Northern District of Iowa

A federal jury in Sioux City, Iowa, convicted an Iowa woman today for a voter fraud scheme during the Iowa 2020 primary and general elections.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kim Phuong Taylor, age 49, of Sioux City, perpetrated a scheme to fraudulently generate votes for her husband in the primary election for Iowa’s 4th U.S. Congressional District in June 2020. After Taylor’s husband lost in the primary, he ran for Woodbury County Supervisor in the 2020 general election and Taylor again engaged in ballot fraud, causing absentee ballots to be fraudulently requested and cast. Taylor submitted or caused others to submit dozens of voter registrations, absentee ballot request forms, and absentee ballots containing false information. Taylor completed and signed voter forms without voters’ permission and told others that they could sign on behalf of relatives who were not present.

“The right to vote is one of our most important constitutional rights,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.  “Ms. Taylor deprived citizens of their right to vote in order to benefit her husband’s campaign. Today, another group of citizens, fulfilling their civic duty as jurors, held her accountable for her actions. The guilty verdict is an example of how the justice system works to protect the voting rights of citizens and ensure fair and honest elections.”

The jury convicted Taylor of 26 counts of providing false information in registering and voting, three counts of fraudulent registration, and 23 counts of fraudulent voting. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A sentencing date will be set after a presentence report is prepared. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office, and Acting Inspector in Charge Brad Mahs of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Denver Division made the announcement.

The FBI Omaha Field Office and USPIS Denver Division investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorneys Richard B. Evans and Lauren M. Castaldi of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

A federal jury in Sioux City, Iowa, convicted an Iowa woman today for a voter fraud scheme during the Iowa 2020 primary and general elections.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kim Phuong Taylor, 49, of Sioux City, perpetrated a scheme to fraudulently generate votes for her husband in the primary election for Iowa’s 4th U.S. Congressional District in June 2020. After Taylor’s husband lost in the primary, he ran for Woodbury County Supervisor in the 2020 general election and Taylor again engaged in ballot fraud, causing absentee ballots to be fraudulently requested and cast. Taylor submitted or caused others to submit dozens of voter registrations, absentee ballot request forms, and absentee ballots containing false information. Taylor completed and signed voter forms without voters’ permission and told others that they could sign on behalf of relatives who were not present.

The jury convicted Taylor of 26 counts of providing false information in registering and voting, three counts of fraudulent registration, and 23 counts of fraudulent voting. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A sentencing date will be set after a presentence report is prepared. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office, and Acting Inspector in Charge Brad Mahs of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Denver Division made the announcement.

The FBI Omaha Field Office and USPIS Denver Division investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Richard B. Evans and Lauren M. Castaldi of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons for the Northern District of Iowa are prosecuting the case.

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

Luis Ronaldo Lopez-Lopez, age 24, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Arcadia, Florida, received the prison term after a September 12, 2023, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.

At the guilty plea, Lopez-Lopez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Lopez-Lopez was previously deported in December 2017 and January 2018.  On August 13, 2023, immigration officials learned Lopez-Lopez had illegally returned to the United States and found Lopez-Lopez at the Dubuque County Jail following his arrest on state charges for public intoxication and soliciting prostitution.  Those charges are still pending.  Lopez-Lopez had been residing in a Dubuque hotel while illegally working in the area.  Lopez-Lopez had previously been convicted in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico of illegal entry into the United States in December 2017.

Lopez-Lopez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Lopez-Lopez was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-1017.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was on federal supervised release from a prior drug conspiracy conviction was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for participating in another drug conspiracy.

Toney Edward Henderson, age 50, from Camden, Arkansas, received the prison term after a May 3, 2023 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after having previously been convicted of a serious drug felony and possession of a firearm by a felon.           

From August 2021 until September 2022, Henderson traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine and then re-distributed the drugs in Iowa.  Henderson was on federal supervised release for a previous cocaine related and firearm conviction during this time.

Henderson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Henderson was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  He was also sentenced to a consecutive term of 60 months’ imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release for his prior federal conviction.  There is no parole in the federal system. Henderson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the 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 22-CR- 94.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

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

Emmanuel Reyes-Jaimes, age 38, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cambridge, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 21, 2023 guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.

At the guilty plea, Reyes-Jaimes admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Reyes-Jaimes was previously deported in November 2016.  On August 7, 2023, immigration officials learned Reyes-Jaimes had illegally returned to the United States and found Reyes-Jaimes at the Benton County Jail where he was serving a state sentence.

Reyes-Jaimes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Reyes-Jaimes was sentenced to 93 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-59.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who fled from law enforcement with a loaded firearm in his vehicle was sentenced today to more than 8 years in federal prison.

Jacques Eugene Robinson, age 50, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 8, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Robinson was previously convicted of Murder in the Second Degree in the Iowa District Court for Scott County on June 11, 1990.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on March 25, 2022, law enforcement stopped Robinson as he was driving.  Before the traffic stop ended, Robinson sped away.  During the following car chase, Robinson reached a speed of 107 miles per hour, and he ran two red lights.  Officers were eventually able to stop Robinson’s vehicle and take him into custody.  Robinson’s blood alcohol concentration was determined to be .128%.  Officers located a loaded handgun inside the vehicle Robinson had been driving.  Robinson later told officers that he carried a firearm daily.

Robinson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Robinson was sentenced to 100 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.  Robinson 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 Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Cedar Rapids 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 22-CR-60.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Darwin Robinson, Jr., age 45, from Carroll, Iowa, was sentenced on November 9, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Robinson pled guilty July 20, 2023, to illegally possessing a firearm and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  Robinson was previously convicted of cocaine-possession and three domestic abuse assaults which prohibit a person from possessing any firearm.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed Robinson had prohibitive convictions and was a regular user of methamphetamine while possessing a .40 caliber handgun. On March 22, 2021, law enforcement stopped the vehicle Robinson was driving and officers seized 2 small bags of methamphetamine from Robinson and a loaded .40 caliber handgun from the vehicle.  Robinson admitted that he planned on selling some or all of the methamphetamine that was found. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Robinson was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.   Robinson 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, Carroll, Iowa Police Department, Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory, and 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 23-3002. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Timothy Steinbeck, age 47 from Terril, Iowa, plead guilty on April 19, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

Steinbeck admitted that from August 2021 through June 2022, he and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute nearly six pounds of methamphetamine in Northwest Iowa.  Evidence further showed that Steinbeck distributed methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement on three separate occasions.  On June 15, 2022, law enforcement searched Steinbeck’s residence in Royal, Iowa, and seized additional methamphetamine.  That same day, firearms were seized from a relative’s home which Steinbeck had moved in an attempt to conceal from law enforcement.

Steinbeck was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Steinbeck was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  Steinbeck must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Steinbeck is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Spencer Police Department, O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, Estherville Police Department, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Clay County Attorney’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa State Patrol Tactical Teams.

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

The case file number is 22-CR-4050.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was selling fentanyl while he was on federal supervised release was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Anthony Laveal Allen, age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 6, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on January 12, 2023, law enforcement conducted an undercover operation and purchased pills from Allen that contained fentanyl.  Allen has a prior federal conviction for possession of a firearm as a felon from 2017, and he was serving a term of supervised release when he committed the instant offense.

Allen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Allen was sentenced to a total sentence of 39 months’ imprisonment comprised of 15 months for the new crime and a consecutive sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment for the supervised release violation.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file numbers are 23-CR-17 and 17-CR-23.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

 A man who was caught with over 380 grams of ice methamphetamine and over $25,000 in drug money was sentenced November 2, 2023, to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Timothy Michael Webber, age 46, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 2, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Webber was intercepted over the wiretap ordering pounds of methamphetamine from the David Belton drug organization in Cedar Rapids.  In his plea agreement, Webber admitted that in April 2022, state investigators searched his residence in Waterloo and seized over 380 grams of ice methamphetamine and $25,550 in cash proceeds of prior ice methamphetamine sales.  Webber ran from officers who executed the search at the residence but was caught.

Eleven other individuals were charged in the same investigation, ten of whom have been 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.

Webber was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Webber was sentenced to 188 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.

Webber 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 man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty November 1, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

 Todd Williams, 57, from Spencer, Iowa, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Williams had previously been convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine in 2004.

 Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on March 4, 2023, after receiving information that Williams was selling and possessing methamphetamine, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence in Spencer, Iowa, and seized approximately 2.8 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately $50,000 in cash.  During the execution of the warrant, Williams was viewed by law enforcement driving by the residence.  Law enforcement attempted to stop Williams, who led them on a high speed chase before being stopped and arrested.

 Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Williams remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and 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 the Spencer Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Estherville Police Department, the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 23-4061.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who possessed over 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Rebecca Ann Rose, age 36, from La Porte City, Iowa, was convicted of possessing at least 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. 

Evidence at a prior hearing demonstrated that on December 27, 2022, Rose was driving a vehicle in Tipton, Iowa, when law enforcement officers stopped her.  Officers determined that she was intoxicated and arrested her.  Officers searched her car and found thousands of dollars, over 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine, and marijuana. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Rose remains in custody of the United States Marshal.  Rose faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $10,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Tipton Police Department, the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Muscatine County Drug Task Force. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-45.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

 A woman who spent her disabled relative’s entire trust fund was sentenced on November 2, 2023, to more than two years in federal prison.

Nancy Lee Johnson, age 69, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2023 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. Information from Johnson’s plea agreement and sentencing showed that in November 2017, Johnson petitioned the Meskwaki Tribal Court to become the guardian and conservator of her disabled relative, L.J.  In doing so, she swore that she would faithfully discharge the duties of a guardian and conservator, which included protecting, preserving, and prudently investing the estate of L.J.  At the time, L.J. had a trust fund valued at more than $360,000.  L.J. also received per capita pay from the Meskwaki tribe and Social Security benefits. The court recognized Johnson as L.J.’s guardian and conservator in February 2018. 

As early as December 2017, she began to transfer money from L.J.’s trust fund to other accounts and by November 2018, the balance of L.J.’s trust fund was $0.  In March 2018, Johnson activated a debit card for an account she opened in L.J.’s name.  She had the only copy of the card.  Johnson used that card to make unauthorized purchases, which included the purchases of two purebred dogs and multiple pieces of jewelry.  During the time that she was his guardian and conservator, L.J.’s assets totaled at least $416,043.73.  In August 2019, when the Meskwaki Tribal Court terminated Johnson’s guardianship and conservatorship, L.J.’s funds had been reduced to $1,871.38.        

Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Johnson was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $387,213.40 in restitution to her relative.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Johnson was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on November 27, 2023.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated 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-0086.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A former crack dealer who received approximately $1,900 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) benefits after falsely claiming to have suffered damage in the 2020 derecho storm in Cedar Rapids was sentenced on November 1, 2023, to 90 days in federal prison.

Melvin McKinney, age 41, from Cedar Rapids, received the prison term after a June 15, 2023, guilty plea to one count of theft of government funds.  In a plea agreement, and at the sentencing hearing, McKinney admitted that he stole $1,902.62 in FEMA benefits, specifically personal property and rental assistance.  McKinney spent the stolen funds at gas stations, restaurants, and Victoria’s Secret.

In August 2020, the derecho swept through the Northern District of Iowa.  The derecho caused an estimated $7.5 billion in damage within the State of Iowa and other affected states.  The Northern District of Iowa, including the City of Cedar Rapids, was particularly hard-hit from the derecho, with estimated 100‑130 mph straight-line winds.

FEMA declared Disaster No. 4557 for the State of Iowa on August 17, 2020.  Derecho victims could apply to FEMA for disaster relief assistance to help meet repair and replacement expenses not otherwise covered by private insurance.

In September 2020, McKinney received the FEMA funds after a false and fraudulent application for derecho benefits was filed in his name.  Specifically, the application falsely stated that (1) McKinney was living in an apartment in Cedar Rapids at the time of the derecho, and (2) McKinney suffered both home and personal property damage from the derecho.  In conjunction with the application, McKinney provided FEMA with the name of a fictitious landlord, “Willie Davis,” and McKinney pretended to be the same individual when FEMA attempted to verify that McKinney was entitled to derecho benefits.  McKinney also lied to a FEMA investigator on the telephone, falsely stating that (1) his apartment building had lost almost half of its shingles, (2) the building’s central air conditioning units were blown over and damaged, (3) the windows to his apartment were blown out, (4) there was drywall and ceiling damage in his apartment, and (5) McKinney’s personal furnishings were damaged.  All of these representations and statements were false: McKinney was not even a tenant of the apartment building, which suffered no significant damage in the derecho.  When confronted by law enforcement agents, McKinney initialed lied about the theft but eventually confessed.          

McKinney has a serious criminal history.  In 2006, McKinney was convicted of multiple crack cocaine conspiracy and distribution charges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa and sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment.  In 2015, after his release from federal prison, McKinney was convicted of domestic abuse.

McKinney was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  McKinney was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $1,902.62 in restitution to FEMA.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

McKinney was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on December 4, 2023, at 10 a.m.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-38-CJW-MAR.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Waterloo man who escaped from federal custody at the Waterloo Residential Reentry Center was sentenced November 1, 2023, to more than two years in federal prison.

Chaston Fox, age 30, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2023 guilty plea to escape from federal custody.

In a plea agreement, Fox admitted he was sentenced in May of 2020 to serve 47 months’ imprisonment in federal prison for possession of a firearm.  In May 2022, Fox was placed in the Waterloo Residential Reentry Center to complete his federal sentence.  On October 1, 2022, Fox escaped from the facility and remained a fugitive until he was arrested in December of 2022.

Fox was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Fox was sentenced to 27 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Waterloo Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-02032.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and commit money laundering was convicted by a jury on November 2, 2023, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Albert McReynolds, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from a specified unlawful activity.  The verdict was returned following about an hour of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that McReynolds was a methamphetamine dealer in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area.  Between September 2020 and continuing to about November 2021, McReynolds conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids.  The evidence at trial showed that McReynolds had a source of supply in California who was sending packages containing methamphetamine through the United States Postal Service to several addresses in Cedar Rapids.  McReynolds would have the packages sent to other individuals’ addresses to avoid having the methamphetamine delivered directly to him.  Investigators intercepted and searched three packages that were mailed from California to addresses associated with McReynolds in Cedar Rapids.  In each of those packages, investigators located multiple pounds of methamphetamine.  In total, investigators identified 46 packages mailed from California to the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area between September 2020 and November 2021 that all shared similar characteristics to the packages investigators intercepted and searched.  These 46 packages had a combined total mailing weight of over 700 pounds. 

The evidence at trial showed that, between October 2020 and continuing to November 2021, McReynolds conspired with others to commit money laundering.  McReynolds and others would distribute the methamphetamine McReynolds received from California.  McReynolds would vacuum-seal the money that he made from selling methamphetamine, and McReynolds and others would send packages containing cash through the United States Postal Service to multiple different addresses associated with his methamphetamine source in California.  McReynolds and others would place fake names and addresses on the return labels of the packages containing methamphetamine so law enforcement would not be able to link McReynolds and his co-conspirators to those packages.  On July 28, 2021, McReynolds mailed a package from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to an address associated with his source in California.  Investigators intercepted and searched that package and located $56,470 in cash.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  McReynolds remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  McReynolds faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,750,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam J. Vander Stoep and Shawn S. Wehde 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-CJW.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was found in a park after hours with a short-barreled shotgun pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Scott Wesley Timmerman, age 56, from Strawberry Point, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In a plea agreement, Timmerman admitted that he was in a state park after it had closed, and had a short-barreled shotgun in his vehicle.  Timmerman admitted that due to a prior felony conviction he was not allowed to legally possess firearms. The vehicle was searched by law enforcement officers after Timmerman was arrested for unrelated charges.

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.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Timmerman remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Timmerman faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 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 Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton 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-CR-02054.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Minnesota man who intended to distribute pills containing fentanyl was sentenced on October 27, 2023, to more than four years in federal prison. 

Khalil Petroske, age 22, from St. Paul, Minnesota, received the prison term after a June 13, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, on July 23, 2022, law enforcement officers stopped the vehicle Petroske was driving.  During the traffic stop, officers seized a baggie of blue pills containing fentanyl from an air vent.  Petroske was arrested and, while in the back of a patrol car, Petroske removed a baggie of marijuana and a baggie containing more blue pills containing fentanyl from his pants and dropped them in the back of the patrol car.  In total, Petroske possessed 30.73 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.         

Petroske was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Petroske was sentenced to 51 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. 

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Urbana Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-00028-CJW.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Cedar Rapids man who distributed over ten pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced October 26, 2023, to 21 years in federal prison.

Anthony McNeese, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 26, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.   

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, in November 2020, McNeese threw over 400 grams of ice methamphetamine out of the window of his vehicle as he fled from law enforcement.  McNeese drove at a high rate of speed through residential neighborhoods and eventually escaped on foot.  Later, McNeese directed his friend to go to the police station and attempt to claim ownership of the ice methamphetamine McNeese threw out of his window; however, McNeese’s scheme did not work.  In late November and early December 2020, McNeese obtained at least 10 pounds of ice methamphetamine from his source of supply, which he then redistributed.  At times, McNeese knowingly possessed a firearm when distributing ice methamphetamine.  On December 7, 2020, law enforcement searched McNeese’s vehicle and recovered an additional 37 grams of ice methamphetamine.

McNeese was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  McNeese was sentenced to 251 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Sixth Judicial District of Correctional Services’ High-Risk Unit and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.   

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

The case file number is 23-CR-00039-CJW.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty October 25, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Andrew Mitchell, 36, from Spirit Lake, Iowa, was convicted of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

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

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Mitchell remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Mitchell faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 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 Spencer, Iowa Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

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

The case file number is 23-4060.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City on October 24, 2023, to 144 months’ imprisonment.

Kelly Malloy, 55, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty June 13, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting another in the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on October 26, 2022, Malloy was stopped by Le Mars Police Department.  During the traffic stop law enforcement located over 76 grams of pure methamphetamine partially concealed under the seat where Malloy was seated.  Further evidence showed he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person.  Malloy has an extensive criminal history including multiple convictions for eluding, possession of controlled substances, assaults, and a prior federal conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine conviction.  

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Malloy was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and will serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Malloy 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 Le Mars Police Department and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.   

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

The case file number is 23-4007.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who committed five sexual assaults in five years, two of which occurred during federal kidnappings, was sentenced October 24, 2023, to 40 years in federal prison.

Arjune Ahmed, age 27, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and formerly of Ethiopia, received the prison term after a March 3, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of two counts of kidnapping.

Evidence at trial showed on August 21, 2019, Ahmed followed a woman from the Hard Rock Casino on Fourth Street, where he tricked her into getting close to his car.  Once she was close, he grabbed her and pulled her into his car.  He then sped into Nebraska from Iowa, where he sexually assaulted her.  His August 21, 2019, victim testified that when he was done with her, he cursed her and pushed her out of his car at a rural location.

Trial evidence also showed that 13 months later, on October 16, 2020, Ahmed used social media to trick a woman into meeting him for breakfast.  Instead of driving her to breakfast, Ahmed took her from midtown Sioux City to Bacon Creek Park where he sexually assaulted her.  His October 16, 2020, victim testified that when he was done with her, he discarded her in the woods.   

The jury also heard evidence that in 2015 a woman was the victim of a home-invasion and sexual assault.  That crime went unsolved for nearly five years until DNA evidence discovered in the investigations of the 2019 and 2020 kidnappings was linked to Ahmed.

Additionally, at sentencing, the United States proved defendant kidnapped and sexually assaulted two additional victims.  One of whom was attacked on October 31, 2017, and another on July 25, 2018.  Both incidents occurred in downtown Sioux City where Ahmed lured the women into his car with promises of a ride home, but instead, took them to an isolated location where he sexually assaulted or attempted to sexually assault them.  In both cases the victims were able to fight off and escape Ahmed.

Ahmed has previously been convicted of several assaults, criminal trespassing, public indecency, disturbing the peace, and obstructing a peace officer.           

Ahmed was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 480 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated that, “Due the fine work of multiple local, state and federal law enforcement, a dangerous individual who preyed upon the women of our community has been brought to justice. For roughly the next forty years, the victims of Mr. Ahmed can sleep soundly knowing he can’t hurt them.”

Ahmed 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 Dakota County, Nebraska Sherriff’s Office, the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department, the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 21-04087.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who tampered with a witness involved in his federal trial was sentenced on October 25, 2023, to 150 months in federal prison.

Michael Lyn Ashford, age 43, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to tamper with a witness and tampering with a witness.        

Evidence at the trial showed that Ashford, and his co-defendant, Jenise Colvin, spoke about their plan to contact the witness who had called 911 after a firearm was pointed at the witness while at a gas station in Dubuque.  Ashford directed Colvin to contact the witness and told Colvin what to tell the witness.  Colvin then called the witness and told the witness that they knew personal information about the witness, including the witness’s name and address.  Ashford also called the witness while he was in custody and relayed similar information.  In imposing its sentence, the district court found that Ashford pointed the firearm at the witness prompting the witness to call 911, tampered with the witness such that the witness did not want to testify at trial, and attempted to contact other potential witnesses in an attempt to obstruct justice.

Ashford was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Ashford was sentenced to 150 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.

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

Jenise Colvin was previously sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily N. Nydle and Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Police Department.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 22-CR- 1037-01.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Ahmed Abdullahai Khalif, 23, from Owosso, Michigan, was sentenced on October 23, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, for illegally possessing a firearm. 

Khalif pled guilty on March 30, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  Khalif was a user of marijuana and was previously convicted of Illegal Sale/Use of a Financial Transaction Device, a felony, in the Michigan District Court for Shiawassee County, on June 21, 2019.  Both prohibit a person from possessing a firearm. 

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on October 19, 2022, during a traffic stop, Khalif possessed a 9mm Taurus pistol and marijuana while being a felon.  Prior to the traffic stop, an Iowa State Patrol trooper clocked the vehicle Khalif was driving on Interstate 35 in Franklin County, Iowa, in excess of 100 mph.  After the trooper activated his emergency lights, Khalif led the trooper on a high-speed pursuit into Wright County, at times traveling toward oncoming traffic.  Ultimately, Khalif intentionally rammed the trooper’s vehicle and fled on foot a short distance before being apprehended.  The vehicle Khalif was driving came back as stolen out of Massachusetts.  During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement found the 9mm Taurus pistol and marijuana.  Khalif has an extensive criminal history involving thefts of motor vehicles.     

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Khalif was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and must serve a three year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  His sentence was reduced by one year and five days due to time served on related state convictions.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Khalif remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. 

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DCI, 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 22-3035.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 23, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Jason Werner, 38, from Cherokee, Iowa, pled guilty on June 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Werner’s involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022.  Werner assisted at least seven others in the conspiracy in obtaining about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from sources in California and Nevada and transporting the drugs in a hidden vehicle compartment to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Werner was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Werner remains in the 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 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, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State Patrol, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department. 

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

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

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 25, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Lauretta Payce, 62, from Fontana, California, pled guilty on June 16, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, Payce admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least three kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022.  Payce further admitted to assisting at least six others in distributing about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from California and Nevada which was transported in a hidden compartment in a vehicle, to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Payce was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment and a term of two years’ supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Payce remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until she can be transported to a federal prison. 

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

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

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

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 23, 2023, to 240 months’ imprisonment.

Andrea Romo, 41, from Gardena, California, pled guilty on June 16, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Romo’s involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022.  Romo assisted at least seven others in the conspiracy in distributing about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from California and Nevada and transporting the drugs, in a hidden compartment in a vehicle, back to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Romo was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Romo remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison. 

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

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

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

A man who defrauded an elderly victim by abusing his power of attorney entered a plea of guilty on October 18, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Hamilton Girard, age 65, of Stillwater, Minnesota, was charged with 1 Count of Wire Fraud.

In the plea agreement, Girard admitted that in February, 2020, he was designated as an agent, and given power of attorney and for an elderly person diagnosed with early onset dementia.  Girard, acting with power of attorney, misappropriated approximately $149,000 of the victim’s funds.  Girard signed and issued unauthorized checks from the victim’s personal checking account to purchase items such as home improvement and home construction-related goods and services for his own benefit.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Girard remains free on bond previously set. Girard 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 investigated by FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. 

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

The case file number is 23-3015.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed a firearm as a prohibited person pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Johnny Martell Brown, age 31, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon and drug user. 

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

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Brown remains in custody of the United States Marshal.  Brown faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. 

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-34. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man with a history of felony convictions – including 2017 convictions for operating while intoxicated, eluding, and homicide by vehicle – was sentenced Friday, October 13, 2023, to eight years in federal prison.

Jerell Wilson, age 30, of Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 24, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence at trial and sentencing showed that while Sioux City Police were investigating a June 9, 2022, homicide, it was learned through witness and video surveillance that Wilson had been at the crime scene prior to, and after, the homicide, with a Coach backpack containing multiple firearms.  Armed with this information, on June 23, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Wilson’s home, where a loaded gun – with a round in the chamber – was found in his bed, along with the Coach bag and ammunition for multiple firearms that were not found in the search. Wilson refused to attend his own federal trial.   

Wilson had previously been convicted of attempted possession of a defaced firearm, theft in the first degree, and, most recently, 2017 convictions for operating while intoxicated, eluding, and homicide by vehicle – reckless driving for causing the death of his uncle when he fled from police while under the influence. Wilson was paroled on his 2017 offenses in May of 2020.  During his parole, he attended a meeting where he was warned of the consequences of possessing a firearm, and offered access to any services he might need to rebuild his life (employment, mental health counseling, transportation, etc.).  Despite this opportunity, defendant committed the instant federal offense less than a year after being discharged from state supervision. 

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

United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, Timothy Duax, stated, “It is unfortunate when an individual rejects assistance, rejects services and chooses the path of criminality, but when that occurs, we must act to ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens.”

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.

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

The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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

The case file number is 22-04061.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Thomas Alan Newman, age 59, from Swaledale, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court on October 18, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography.

At the plea hearing, Newman admitted knowingly possessing child pornography, including depictions involving prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.  Newman further admitted he knowingly possessed material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or the sexual abuse and exploitation of an infant or toddler.  Newman admitted that he used Facebook to trade child pornography and shared approximately 50 videos of such content.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Newman was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Newman faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of up to $250,000, a special assessment of $100, and a term of supervised release of 5 years to life following any imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office.

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

The case file number is 23-CR-3016.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine was convicted by a jury on October 13, 2023, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Michael Lee Brunson, age 66, who lived in Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.  The jury also found that $30,540 in United Sates Currency was subject to forfeiture because the property was used or intended to be used in relationship to the drug trafficking conspiracy. 

The evidence at trial showed that Brunson, who also went by the name “Jaxon,” was a methamphetamine dealer in the Cedar Rapids area.  Between April 2022 and September 2022, Brunson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas. On June 5, 2022, Brunson was traffic stopped with over 2/3 lb. of methamphetamine in his car. On January 10, 2023, Brunson sold approximately two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential source during a controlled buy. On January 21, 2023, he was stopped for a break lights violation. He had three bags of methamphetamine in his coat pocket, one bag weighing almost ½ lb., and had two additional bags of methamphetamine in his trunk, each bag weighing just under one pound.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Brunson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Brunson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Assistant United States Attorney John H. Lammers and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Belle Plaine Police Department.

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

The case file number is 23-CR-00005-CJW.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

An Iowa nurse who stole pain medication from at least 50 new mothers at a Waterloo hospital pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  Christina Eileen Olson, formerly known as Christina Eileen Hovey, age 43, of Waterloo, was convicted of one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, one count of adulteration and misbranding with intent to defraud and mislead, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.

At the plea hearing, and in a plea agreement, Olson admitted that the State of Iowa granted her a nursing license in 2004.  In 2017, a Waterloo hospital hired Olson to work as a nurse in its labor and delivery unit.  As a nurse in the hospital’s labor and delivery unit, Olson was responsible for caring for late-term pregnant women, women in active labor, and post-partum women, including women recovering from recent Caesarean section (“c-section”) surgery.  Obstetricians prescribed these women Schedule II narcotics, including hydromorphone, oxycodone, and fentanyl, to control physical pain associated with the birthing process.

From January 2022 to March 25, 2022, Olson used her nursing license to gain access to controlled substances in the hospital’s labor and delivery unit.  Instead of administering the controlled substances to the women in pain, Olson diverted the controlled substances to herself for her own illicit drug use.  Olson admitted she stole narcotics from no less than 50 victims.  To cover up her crimes, Olson used a variety of fraudulent means, including falsely documenting that she had administered pain medication to new mothers when she had not done so.  Olson also admitted to tampering with pain medication—replacing fentanyl inside a vial with saline and diverting the narcotic for her own use.

For example, on March 25, 2022, Olson was supposed to care for three new mothers and their babies during her shift from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m.  One of Olson’s victims, known in court documents as “Mother-1,” had given birth via c-section on March 23, 2022, in a high-risk pregnancy.  In addition to caring for Mother-1, it was Olson’s responsibility to come into Mother-1’s room and document how much the baby was eating every hour, as this is important to ensure the health of a newborn.  Instead of caring for Mother-1 and her baby, however, Olson never came into the room or checked on Mother-1 or her baby or administered pain medication to Mother-1 on March 25, 2023, even though Olson documented in the hospital’s records that she was administering pain medication to Mother-1.  Rather, Olson diverted the pain medication to her own use.

As a result of Olson’s crimes, Mother-1 suffered “horrible and excruciating pain” on March 25, 2023.  Further, because Olson had created false health care records documenting that she had administered the pain medication to Mother-1, the next nurse on shift declined to give pain medication to Mother-1 for at least 30 additional minutes to ensure Mother-1 was not feigning her need for narcotics.  And despite repeated requests by Mother-1’s husband for formula, Mother-1’s newborn did not receive any formula until the end of Olson’s shift.

The next day, March 26, 2023, Olson was again working first shift at the hospital.  During this shift, the hospital drug tested Olson.  The drug test was positive for opiates (oxycodone and hydromorphone) and marijuana.  Another nurse then found an open fentanyl vial, an open ephedrine vial, and an epidural bag in another new mother’s room.  The hospital’s records revealed that Olson had removed these three items under the new mother’s name despite the fact there were no such orders for her.  The fentanyl vial had puncture marks on the top and bottom stopper surfaces, and laboratory results later revealed that nearly all the fentanyl in the vial had been replaced with saline.

Olson admitted that she routinely drank alcohol and used marijuana while working at the Waterloo hospital.  In September 2021, after receiving reports that Olson was disappearing from her shift for extended periods of time, the hospital’s director referred Olson to an employee assistance program.  On September 9, 2021, however, Olson took a leave of absence from the hospital for about three months after she was arrested for drunk driving.  Olson’s blood alcohol level at the time of her arrest was no less than .274.

In July 2022, Olson entered into a settlement agreement with the Iowa Board of Nursing under which she agreed to voluntarily surrender her nursing license for one year.  As a part of her plea agreement, Olson has agreed to forfeit her nursing license to the United States.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Olson remains free on bond previously set.  Olson faces a possible maximum sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-2055.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and heroin was sentenced on September 27, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Nathan Miller, 49, from Dows, Iowa, pled guilty May 10, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and one count of distribution and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of methamphetamine.

At the plea and sentencing hearings evidence showed that during the course of the conspiracy, October 2020 through December 2021, Miller and others participated in the distribution of nearly two kilograms of mixed methamphetamine and nearly one kilogram of heroin.  Miller and another would receive packages of drugs through FedEx and DHL from a source in Mexico to addresses in Minnesota and Iowa for further distribution in Iowa.  Miller also admitted that on April 28, 2021, he and another distributed methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement.       

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Miller was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Miller 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, Homeland Security Investigations, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Rochester Minnesota Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 22-3024.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

An Iowa nurse who diverted fentanyl at a Waterloo hospital pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  Luis Ramirez-Cajas, age 42, from Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.

At the plea hearing and in a plea agreement, Ramirez-Cajas admitted that the State of Iowa granted him a nursing license in 2012.  In August 2022, before Ramirez-Cajas began working at a Waterloo hospital, Ramirez-Cajas and the Iowa Board of Nursing’s Iowa Nurse Assistance Program (“INAP”) entered into an agreement under which Ramirez-Cajas promised to abstain from drugs and alcohol and to refrain from working with narcotics.  Ramirez-Cajas previously had admitted to diverting and using narcotics in the emergency room of an Iowa City hospital in late 2021 and early 2022.  The Iowa City hospital was an affiliate of the Waterloo hospital and in the same hospital network.  Ramirez-Cajas knowingly violated his agreement with INAP by accepting employment at the Waterloo hospital.

In September and October 2022, while working at the Waterloo hospital, Ramirez-Cajas diverted fentanyl, hydromorphone, and morphine to his own use.  All these drugs are controlled substances.  Ramirez-Cajas diverted the drugs mostly through purported wasting—falsely documenting in the Waterloo hospital’s records, for example, that he had wasted a full vial because a patient purportedly had refused the drug after Ramirez-Cajas pulled it.  Instead of wasting the controlled substances, Ramirez-Cajas diverted them for personal use.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Ramirez-Cajas remains free on bond pending sentencing.  Ramirez-Cajas faces a possible maximum sentence of four years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release following any imprisonment.

In December 2022, Ramirez-Cajas surrendered his nursing license to the Iowa Board of Nursing with leave to apply for reinstatement within one year.  As part of his plea agreement, Ramirez-Cajas agreed to forfeit his nursing license to the United States.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Division. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-2049.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was intercepted in a wiretap investigation conspiring to distribute large quantities of ice methamphetamine was sentenced September 29, 2023, to nearly 20 years in federal prison.

Elmer Mims, age 69, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 24, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.

The evidence at trial showed that the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a wiretap investigation in late 2021 and early 2022 targeting a group of individuals who were shipping large quantities of ice methamphetamine from Los Angeles, California, to Cedar Rapids.  The DEA intercepted calls over phones used by David Belton (a/k/a “Blood”) and Derek Mims (a/k/a “D Mo”) in which they orchestrated the shipment of loads of thirty to sixty pounds of ice methamphetamine.  Elmer Mims was intercepted in a call in early December 2021 discussing a prior occasion during which Elmer Mims had obtained 14 pounds of ice methamphetamine for $26,000.  During an intercepted call in early February, Belton and Derek Mims discussed how they were going to obtain 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, 20 pounds for each of them and 20 pounds for “Unc,” a nickname for Elmer Mims. 

Less than two weeks after that call, DEA contacted local authorities in York County, Nebraska, to assist in stopping a truck that was believed to be transporting the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine.  The Nebraska officers stopped the truck and seized a tote that contained sixty, one‑pound packages of 99% pure methamphetamine.  During an intercepted call on February 28, 2022, Elmer Mims and Belton discussed the seizure of the 60 pounds in Nebraska, believing that Derek Mims may have been stealing from them.

In March 2022, investigators searched Elmer Mims’s Cedar Rapids residence, seizing nearly $19,000 in cash drug proceeds, a box for a Glock handgun, ammunition, a holster, a tactical vest, and over four pounds of marijuana.  Elmer Mims had previously been convicted in federal court in 1985 for a heroin conspiracy that involved smuggling large quantities of heroin using drug couriers and sending drug money to Hong Kong and Nepal.

Eleven other individuals were charged in the same investigation, nine of whom have been 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

Two other individuals, Robert Lee Michael Bates and Timothy Michael Webber, are awaiting sentencing.

Mims was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Mims was sentenced to 235 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.

Mims 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Kraig Hamit.

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

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

Jeffrey Krowiorz, II, 35, from Milford, Iowa, was sentenced on October 4, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

 At the plea hearing on June 14, 2023, Krowiorz, II admitted he unlawfully possessed a firearm, after having at least one prior felony conviction, and being an unlawful user of methamphetamine.  Krowiorz, II, was previously convicted of the following felony crimes: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, in 2013; possession of lithium with intent to manufacture methamphetamine, in the Iowa District Court for Emmet County, in 2007; and possession of anhydrous ammonia with intent to manufacture methamphetamine, in the Iowa District Court for Clay County, in 2007.  Further evidence showed that the firearm Krowiorz, II possessed had an altered or obliterated serial number.    

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Krowiorz, II was sentenced to a total of 85 months’ imprisonment which includes a consecutive 24-month sentence for revocation of his federal supervised release.  Krowiorz, II must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Krowiorz, II 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 Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Spencer Iowa Police Department, and Clay County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 23-4006.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

 A jury found a North Carolina man who sold fentanyl and heroin to a Dubuque man, causing his death, guilty on October 5, 2023, following a four-day jury trial.

James Adam Earwood, age 38, of Lake Lure, North Carolina, was found guilty after a jury trial.  The jury found Earwood guilty of distribution of a controlled substance, heroin and fentanyl, causing the death of another.

Evidence at trial showed that on November 18, 2021, Earwood mailed a package of heroin and fentanyl to another person.  Earwood was living in North Carolina at the time and the victim was living in Dubuque, Iowa.  The victim used the heroin and fentanyl and overdosed in the parking lot of a local business in Dubuque.  The victim survived the overdose.  One month later, on December 17, 2021, the victim received another package of heroin and fentanyl in the mail from Earwood.  The victim used the heroin and fentanyl and died shortly thereafter.  He was found deceased by hotel staff in a hotel in Dubuque, Iowa. 

Evidence showed that Earwood was using social media platforms on the dark web to arrange transactions of heroin and fentanyl with other people.  Investigators tracked down at least one other package that Earwood had sent through the US Mail which contained heroin and fentanyl.  

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Patrick Reinert, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake, and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Dubuque Drug Task Force which includes the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department, and the Rutherford County North Carolina Drug Task Force. 

Earwood is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be sentenced.  A sentencing date has not yet been set. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-1024.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

 A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Jason Laufenberg, age 38, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture of substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and at least 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine. 

At a prior hearing, evidence showed that Laufenberg bought and sold hundreds of pounds of ice methamphetamine from multiple drug sources in Dubuque between 2019 and 2022.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Laufenberg remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Laufenberg faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole, a $10,000,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. 

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-1008. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Scott Allen Tomlinson, 49, from Ida Grove, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City, on October 2, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography.

At the plea hearing, Tomlinson admitted that he knowingly possessed and attempted to possess child pornography, including depictions involving prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.  Law enforcement recovered dozens of images from Tomlinson’s cloud-based storage systems.  Tomlinson admitted he used a cellular phone to access the images on the cloud.  He further admitted that some of the images included material that portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Tomlinson was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Tomlinson faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of up to $250,000, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Ida County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-04094.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced September 27, 2023, to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Marlo Harper, aka Umar Amir Al-Sayyaad Allahdheen, age 46, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 13, 2023, guilty plea to two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user and twice violating the Armed Career Criminal Act, a federal law that increases the punishment for violent recidivists. After a jury was selected, but before testimony began, Harper pled guilty and admitted that on two separate occasions in August 2021, he unlawfully possessed firearms.

Evidence in the case revealed on August 10, 2021, Harper was stopped by Sioux City Police for traffic infractions.  Upon contact with the occupants in the vehicle, the officer detected an odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle.  The occupants were removed, and a subsequent search of the vehicle was conducted.  When Harper exited the vehicle, he admitted having a firearm and a knife on his person.  A loaded handgun – with a round in the chamber – was removed from his waistband. Officers also located a fanny pack in the trunk that contained ammunition. Harper also had an open container of alcohol.

On August 24, 2021, Harper was stopped by Iowa State Patrol outside of Sheldon, Iowa. When the State Trooper contacted the occupants, he noted an odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. During the traffic stop investigation, approximately 2 grams of marijuana was found, along with a loaded handgun in the center console, which was positioned for easy access by Harper, who was driving the car.  Harper also had a set of nunchucks between the driver seat and center console.  Three additional firearms were found in the trunk, as well as ammunition and a samurai sword. 

Harper’s criminal history includes Assault in the 1st Degree, in Hennepin County, Minnesota; Assault in the Second Degree, in Ramsey County, Minnesota; Two counts of Aggravated Assault (Family Violence), Terroristic Threats, Possession of a Firearm or Knife During the Commission of a Felony and Battery – Family Violence, all in Fulton County, Georgia; and Theft, in Tarrant County, Texas.

Harper was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 198 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Timmons and Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 21-4085.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A felon who possessed firearms was sentenced on September 28, 2023, to three years in federal prison.

Jamie Swanson, age 32, of Colona, Illinois, received the sentence after an April 11, 2023, guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.  At the plea hearing, Swanson admitted that, in March 2022, he possessed a pistol after having been convicted of a felony.  The record at the sentencing hearing established that Swanson possessed eight firearms.

Swanson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Swanson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a two-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 Anamosa Police Department, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, 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 22-100.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced on September 29, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Jose Acosta Abadia, Jr., 41, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on April 28, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  Abadia was previously convicted of Third Degree Burglary; Possession of a Controlled Substance; and three convictions for Assault While Using or Displaying a Dangerous Weapon.  The assault convictions involved a machete and knife.  These convictions prohibit a person in Iowa from possessing a firearm.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from February 2022 through June 2022, Abadia and others conspired to distribute more than seven pounds of methamphetamine.  During that time, on three occasions, Abadia sold methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.  The sales totaled over 400 grams of methamphetamine and occurred in Fort Dodge, Iowa.  During a search of Abadia at arrest, law enforcement found a 1/2 pound of methamphetamine and a stolen semi-automatic handgun he had possessed. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Abadia was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Abadia remains in custody of the United States Marshals Service 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 22-3030. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Cedar Rapids, Iowa, man and a Palo, Iowa, woman who conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine were sentenced this week to federal prison.

Zachary James Kruse, age 38, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 4, 2023 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.  Cheyenne Nicole Mason, age 34, from Palo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 15, 2023 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at the sentencing hearings showed that on April 29, 2022, law enforcement officers searched a motel room in Mount Vernon, Iowa, where Kruse and Mason had been staying.  Officers recovered 120.84 grams of methamphetamine.  Some of the methamphetamine was hidden in deodorant containers.

Kruse and Mason were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Kruse was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  Mason was sentenced to 59 months and 393 days’ imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Kruse and Mason are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Jason Norwood and investigated by the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-99. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A convicted felon who received his third federal conviction earlier this year was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison.

Robert Hopkins, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence in the case showed that on December 1, 2022, Hopkins was driving a car at 1:19 a.m. when he ran a stop sign in Cedar Rapids.  Officers with the Cedar Rapids Police Department attempted to stop him.  Hopkins pulled over briefly, but then sped away.  Hopkins reached speeds of over 50 mph in 25 mph zones as he led officers on a chase through residential areas.  Officers pursued him and saw Hopkins throw an object out his window.  Hopkins eventually lost control of his car, spun out, and rolled into a squad car.  He told officers that he was “severely intoxicated.”

After taking Hopkins into custody, officers looked for the object he had thrown out of the car.  They eventually located a loaded .40 caliber handgun laying on the driveway of a residence.  The gun had previously been reported stolen from a Cedar Rapids resident in 2022.

This conviction was Hopkins’ third federal conviction in the Northern District of Iowa.  In 2007, he was convicted of distributing crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of ammunition.  In 2015, he was convicted for distributing heroin.  He also has state convictions for assault and drug related crimes.

Hopkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Hopkins 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.

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.

Hopkins 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 Jason Norwood and Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-30.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Braden Rogers, age 23, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after he plead guilty in federal court on March 22, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography.

Evidence at Rogers’ sentencing hearing established that between May 1, 2020, and August 10, 2021, Rogers possessed over 100 videos of child sexual abuse material including material depicting prepubescent children or children who had not attained the age of 12.  Evidence further established that Rogers used social media to distribute material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or sexual abuse and exploitation of an infant or toddler to others.

Rogers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 66 months’ imprisonment and fined $500.  He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to the victims.  Rogers must also serve a 5-year term of supervised released following the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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 prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit and investigated by the Iowa Division of Inspections & Appeals, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Sioux City Police Department, The Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Medicaid Fraud Unit, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations

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

The case file number is 23-CR-04020.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who tampered with a witness involved in a federal trial was sentenced September 25, 2023, to 30 months in federal prison.

Jenise Colvin, age 38, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 5, 2023 guilty plea to conspiracy to tamper with a witness and tampering with a witness.         

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Colvin and her co-defendant, Michael Lynn Ashford, spoke about their plan to contact the witness who had called 911 after a firearm was pointed at the witness while at a gas station in Dubuque.  Colvin then called the witness.  When Colvin spoke to the witness, she told the witness that they knew personal information about the witness, including name and address.  In imposing its sentence, the district court expressed that witness tampering goes to the core of the justice system.

Colvin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Colvin was sentenced to 30 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.

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

Co-defendant Michael Lynn Ashford has not yet been sentenced.  He faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for each count of witness tampering.

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

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 22-CR- 1037-02.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Jodeci Holmes, 21, from Estherville, Iowa, pled guilty September 21, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

At the plea hearing, Holmes admitted that on April 1, 2023, she possessed a 9mm Luger pistol in Estherville, Iowa.  She further admitted that, at the time she possessed the gun she was a marijuana user and had previously been convicted of the felony offense of possession with intent to deliver marijuana in 2022.  Being a user of controlled substances, and having a felony conviction, each prohibit an individual from possessing a firearm.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Holmes remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Holmes 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 Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Estherville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

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

The case file number is 23-3008.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who distributed fentanyl and heroin was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.

Susan Heins, age 47, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 6, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on October 21, 2020, law enforcement conducted a controlled buy of purported heroin from an individual in Cedar Rapids.  Once the location of the controlled buy was arranged, Heins met with the confidential source at the meeting location and distributed fentanyl and heroin. 

Heins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Heins was sentenced to 24 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting 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-92.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who distributed methamphetamine, possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and possessed a firearm as a prohibited person, pled guilty on September 21, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Dennis Wayne Hager, age 64, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and drug user.

At the plea hearing, Hager admitted that, on May 25, 2021, and June 1, 2021, he distributed 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine to another person.  He also admitted that, on or about June 1, 2021, he possessed a firearm as a methamphetamine user and a felon.  Hager had four felony convictions related to drugs.  Finally, he admitted that, on September 1, 2021, he possessed 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Hager remains in custody of the United States Marshal.  On each of the drug counts, Hager faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and the following maximum penalties: (1) not more than life imprisonment without the possibility of parole; (2) a fine of not more than $10,000,000; (3) a mandatory special assessment of $100; and (4) a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. 

On the gun count, Hager faces a possible maximum sentence of (1) not more than 10 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. 

Because there are multiple counts, the sentences could be run consecutively for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $30,250,000 fine, $400 in special assessments, and a life term of supervised release.  

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-40.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.