcy estate” is created, which is comprised of all property belonging to the debtor, wherever located, and by whomever held, as of the time of the filing of the bankruptcy case, and debtors must truthfully disclose their assets to the court in court filings.  Leisinger admitted she fraudulently concealed that she was in possession of a $147,969.28 inheritance check on the date she filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  An attorney had handed Leisinger the check on December 1, 2022, but Leisinger did not immediately cash it.  On December 16, 2022, Leisinger cashed the check into an account she controlled at a local credit union.  As a part of her scheme, Leisinger attempted to discharge over $65,000 in debts that she owed to her creditors but keep her entire inheritance.  Ultimately, the United States Trustee discovered Leisinger’s scheme, she waived her Chapter 7 discharge, her bankruptcy was dismissed, her inheritance was applied to repay her creditors, and she was prosecuted federally.

Leisinger was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Leisinger was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment.  Leisinger was also ordered to repay $5,000 for her court-appointed attorney fees.  She must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Leisinger was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal in January 2024.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The Office of the U.S. Trustee referred and assisted in the investigation.

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

The case file number is 23-CR-2028. 

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A woman who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty December 19, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Andrea Crystal Lee, 35, from Emmetsburg, Iowa, was convicted of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  Lee had previously been convicted of felony possession of a controlled substance – 3rd or subsequent offense on April 30, 2021.  Lee was on state probation for that offense when she committed the federal firearms offense. 

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on January 24, 2023, a state probation officer located drug-use paraphernalia at Lee’s home in Emmetsburg, Iowa, during a probation check.  Lee was given a urinalysis test which returned positive indicating recent methamphetamine use.  The same day, a search of Lee’s home was conducted pursuant to a search warrant.  Law enforcement found a 9mm handgun concealed in a floor vent, 9mm ammunition in two magazines, and a bag of needles.  As a drug user and felon, Lee was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.     

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

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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Palo Alto 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 23-3011. 

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A man who distributed child pornography to multiple minors was sentenced December 20, 2023, to more than seventeen years in federal prison.

Benjamin Mockmore, age 37, from Wilton, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 4, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of child pornography.

Information presented at the sentencing hearing and in a plea agreement showed that in 2021 and 2022 Mockmore had online sexual communications with multiple minors.  During some of the conversations, Mockmore sent images and videos of child pornography to the minors.  One of the minors with whom Mockmore communicated was a 15‑year‑old autistic girl, from whom Mockmore had requested “nudes.”  Mockmore also sent naked pictures of himself to multiple minors, including to the 15‑year‑old autistic girl.  In March 2022, an adult female posing as a 12‑year‑old girl from Wilton communicated with Mockmore.  During the conversations Mockmore stated that he wanted to have sex with the 12‑year‑old and that he would be home alone on March 20, 2022.  The adult woman confronted Mockmore on March 19, 2022, at which time Mockmore admitted that he had sent a picture of his penis to the person he believed to be the 12‑year‑old.  Mockmore also offered the woman money not to report him to law enforcement. 

Four days after his encounter with the adult woman in Wilton, Mockmore had an online conversation with another adult woman who was posing as a 13‑year‑old girl.  Mockmore sent that person a photograph of his penis and requested that the girl send him a photograph of herself in the shower.  A search of Mockmore’s residence on March 29, 2022, resulted in the seizure of two of Mockmore’s cellular phones.  Searches of those phones revealed 181 images and 50 videos of child pornography, and 61 online conversations during which Mockmore sent child pornography to another person.  Over 30 of the people to whom Mockmore sent child pornography had represented themselves to be juveniles.

Mockmore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Mockmore was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $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.”

Mockmore 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 Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Shelby County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Jason Norwood. 

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

The case file number is 23‑CR‑00029‑CJW‑MAR.

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A man who absconded from state court parole in Iowa for a drug trafficking offense was sentenced on December 20, 2023, to over 20 years in federal prison for participating in a methamphetamine conspiracy.

Todd Alan Skalberg, age 57, from Osmond, Nebraska, received the prison term after a June 30, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after having previously been convicted of a serious drug felony.           

Skalberg, who was living in California, sent multiple pounds of “ice” methamphetamine by mail to Waterloo, Iowa, to his co-defendant, Justin Lee Hanawalt, over the course of a few months.  Skalberg has three prior convictions for drug trafficking offenses.

Skalberg was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Skalberg was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Skalberg is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.  Justin Lee Hanawalt was previously sentenced to 240 months in federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Waterloo 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 22-CR- 2065.

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Anthony Michael Tucker, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted by a jury today of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.  The verdict was returned this afternoon following one day of testimony and about three and half hours of jury deliberations. 

The evidence at trial showed that in January 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a Cybertip from Google that accounts belonging to Tucker contained over 90 images and three videos of child sexual abuse material.  Evidence showed these depictions included images displaying sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.  Jurors watched a video-recorded interview of Tucker speaking with an Iowa DCI agent where he admitted he was responsible for the content on the Google account and stated, “there’s more that I run across. . . those were just the ones I kept.”  Evidence also showed Tucker has a prior conviction for Lascivious Acts with a Child from 2010 where Tucker, then 21, had sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old female.

United States Attorney Timothy Duax cited the excellent work done by the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation in this case. “Starting with just a cybertip, law enforcement, through skill and hard work, was able to locate the defendant and interrupt his exploitive activities. As a result, a dangerous and repetitive child predator is off the streets for a significant period of time.”

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Tucker remains in the custody of the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Due to his prior sex offense, Tucker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of 5 years to life following any imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation, Cyber Crime Bureau, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

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

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A man, who admitted he was delivering drugs for a drug cartel was sentenced on December 6, 2023, to 14 years in federal prison.

Ethan Longie, 20 from Bismarck, North Dakota received the prison term after an October 5, 2022, guilty plea to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

In a plea agreement, Longie admitted on February 4, 2022, he was stopped after a short pursuit in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa and was found in possession of more than 350 grams of actual methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and other narcotics.  Longie further admitted he was delivering drugs for the “Cartel” and that he had been delivering methamphetamine to various areas.  While in custody pending his federal sentencing, Longie continued to distribute drugs and threatened to stab another inmate to keep him from informing on Longie.  

Longie was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Longie was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100.  He must also serve a 5 -year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Longie 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 Jack Lammers and investigated by Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Police, the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, and the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-3014-LTS-KEM.

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A man who sold methamphetamine in the Mason City area was sentenced today to more than 8 years in federal prison.

Jay James Eden, age 32, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 13, 2023, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

In a plea agreement, Eden admitted that between fall of 2020, and the fall of 2021, he and Nathan Carlson conspired with others to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.  Eden further admitted that on or about September 20, 2021, he knowingly distributed more than 50 grams of “ice” methamphetamine in the Mason City area. Eden was a drug dealer who was getting methamphetamine from Minnesota and re-selling it in and around Mason City. 

Eden was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Eden was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Eden 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 Jack Lammers and investigated by the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Police Department, Clear Lake Police Department, Iowa Division 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-CR-3025.

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A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was convicted by a jury on December 6, 2023, after a three-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.

Britt Lander, 42, from Akron, Iowa, was convicted of conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine.  The verdict was returned after about 1 hour of jury deliberations.  In 2012, Lander was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.

The evidence at trial showed that Lander, along with others, conspired to receive methamphetamine by mail and vehicle from California and Mexico to distribute in the Sioux City and Akron, Iowa areas.  Evidence also showed Lander assisted others in the unloading of 5-10 pound loads of methamphetamine transported to rural properties associated with Lander. Evidence also included an audio/video recording of Lander and another using cutting tools to remove 7 kilograms of methamphetamine from inside a spare tire that was used to transport the methamphetamine from Mexico. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Lander remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Lander faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and 10 years up to life 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 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 22-4071. 

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Christopher King, age 52, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with three counts of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition.  The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on September 8, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids. 

The Indictment alleges that, between February and August of 2023, King possessed a pistol, a shotgun, and ammunition while being an unlawful drug user and after having been convicted of felonies.

If convicted, King faces a possible maximum sentence of 45 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.

King appeared for a detention hearing on November 29, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond.  King’s next appearance for trial is set for January 16, 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 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.

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A man who distributed a fake Percocet pill containing fentanyl that killed his customer was sentenced December 5, 2023, to thirteen years in federal prison.

Tarron Lechtenberg, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 5, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

Evidence at a prior hearing and information presented at sentencing showed that, in July 2020, Lechtenberg regularly sold marijuana, THC wax, and purported Xanax and Percocet pills in the North Washington, Iowa area.  The purported Percocet pills, commonly referred to as “Perc 30s,” in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone.  In the evening of July 29, 2023, Lechtenberg distributed half of a “Perc 30” pill to a 19‑year‑old, J.C., who used the pill at Lechtenberg’s house.  At approximately midnight, some friends drove J.C. from Lechtenberg’s house but returned to the house after J.C. began overdosing in their vehicle.  Lechtenberg and the group put J.C. into a chair in the backyard and the friends left.  One of the friends texted Lechtenberg later that night, asking if J.C. was okay.  Lechtenberg responded, “No. He’s dead.  JK, LOL.”  J.C. was not conscious and was having snoring respirations.  At around 4:00 a.m., Lechtenberg noticed that J.C. “didn’t look good” and called a friend to help him move J.C. into Lechtenberg’s vehicle so he could seek medical help.  At approximately 4:45 a.m., Lechtenberg sped by a Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Deputy, slammed on his brakes, and returned to the deputy’s location to ask for help.  J.C. was unresponsive and slumped over on the rear seat of Lechtenberg’s vehicle.  Efforts by the deputy and first responders to revive J.C. were unsuccessful.  J.C.’s death was determined to be from acute fentanyl intoxication.

Lechtenberg was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Lechtenberg was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $8,182.45 in restitution to J.C.’s family.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Lechtenberg 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 Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Jason Norwood. 

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

The case file number is 23‑CR‑2002‑CJW‑MAR.

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Two men who were involved in a large Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization were sentenced this week to significant time in federal prison. 

Jesse Lax, age 38, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 8, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. 

Luis Carlos Corral Lopez, age 32, from Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, received the prison term after a February 9, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.         

Evidence disclosed at Corral Lopez’s trial, Lax’s sentencing, and the sentencings of others involved in the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization showed that, in either 2015 or 2016, Lax met a man who later moved to Mexico and became a source of supply of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine for Lax while they were incarcerated together in the Colorado Department of Corrections.  In the Spring of 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and his then‑girlfriend Sandra Deyerle to drive to Detroit, Michigan, where Lax obtained three kilograms of heroin. 

In May 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to move to Waterloo, Iowa.  After they arrived, Lax began distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and he frequently possessed a firearm while doing so. 

In June 2019, the source of supply directed Lax to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Lax obtained eight kilograms of cocaine.  Lax then brought all the cocaine back to Waterloo, and he distributed it to others.

In July 2019, and in August or September 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California, where they obtained three pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico, each time.  After Lax and Deyerle acquired the ice methamphetamine, they mailed it back to Waterloo and later distributed all the methamphetamine to others. 

In December 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California again, where they obtained at least 19 ounces of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico.

On January 20, 2020, Lax shot another man in the neck during a methamphetamine‑related encounter.  After he was arrested for the shooting, Lax directed Deyerle to take over his role within the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization. 

After Deyerle assumed Lax’s role, Deyerle distributed all the remaining methamphetamine Lax and Deyerle had obtained from California in December 2019.  The source of supply then directed Deyerle to make three or four separate trips to California, where Deyerle obtained a total of approximately 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico.  Deyerle then mailed the methamphetamine to Iowa, and she distributed all of it to others. 

Once Deyerle had distributed the 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine she obtained from California, the source of supply coordinated the delivery of at least 150 pounds of ice methamphetamine that had been imported from Mexico to Deyerle in Iowa via rail car in the Summer and Fall of 2020.  On October 30, 2020, law enforcement officers searched several places in Iowa connected to the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization, including Deyerle’s residence and storage units.  During those searches, officers seized at least 75 pounds of ice methamphetamine, over 500 grams of heroin, $23,950, and two firearms.  

Following the October 30, 2020, seizures, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Corral Lopez to Waterloo.  At some point after he arrived, the organization directed Corral Lopez to travel to an unidentified city, where Corral Lopez and two others acquired approximately 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico.  Corral Lopez then brought the 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine back to Waterloo, and he distributed all of it to others, including Levi Dull.   

In the late Spring or early Summer of 2021, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez to replace Corral Lopez in Waterloo.  After he arrived, Chinchillas Sanchez distributed methamphetamine to others in Waterloo and elsewhere, including Levi Dull.

On August 18, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Dull’s house in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and his storage unit in Waterloo.  During those searches, officers seized almost 300 grams of ice methamphetamine, two grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and two firearms, including one that was stolen.

On October 25, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Chinchillas Sanchez’s house in Waterloo.  During the search, officers seized over 90 pounds of ice methamphetamine and almost 23 pounds of fentanyl, including approximately 34,380 pills containing fentanyl.  Most of the methamphetamine seized from Chinchillas Sanchez’s house was hidden behind drywall in the basement.

Around the time of the October 25, 2021, search of Chinchillas Sanchez’s house, the source of supply began supplying ice methamphetamine to Andrew Surprenant.  A wiretap of Surprenant’s telephone revealed that the source of supply provided Surprenant with at least 10 pounds of methamphetamine that was imported from Mexico.  On January 12, 2022, law enforcement officers searched Surprenant’s house and storage unit.  During those searches, officers seized over seven pounds of methamphetamine, seven firearms, and ammunition. 

Lax and Corral Lopez were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Lax was sentenced to 313 months’ imprisonment, and Corral Lopez was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment.  They both must serve a five‑year term of supervised release after their respective prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

Nine other individuals have pled guilty to their involvement with the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization and have been sentenced:

• Sandra Ann Deyerle was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment;
• Jeremey Aswegan was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment;
• Dana John Dana was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment;
• Drew Scarborough was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment;
• Levi Dull was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment;
• Ruben Vasquez was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment;
• Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez was sentenced to 158 months’ imprisonment;
• Andrew Davis Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment; and
• Gabriel Allen Pelz was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. 

Lax and Corral Lopez are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Green County Sheriff’s Office; and the Elbert, County Colorado Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file numbers are 22‑CR‑02039‑CJW and 22‑CR‑02067‑CJW.

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Henry Araica-Gonzalez, age 22, from Sheldon, Iowa, plead guilty in federal court on December 5, 2023, to Distribution of Child Pornography.

At the plea hearing, Araica-Gonzalez admitted that he distributed and attempted to distribute child pornography, using a means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce.  Araica-Gonzalez further admitted in a plea agreement that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor, that he knew the age of the minor at the time, and that he filmed several of the assaults on both his and the victim’s phones.  Araica-Gonzalez also admitted the videos of exploitative material contained displays of sadistic and masochistic conduct.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Araica-Gonzalez was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Araica-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sergeant Bluff Police Department, and Sheldon Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-4031.

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A Waterloo man who discharged a stolen firearm during an argument was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.  Dean Eugene Smith, age 54, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 10, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

In a plea agreement, Smith admitted that, on April 16, 2023, he was involved in an argument with a woman.  During the argument, Smith discharged a stolen firearm into the air.  After he discharged the firearm, Smith held the firearm behind his back while he shouted at the woman, until she ran away.  Smith also admitted that, prior to April 16, 2023, he had previously been convicted of several offenses that prohibited him from possessing firearms and ammunition, including third‑degree sexual abuse, domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury, domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury (second offense), first‑degree theft, multiple third‑degree burglary offenses, and several failures to comply with sex offender registry requirement offenses.                           

Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Smith was sentenced to 63 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.

Smith 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 a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.

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

The case file number is 23-CR-02031-CJW.

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An Iowa farmer who operated an unlicensed custom cattle operation known as “Fawn Hollow” in Clayton County pled guilty on December 1, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  Michael Wayne Butikofer, age 53, from Monona, Iowa, was convicted of one count of theft of livestock, one count of wire fraud, and one count of false bankruptcy declaration.

In his plea agreement, Butikofer admitted he operated a large farming operation in Northeastern Iowa known as “Fawn Hollow,” from his home farm outside St. Olaf, Iowa, and at satellite locations elsewhere in Iowa and Wisconsin.  Butikofer operated a so-called “custom cattle” feeding operation in which employees of his organization would raise and care for cattle owned by other individuals, including cattle investors located across the United States.  Fawn Hollow then sold the cattle, primarily to a Wisconsin slaughterhouse.

At no time was Butikofer or “Fawn Hollow” registered with the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) as a “dealer” under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (“the Act”).  Butikofer and another individual identified as “Individual-1” did participate in the so-called “H-2A” visa program and recruited agricultural workers from the Republic of South Africa to work at Fawn Hollow. 

Between July 2020 and February 2022, Butikofer converted the proceeds of sales of cattle owned by six cattle investors to his own use.  Butikofer had convinced the cattle investors to allow Butikofer to sell the cattle in his own name.  When Butikofer sold the cattle to the Wisconsin slaughterhouse, Butikofer falsely represented to the slaughterhouse that he had “good and merchantable title to” the cattle when he did not, in fact, own or otherwise have title to the cattle.  By convincing the cattle investors to permit Butikofer to sell their cattle in his own name, and by fraudulently concealing the true ownership of the cattle from the slaughterhouse, Butikofer attempted to evade the requirements of the Act and its regulations for registration, posting of a dealer bond, and prompt payment, which would have protected the cattle investors’ funds.

Between July 2020 and August 2020, Butikofer defrauded the USDA of more than $200,000 in emergency assistance funds designed to assist livestock producers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Specifically, applications were submitted in the name of Individual-1 and entitled “Coronavirus Food Assistance Program” (“CFAP”) payments.  A cattle producer qualified for CFAP payments on a per head basis based on the producer’s owned inventory of eligible beef cattle on a date selected by the producer between certain dates in calendar year 2020.  It was part of Butikofer’s wire fraud scheme that the CFAP applications in Individual-1’s name falsely stated that Individual-1 owned cattle when, in truth, Individual-1 did not own any cattle.  Finally, it was part of the scheme that Butikofer would intercept or otherwise gain access to the CFAP funds once the USDA provided those funds to Individual-1 and then use those CFAP funds for his own purposes.

In February 2022, Butikofer received over $1.5 million from the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) as part of an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”). Butikofer falsely stated to the SBA that he would use the proceeds “solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by” the COVID-19 pandemic.  In truth, upon receiving the $1.5 million from the SBA, Butikofer used no less than $75,000 of the EIDL funds to pay an attorney known as Attorney-1 for services rendered in connection with a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding that Butikofer filed on or about February 28, 2022, in In re Michael W. Butikofer et al., Case Number 22-00096, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Iowa.

In March 2022, Butikofer submitted a false and fraudulent statement of financial affairs in his bankruptcy case.  In April 2022, Butikofer falsely testified under oath at a meeting of creditors and, in November 2022, repeatedly committed perjury before the bankruptcy court when asked questions about the ownership of his cattle operation.

From April 2023 to November 2023, while on federal pretrial release, Butikofer recruited and caused Individual-1 to recruit H-2A workers to the United States under false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.  The false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises included: (1) the housing conditions provided to the employees; (2) the location of the employees’ work; (3) the terms and timing of reimbursement for the employees’ work and expenses; and (4) payment for injuries sustained during the employment.

Evidence at a detention hearing held on December 1, 2023, and December 4, 2023, showed that Butikofer attempted to tamper with grand jury and trial witnesses.  In 2020, a federal district court entered a default judgment against Butikofer and in favor of H2A workers from the Republic of South Africa for civil violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and Trafficking Victims Protective Reauthorization Act in 2018.  As part of his plea agreement, Butikofer has agreed to voluntarily terminate and cease participation in foreign labor programs with respect to any program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor or U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Butikofer faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and 3 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 Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-1018.

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A felon who possessed a firearm was sentenced December 4, 2023, to eight years in federal prison.

Rosnel Larose, age 32, of Dubuque, received the sentence after a June 20, 2023, guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Larose admitted that, in January 2022, he possessed a pistol after having been convicted of eleven felonies.

Larose was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Larose was sentenced to 96 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 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 was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 22-1044.

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Brian Raff, 44, from Orchard, Nebraska, pled guilty in federal court on November 29, 2023, to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

At the plea hearing, Raff admitted that he knowingly conspired with co-defendants Douglas Kelley and Kenneth Hurd, to distribute his minor child’s prescription ADHD medication, Vyvanse (amphetamine), a Schedule II Controlled Substance. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Raff remains free on bond pending sentencing.  Raff faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Inspections & Appeals, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Sioux City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-4022.

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A Lyon County man who defrauded pork producers while working as the regional manager of an Iowa livestock dealer pled guilty on December 1, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  Robert Harry Bickerstaff, age 52, from Rock Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of wire fraud.

At the plea hearing and in his plea agreement, Bickerstaff admitted that he had worked as a regional manager for an Iowa livestock dealer between 2018 and 2021.  As regional manager, Bickerstaff oversaw livestock buying stations in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.  From time to time, Bickerstaff also personally counted, classified, and weighed swine at these stations.

Bickerstaff admitted he participated in a scheme to defraud livestock producers personally and by directing others to (1) falsely and fraudulently lower the weights and reduce the numbers and classifications of swine that producers and sellers had delivered to the dealer at its buying stations; (2) manipulate the weights of swine either manually or using a crowbar, paddle, or other similar object, and thus defeat the electronic scales on which livestock producers’ swine was weighed at his buying stations; and (3) create fraudulent “sort sheets” and scale tickets containing false numbers, classifications, and weights of producers’ swine for transmission to the dealer’s headquarters in Waucoma, Iowa.  Finally, concerned about a potential investigation into his conduct in early 2021, Bickerstaff instructed others to destroy anything with his name on it.

In addition to working for the livestock dealer, Bickerstaff was a pork producer himself.  In February 2022, Bickerstaff won a “Hog Wild” award from a statewide pork producers’ association for his role in promoting pork in Lyon County, Iowa.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Bickerstaff remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing.  Bickerstaff faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 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 Agriculture, Office of 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-2026.

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A Cedar Rapids man who sent gift cards to minors in exchange for sexually explicit videos from the minors was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison today. 

Andrew Kyte, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, received the prison term after a June 22, 2023, guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of children. 

Evidence established that from 2017 until 2019 defendant received depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on two electronic devices. Defendant would send minors gift cards to encourage the minors to make sexually explicit videos and send those videos to him.  Defendant also secretly recorded a minor through a hidden spy camera.  Six minor victims were awarded restitution based on defendant’s criminal conduct. 

Kyte was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Kyte was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $24,000 in restitution to six minor victims.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Dupuich and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cole and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-4.

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A seven-time convicted felon who robbed or attempted to rob employees of Cedar Rapids businesses at gunpoint seven times in a twelve-day period in November 2020 was sentenced today to more than fifty-five years in prison.

Cardel Demetrius Redmond, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 6, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of six counts of interference with commerce by robbery, six counts of using and possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of those robberies, one count of attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. 

The evidence at trial showed that on November 17, 2020, Redmond robbed the Subway restaurant on Gateway Place SW in Cedar Rapids by displaying a firearm to the employees and demanding the cash from the register.  On November 19, 2020, Redmond robbed a cashier at gunpoint in the Wine and Spirits area of the Hy-Vee grocery store on Oakland Road NE in Cedar Rapids.  On November 25, 2020, Redmond robbed the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery on Southgate Court SW in Cedar Rapids by pointing a firearm at one of the employees of the business.  On the night of November 27, 2020, Redmond used a firearm to rob an employee at the Hy-Vee grocery store on Mount Vernon Road SE in Cedar Rapids.  Minutes later, Redmond robbed two employees at gunpoint at the Little Caesar’s Pizza on Mount Vernon Road SE.  Less than twenty-four hours later, on November 28, 2020, Redmond attempted to rob two employees at the Hy-Vee Drugstore on 6th Street SW by brandishing a firearm.  One of the employees told him there was a police officer in an unmarked car in the parking lot, and Redmond fled.  The following night, November 29, 2020, Redmond robbed the same Subway restaurant on Gateway Place SW by pointing a firearm at an employee.

Additional information from sentencing showed that Redmond was released on probation on November 4, 2020.  He committed three burglaries on November 9, 2020.  The first burglary was at restaurant.  He stole a valuable truck parked in front of the restaurant belonging to the restaurant owner.  He used the truck as transportation to commit two additional burglaries that morning at cellular telephone stores.  After committing the three burglaries, Redmond was driving the stolen truck, when he crossed the center line and collided head-on with another car, causing serious injuries to the other driver.  Redmond stayed at the scene of the accident and provided false information to a police officer.  He committed another burglary at a retail store on November 12, 2020, that resulted in more than $4,000 in property damage.    

Redmond was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Redmond was sentenced to 666 months’ imprisonment.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Williams noted the tremendous impact Redmond had had on the community in committing highly aggravating offenses and found that Redmond posed a grave danger to the public.  Redmond was ordered to make $2,068.54 in restitution to the victims of the robberies.  He must also serve a five-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 Attorneys Kyndra Lundquist and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-0085.

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A man who participated in an online chat group where adult men made requests to a 13-year-old girl for sexually explicit photos and videos was sentenced November 29, 2023, to more than 11 years in federal prison.

Jason Dean Anderson, age 50, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 16, 2023 guilty plea to one count of accessing child pornography including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.

Information at the sentencing hearing showed that during 2021 and 2022, Anderson participated in a Snapchat group where men would sexually exploit a 13‑year-old girl.  Anderson admitted to requesting that the girl take and post sexually explicit depictions of herself.  Officers seized Anderson’s cell phone and found several videos and photos of child pornography, including depictions of adults sexually abusing infants.  Anderson admitted that he was interested in teenagers and that he had chatted with some children online.  Anderson had previously been encountered by law enforcement in 2012 after it was discovered that he was having sexually explicit conversations online with a seventeen‑year‑old girl who lived in a facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities.  Anderson had been communicating with the seventeen‑year‑old for approximately two years and had requested that she send him sexually explicit pictures of herself.

Anderson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Anderson was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $5,100 in special assessments.  He must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Dupuich and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 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‑00008‑CJW‑MAR.

A nurse, who stole controlled substances from a life care center where she was employed, pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.

Cassandra Lynne Vonnahme, age 32, from Arcadia, Iowa, entered a guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.  Vonnahme had been scheduled to begin a jury trial on December 11, 2023. 

At the plea hearing, Vonnahme admitted that between November 2020 and December 2020, she diverted controlled substances and falsified related documents.  The controlled substances Vonnahme stole and the records she falsified pertained to actual patients.  Vonnahme was later convicted of burglary in Carroll County in 2021, where she stole controlled substances from a stranger’s home.     

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Vonnahme remains free on bond pending sentencing.  Vonnahme faces a possible maximum sentence of 9 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 4- years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being investigated by the Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and is being 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 23-4019.

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A convicted felon found in possession of a stolen gun plead guilty on November 28, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Joseph Isiah Hardy, Sr., age 37, from Humboldt, Iowa, was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

In a plea agreement, Hardy admitted that he knowingly possessed a firearm even though he had been previously convicted of a felony punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and that he knew he had been previously convicted of that felony.  Hardy further admitted the gun was stolen.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Hardy remains in custody of the United States Marshal, pending sentencing.  Hardy faces the following maximum penalties: (1) not more than 15 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole; (2) a fine of not more than $250,000; (3) a mandatory special assessment of $100; and (4) a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years.

The case was investigated by Humboldt Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-3010.

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A man who sold crack cocaine near a playground was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Orlandis Fred Murriel, age 35, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after May 18, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance near a protected location.

In a plea agreement, Murriel admitted that between June and November 27, 2022, while living in Dubuque, he sold over 2,400 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine.  Many of these sales occurred from his residence which was within 1,000 feet of three Dubuque playgrounds: Orange Park, Madison Park, and Jackson Park.  On November 27, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a car as it approached Murriel’s residence.  Murriel was seated in the front passenger seat.  During a search of the car, the officers found 132 grams of crack cocaine and 111 grams of cocaine which Murriel intended to sell.  At the time of the offense, Murriel was on Iowa state probation for three drug trafficking felonies.

Murriel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Murriel was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Murriel 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 Dubuque Drug Task Force 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-1005.

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