Northern District of Iowa

A seed salesman who cut out the seed distributor, and sold corn and soybean seeds directly to farmers for his own benefit, was sentenced September 20, 2023, to more than 2 years in federal prison.

Nathan Christie, age 44, from Larchwood, received the prison term after a March 24, 2023, guilty plea to one count of Wire Fraud and one count of False Statements to a Financial Institution.

Evidence in the case revealed that Christie, an employee of the seed company, took money directly from farmers for seed, but did not forward that money to the owner of the seed. Instead, he used the money to cover his gambling losses and to pay for other personal expenses leaving the seed bill unpaid.  To cover his fraud, Christie manipulated records to make it appear unsuspecting seed distributors had delivered the seed.  Christie was nearly caught when one of those distributors asked about a bill he had received from the seed company. Christie however, acquired money to pay the bill. Christie acquired $62,076.23 by forging his spouse’s signature on an Agriculture Security Agreement and another $350,000 by forging his spouse’s signature on a second real estate mortgage on their shared residence.  After this near-discovery of his fraud, Christie stopped using the first distributor’s account and found two new victim distributors.

On March 24, 2023, Christie appeared before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Kelly K.E. Mahoney and pled guilty to two counts of a two-count Information filed March 17, 2023.  The Court ordered Christie released on a personal recognizance bond without pretrial supervision.  On July 11, 2023, the United States filed a Motion for Revocation of Pretrial Supervision alleging Christie had violated the conditions of his unsupervised pretrial release by committing a new law violation in light of his arrest for Burglary, Third Degree - Non-Vehicle, as charged in Lyon County, Iowa, Docket No. FECR007731.  On July 18, 2023, the Court found there was probable cause to believe Christie had committed the above alleged new law violation, and the Court revoked Christie’s pretrial release and ordered him detained.  The state charge is still pending. 

Christie was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 30 months’ imprisonment on each count, to be served concurrently. He was ordered to make $202,440.80 in restitution to AgReliant and $258,825.25 to American State Bank, for a total of $461,266.05 in restitution.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Christie 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 Lyon County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department and 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 23-04005.

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A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

John Trinidad Qualls, age 42, from Tucson, Arizona, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. 

In a plea agreement, Qualls admitted that, on December 31, 2022, law enforcement traffic-stopped him for speeding.  Qualls handed an officer a black pouch, which contained his license, insurance, and registration.  There was marijuana residue inside the pouch, and both the pouch and documents smelled of marijuana.  Qualls admitted that he had used marijuana earlier that day.  Law enforcement searched the car and found 1,200.10 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Qualls remains in custody of the United States Marshal.  Qualls faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten 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 a term of life.

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

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

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

A man who robbed the Iowa State Bank in Sheldon, Iowa, was sentenced today, to 8 years in federal prison.

Leon Sutton, age 38, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 17, 2023, guilty plea to bank robbery.

Evidence in the case showed that on June 3, 2021, Sutton entered the bank at approximately 12:00 p.m., armed with a handgun, and demanded money. Sutton was seen on video surveillance in a recently purchased car with no plates, canvasing the area.  Sutton even entered the bank twice in the morning before the robbery. Sheldon officers were able to locate the previous owner of the car and traced it to Sutton, who after the robbery, fled to the Chicago area where he was apprehended.

Sutton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 96 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was investigated by Sheldon, Iowa Police Department, and the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 22-4033.

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A man who was found in possession of a homemade firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Som Boun Cam, age 56, from Council Bluffs, Iowa, was convicted of possessing a smooth bore, .410 gauge pistol, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

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

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.  Cam will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Cam faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-00050.

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A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin was convicted by a jury on September 14, 2023, after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Michael Garrick Denson, age 33, from Illinois, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin.  The verdict was returned following about an hour of jury deliberations.

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

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Denson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Denson 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 Adam J. Vander Stoep and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force (consisting of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department) and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

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

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

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Scott Wesley Timmerman, age 56, from Strawberry Point, Iowa, has been charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a short-barreled shotgun in violation of federal law.­  The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on September 12, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids. 

The Indictment alleges that, on or about May 31, 2023, Timmerman was found in possession of a short-barreled Winchester shotgun and the firearm was not registered to him in the federal registry.  The indictment also alleges Timmerman had two prior felony convictions from Arizona.

If convicted on all charges, Timmerman faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.­

Timmerman appeared on September 12, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for September 15, 2023.  Timmerman’s trial is set for November 13, 2023. 

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

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.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A Cedar Rapids man was sentenced on Friday, September 8, 2023 to over six years in federal prison for threatening a federal official and committing interstate communications with intent to injure.

According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, John Edward Miller, 42, was identified through a law enforcement investigation surrounding a threat received by a federal official through their personal Facebook account on November 19, 2020. The message was threatening and harassing in nature and also included threatening and/or harassing information regarding other federal officials. The same day, Miller shot a flare gun at the Northern District of Iowa United States Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, causing a fire on the barriers in front of the building. Following Miller’s arrest, Miller admitted to sending the threatening messages through Facebook and to firing the flare gun at the federal courthouse.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Miller will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Miller was also ordered to pay restitution pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3663A.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A Cherokee, Iowa man who was found to be in possession of 23 firearms, 3 short-barreled rifles and 6 silencers, was sentenced September 11, 2023, to 4 years in federal prison.

Jason Ballou, age 52, from Cherokee, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 27, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Ballou was found to be in possession of the firearms while law enforcement was executing a state search warrant, investigating another crime.  Ballou was previously convicted of possession of prohibited firearms (a machine gun), and unlawful receipt of unregistered firearms, both in the Northern District of Iowa.

Ballou was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 48 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.

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

The case was investigated by Cherokee, Iowa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. 

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

The case file number is 22-4098.

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Kenneth Hurd, 32, from Harrisburg, South Dakota, pled guilty in federal court on September 5, 2023, to Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud.

At the plea hearing, Hurd admitted that he knowingly conspired with co-defendant, Douglas Kelley, to obtain and acquire fentanyl by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.  They used Douglas Kelley’s position as a nurse at MercyOne Hospital in Sioux City to obtain fentanyl and other controlled substances for personal use.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Hurd remains free on bond pending sentencing.  Hurd faces, not more than 4 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine, and up to 1 year of supervised release following any imprisonment.

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-4022.

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A Guardsman for the Iowa Air Guard’s 185th Refueling Wing who possessed over 1,400 images of child sexual abuse material was sentenced today, September 11, 2023, to three years in federal prison.

Kevin Swanson, age 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after he plead guilty in federal court on May 4, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography.

Evidence at today’s hearing established that between August 2020, and August 2021, he used an Internet-based, peer-to-peer (P2P) network to knowingly share and receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions involving prepubescent minors who had not reached the age of 12.

Swanson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Swanson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and a total of $10,000 in fines. Swanson must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term and register as a sex offender.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Swanson 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 Homeland Security Investigations, the Sioux City Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.

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

The case file number is 22-4080.

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    A Waterloo woman was sentenced today to three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm while using marijuana.

    Lakeena Marie Pendleton, age 36, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 6, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user.       

In July 2021, and then again in March 2022, Pendleton purchased a firearm, and indicated on an ATF Form 4473 that she was not an unlawful user of marijuana.  At the time she purchased both firearms, she knew she was an unlawful user of marijuana and knowingly made a false statement and representation to a federal licensed firearm dealer.  In May 2022, Pendleton was stopped while driving.  Police located one of the firearms she previously purchased in the vehicle, along with alcohol, and a small amount of marijuana on her person.

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

Pendleton is currently out on bond and will self-surrender on October 17, 2023.

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 Waterloo Police Department.

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

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 22-CR-2050.

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A man who was stopped for a traffic violation, found to be in possession of marijuana and a gun was sentenced August 14, 2023, to more than 5 years in federal prison.

Sidney Turner, age 58, from Memphis, Tennessee, received the prison term after a March 29, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and an unlawful drug user.

Evidence in the case revealed during a traffic stop for a moving violation, Turner was found to be driving without a valid license, and was found to be in possession of marijuana and a gun.

Turner has a lengthy criminal history.  He was previously convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of marijuana with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; and felon in possession of a handgun.

Turner was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 70 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was investigated by Homeland Security, Woodbury County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and 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 22-4096.

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A Sioux City, Iowa nurse who stole fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone from her employer, pled guilty on August 30, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. 

Morgan Miralles, age 32, from Sioux City, Iowa, entered a guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.

In a plea agreement, Miralles admitted that she diverted the controlled substances that were supposed to be dispensed to patients, for her own personal use by falsifying documents, including the omission of information on required log entries tracking the disbursement of controlled substances.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence investigation report is prepared.  Miralles remains free on bond pending sentencing.  Miralles faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a year of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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

The case file number is 23-4049.

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A man who pulled a firearm during a road rage incident in February 2022, was sentenced August 17, 2023, to more than 5 years in federal prison.

Chad Hendrickson, age 46, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 7, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user.

Evidence in the case revealed that when a vehicle attempted to pass Hendrickson near 6th and Pierce Street, in downtown Sioux City, Iowa, Hendrickson refused to let the vehicle pass. When the vehicle pulled up next to Hendrickson, Hendrickson produced a handgun, pointed it at the other driver and made threats towards him.  The victim then called law enforcement and followed the individual from a safe distance to the area of 26th and Pierce where Hendrickson parked his vehicle and took off on foot.  Hendrickson was apprehended by law enforcement nearby. When Hendrickson was taken into custody, he was also found to be in possession of marijuana, a switch blade knife, brass knuckles, and the handgun.

Hendrickson has a lengthy criminal history, and is a danger behind the wheel, having been convicted of reckless driving and driving under the influence or while intoxicated.  He has also been convicted of burglary and domestic assault.

Hendrickson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 64 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.

Hendrickson 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 investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department 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 22-4024.

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A man who was a drug user and made false statements while purchasing firearms was sentenced August 14, 2023, to more than a year in federal prison.

Justin Evans, age 24, from Kansas City, Missouri, received the prison term after a January 25, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user.

Evidence in the case showed between September 2020 and February 2022, Evans, while an unlawful user of marijuana, lied to Federal Firearms Licensee gun stores to purchase more than 7 guns that he subsequently resold on the illicit market.

Evans was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 18 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 22-3013.

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Two men who orchestrated the transportation and distribution of over 500 pounds of ice methamphetamine to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, were sentenced on August 16 and 30, 2023, to a total of 63 years in federal prison.

Derek Michael Mims, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 7, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

David Poitier Belton, age 37, from Compton, California, received the prison term after a February 1, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon and drug user in possession of a firearm.

In plea agreements, Belton, who was also known as “Blood,” and Mims admitted that they orchestrated the transportation of 30 to 60-pound shipments of ice methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Cedar Rapids between 2017 and March 2022.  Belton and Mims paid other individuals to transport the ice methamphetamine, typically in a vehicle that contained a specially made hidden compartment.  Once the ice methamphetamine arrived in Cedar Rapids, Belton or Mims would retrieve the methamphetamine and distribute it to other members of the organization for sale to customers.  In October 2020, the vehicle with the hidden compartment was searched by law enforcement officers while it was on a car hauler destined for Iowa.  Officers found approximately 30 pounds of ice methamphetamine inside the hidden compartment.

In late 2021, the Cedar Rapids DEA conducted a wiretap investigation into Belton’s drug organization.  In February 2022, agents intercepted communications indicating that a shipment of 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine was going to be coming from California to Iowa.  Investigators tracked a courier driving a rental truck from Los Angeles to Nebraska, where the truck was stopped.  During a search of the cargo area of the truck, officers found a plastic tote containing 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine.

Following the seizure of the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, Belton continued to purchase additional methamphetamine from his source in California.  On February 27, 2022, Belton was intercepted speaking with Kiyonte Sowell, a relative of Belton in California.  Belton told Sowell that he was booking Sowell a flight, instructed Sowell to “pack you a big ass suitcase, you already know you ain’t going to stay for that many days” and then said, “You already know what the rest is so we gonna, I’m gonna book you out a ticket in the morning.”  The next day, Sowell went to Los Angeles International Airport, taking a large roller bag with him through airport security as carry‑on luggage.  Airport security conducted an X‑ray of the roller bag and observed multiple bags of an unknown substance underneath the clothes inside the bag.  During a secondary search of the bag, security found five vacuum‑sealed bags containing ice methamphetamine.  Sowell admitted that the bag was his but said his brother had packed it.  When asked if he was aware of the contents of the bag he shrugged and said, “It looks like cocaine or meth, I don’t know.”  He then said he was going to Iowa, “but all I know is that I’m missing my flight and I’m going to jail.” 

On March 8, 2022, investigators searched Belton’s home in Cedar Rapids.  During the search investigators located a small amount of cocaine and 15 firearms.  Belton was a felon, having twice been convicted of felony burglary and once of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.  Belton was also prohibited from possessing firearms because he was an unlawful user of marijuana.

Belton and Mims were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  The judge described Belton and Mims as leading a “huge organization bringing back astronomical quantities of ice methamphetamine” that caused “untold damage to the community.” 

Belton was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment and Mims was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment.  Each man must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Belton and Mims are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they 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 on supervised release from a prior drug conspiracy conviction involving methamphetamine was sentenced on August 29, 2023, to 20 years in federal prison for participating in another drug conspiracy.

Justin Lee Hanawalt, age 34, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 9, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after having previously been convicted of a serious drug felony.           

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Hanawalt had packages sent to his residence in Waterloo, Iowa, containing “ice” methamphetamine from his source of supply in California.  After he was caught, Hanawalt continued to find alternative suppliers to provide him with controlled substances.  Hanawalt was on federal supervised release for a previous methamphetamine related conviction during this time.  While in custody for this offense, Hanawalt smuggled controlled substances into the jail and distributed those substances to other inmates.

Hanawalt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Hanawalt was sentenced to 240 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 33 months’ imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release for his prior federal conviction.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Waterloo Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sherriff’s Office and the Tri-County Drug Task Force.

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

The case file number is 22-CR- 2065.

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A man who distributed cocaine and heroin near Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 2017 and 2018 was sentenced August 29, 2023, to seven years in federal prison.

Malcolm Thornton, age 33, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a January 23, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.

In a plea agreement, Thornton admitted he was involved in selling cocaine and heroin out of a house near Loras College during 2017 and 2018.  Ultimately, Thornton and others were traveling back to Dubuque from Chicago on January 23, 2018, with over 300 grams of cocaine when they were stopped by members of the Dubuque Drug Task Force.

Thornton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Thornton was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Thornton 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 Reinert 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Drug Task Force comprised of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-01021. 

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A Chicago man who fired a gun into the air was sentenced August 29, 2023, to more than two years in federal prison. 

Ivan Jerome Berry, age 39, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an April 14, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. 

Evidence at the plea hearing and sentencing hearing showed that in October 2022, Berry fired a gun into the air approximately four times.  This occurred at night near an apartment complex.  There were people in the area at the time who heard the shots.  There were no injuries or damage reports.  Berry is a felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms.  He has nine prior adult criminal convictions. 

Berry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Berry was sentenced to 27 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 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 Attorneys Liz Dupuich and Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Firearms.     

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

The case file number is 23-CR-1004-LTS.

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Jordan Hills, age 19, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced August 11, 2023, after pleading guilty March 15, 2023, to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence in the case reveled in the summer of 2021, Hills and two others, harassed a woman in front of a bar, and when the woman’s friend came out of the bar to help her, he was shot to death by one of the three men (not Hills).  Hills was convicted for harassment resulting from the incident on December 7, 2021, and sentenced to one day in jail.  Despite a significant criminal history, Hills was shown leniency, and sentenced to a deferred judgment, Hills continued to illegally possess firearms. His unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon was discovered on April 15, 2022, when he began drinking heavily while armed with the firearm and passed out with the firearm on his person. When a woman attempted to make the weapon safe, Hills’ twin-brother, Jalond Hills, wrestled with the woman, resulting in the woman being shot with the firearm. When law enforcement responded, Jordan Hills lied to police and said an unknown black man had entered the apartment and shot the woman. On April 26, 2022, Hills still had the weapon, and on another occasion, actually fired the weapon at the woman who was shot in an apparent attempt to scare her into silence.

Despite being just 19 years old Hills has a lengthy criminal history, including failure to obey law-enforcement, interference with official acts, failure to appear, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and the 2021 harassment charge for his role in the July 4, 2021 killing.

Hills was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and 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 22-4062.

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A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a gun was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.

Gregory Scott, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 8, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

In a plea agreement, Scott admitted he possessed a firearm in June 2021.  On June 8, 2021, a woman was shot by that gun while at Scott’s residence.  Scott agreed that his sentence should be enhanced because he possessed the firearm in connection with the crime of reckless discharge of a firearm.  Scott has multiple felony convictions, including convictions for manufacturing or delivery of cannabis and a prior conviction for felon in possession of a firearm.

Scott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Scott was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department with assistance from 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-cr-00075.

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Leighton Marshal Jones, 41, from Spencer, Iowa, plead guilty in federal court on August 18, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography.

At the plea hearing, Jones, admitted that he knowingly possessed and attempted to possess child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. 

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig Hamit and was investigated by 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-04015.

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Douglas Kelley, 67, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court on August 17, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography and Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud.

At the plea hearing, Kelley admitted that he knowingly possessed child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.  Kelley further admitted he was previously convicted of offenses relating to the possession of child pornography in Buena Vista County, Iowa, in 1993.  In a plea agreement, Kelley admitted that he knowingly distributed fentanyl, and conspired to distribute amphetamine as well as conspired to obtain and acquire fentanyl by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.  Kelley was a nurse at MercyOne Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa, and used his position to obtain fentanyl and other controlled substances to illegally distribute to others.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Kelley was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  On the Possession of Child Pornography count, Kelley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of no more than 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.  For the Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud count, Kelley faces not more than 4 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine and up to 1 year of supervised release.

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-4022.

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A drug dealer who sold heroin in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to 38 months in federal prison. 

John Andrew Pruitt, age 39, of Pueblo West, Colorado, received the prison sentence after a March 30, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing established that Pruitt supplied heroin users in the Dubuque area with controlled substances from at least 2017 until 2022.  In March 2020, Pruitt supplied an individual with purported heroin, and that individual subsequently overdosed.  Despite learning about this overdose, Pruitt nonetheless continued to sell drugs in the Dubuque area.

Pruitt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  He was sentenced to 38 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Norwood and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative.

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

The case file number is 22-CR-1030.

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A man from Marion, Iowa, was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison for his involvement in selling cocaine.

Cheyenne Gonzales, age 48, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Gonzales and Kain Cortez worked together to sell cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between April and June 2022.  Law enforcement utilized a confidential source to conduct controlled buys of cocaine from Gonzales, and Cortez was present with Gonzales during some of the controlled buys.  On June 1, 2022, investigators observed a meeting between Gonzales, Cortez, and two other individuals outside of Gonzales’s and Cortez’s shared residence.  On that date, Gonzales and Cortez paid approximately $15,000 in cash for half a kilogram of cocaine and approximately 20 pounds of marijuana.  Gonzales has a prior federal conviction from 2003 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Gonzales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Gonzales was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment.  Gonzales must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

On July 31, 2023, Cortez was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.  Cortez must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.

Gonzales is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he 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-00054.

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A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in federal prison.

Nethaniah Gordon, age 28, received the prison term after a March 16, 2023, guilty plea to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.           

During a domestic dispute, Gordon, who was convicted on January 13, 2014, of a controlled substance violation, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and prohibited from possessing firearms, struck his girlfriend in the face and head multiple times, verbally threatened her, and pointed a gun at different parts of her body.  Gordon has a history of domestic abuse.

Gordon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Gordon was sentenced to 96 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.

Gordon 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 Elizabeth Dupuich and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Independence Police Department.

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.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 23-CR-2006.

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A man who discharged a gun at an occupied house was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison.

Montrell Anderson, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 3, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user and possession of a stolen firearm.

Information at the sentencing hearing showed that on April 24, 2022, Anderson twice shot a stolen gun into a neighboring occupied house, nearly hitting one of the residents.  At the time, he was under the influence of marijuana.  Five months later, in September 2022, officers found three more guns belonging to Anderson.  Two of the firearms were stolen.  Anderson’s urine tested positive for marijuana metabolites, opiates, and benzodiazepines.

Anderson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Anderson was sentenced to 46 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.  Anderson 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 Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake, and it was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-2012.

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

Ezekiel Menteer, age 23, of Waterloo, was convicted of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Menteer admitted that, in January 2022, he possessed a Kimber pistol after having been convicted of a felony and while being an unlawful drug user.

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

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

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

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 23-2009.

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A man who sexually exploited a child pled guilty on August 4, 2023, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Michael Heinitz, age 20, of Urbana, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of a child.  At the plea hearing, Heinitz admitted that, between August and September 2022, he recorded sexually explicit videos of a four-year-old girl.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Heinitz remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Heinitz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $55,100 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.

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.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by 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 23-33.

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A man who possessed 975.7 grams of heroin and fentanyl was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.

Donald R. Owens, age 44, from Markham, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 15, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and aiding and abetting the same.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Owens was driving a car that the Iowa State Patrol stopped for speeding.  Mathew J. Moreno was a passenger in the vehicle.  Owens fled from officers, and a high-speed chase followed before Owens ultimately crashed the vehicle.  During the chase, someone threw a vacuum‑sealed package out of the car which contained 975.7 grams of heroin and fentanyl.  Officers also found over $17,000 in cash in Moreno’s and Owens’s possession.

Owens was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Owens was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

On July 10, 2023, Moreno was sentenced to 87 month’s imprisonment.  Moreno must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  

Owens 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 Jason Norwood and Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office, 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-32.

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A woman who hid an inheritance check from her creditors in bankruptcy court pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  Debra S. Leisinger, age 58, from Sumner, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bankruptcy concealment.

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

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Leisinger remains free on bond previously set.  Leisinger faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

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

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

The case file number is 23-CR-2028. 

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A woman who used other peoples’ personal information to obtain money from thirty credit unions and four businesses located in eight states was sentenced on August 4, 2023, to more than seven years in federal prison.

Maegen Catherine Fortin, age 40, from Otsego, Minnesota, received the prison term after a September 15, 2022 guilty plea to one count of financial institution fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Information from Fortin’s plea and sentencing showed that between March 2020 and September 2021, Fortin engaged in fraudulent conduct at credit unions and businesses located in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.  Fortin possessed or used the personal identifiers, such as names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth, of at least ninety different people without their permission in connection with her fraud.  Fortin used fraudulent United States passports, military IDs, and state driver’s licenses containing the victims’ personal information to apply for loans, lines of credit, accounts, and/or credit or debit cards in the victims’ names.  Fortin attempted to obtain at least $650,000 and successfully obtained more than $460,000 as a result of her fraudulent conduct.

Fortin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Fortin was sentenced to 93 months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $463,774.59 in restitution to the credit unions and businesses.  She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney 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-0072.

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A man who possessed a firearm as a felon and as a drug user pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Eric Thomas, age 48, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. 

In a plea agreement, Thomas admitted that he possessed a loaded gun along with a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.  Thomas was a daily heroin user and had six prior felony convictions, including three burglary convictions, one conviction for assault on a peace officer while displaying a dangerous weapon, one conviction for a controlled substance violation, and one conviction for manufacturing or delivering controlled substances.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Thomas remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Thomas faces the following maximum penalties: (1) not more than 15 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole; (2) a fine of not more than $250,000; (3) a mandatory special assessment of $100; and (4) a term of supervised release of not more than three years.  If the court finds that Thomas has three previous convictions for a violent felony or a serious drug offense, or both, committed on occasions different from one another, then pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1), Thomas’s crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole and the following maximum penalties: (1) not more than life 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 five years.

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 Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force. 

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

The case file number is 23-CR-1012.

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A man who possessed a firearm as an unlawful drug user was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison.

Silas Paul Griffin, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 8, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 31, 2022, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in Marion, Iowa.  Griffin was in the front passenger seat.  On his person, officers found hydrocodone pills (prescribed to someone else), marijuana, and a loaded magazine.  Officers then searched underneath Griffin’s seat and found a loaded gun.  Griffin admitted that he possessed the gun.  He later gave a urine sample that tested positive for the presence of THC and benzodiazepines. 

Griffin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Griffin was sentenced to 30 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.  Griffin 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Marion Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-45.

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

At the plea hearing, Peterson admitted he possessed a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number.  Peterson further admitted to knowingly being a felon at the time he possessed the firearm, and being a user of methamphetamine and marijuana, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Peterson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Peterson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 23-3007. 

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A man who retrieved a vehicle that had contained approximately 30 pounds of ice methamphetamine in a hidden compartment was sentenced July 28, 2023, to more than 14 years in federal prison.

Christopher Eric Curley, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 20, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at prior hearings and information presented at sentencing showed that in October 2020 investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Mexico seized approximately 30 pounds of ice methamphetamine from a hidden compartment in a vehicle being shipped to Curley in Iowa.  Investigators removed the methamphetamine from the compartment and replaced it with a simulated substance, then re‑loaded the vehicle onto the car hauler and sent it to Iowa.  When the vehicle arrived in Cedar Rapids, Curley received delivery of it.  He attempted to open the hidden compartment electronically, but it did not open.   Curley then pulled down the back seat and pulled the purported methamphetamine out of the compartment.  Upon examining some of the packages inside the compartment Curley realized that they did not actually contain methamphetamine.  He then threw the vehicle’s keys through the driver’s side window of the vehicle and walked away.

In late 2021 and 2022, Curley was still selling methamphetamine in eastern Iowa.  During a wiretap investigation into a group of methamphetamine dealers in the Cedar Rapids area led by David Belton, Curley was intercepted discussing purchasing pounds of methamphetamine from the group, and also supplying pounds of methamphetamine to the group when they ran out of supply.          

Eleven other individuals were charged in the same investigation as Curley.  David Poitier Belton, Derek Michael Mims, Phillip Lanell Rogers, Robert Lee Michael Bates, Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr., Elmer Mims, and Timothy Michael Webber are all awaiting sentencing.  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.

Curley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Curley was sentenced to 175 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.

Curley 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 Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, 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.

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A man from Marion, Iowa, was sentenced today to 5 years in federal prison for his involvement in selling cocaine.

Kain Cortez, age 25, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 3, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Cheyenne Gonzales and Cortez worked together to sell cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between April and June 2022.  Law enforcement utilized a confidential source to conduct controlled buys of cocaine from Gonzales, and Cortez was present with Gonzales during some of the controlled buys.  On June 1, 2022, investigators observed a meeting between Gonzales, Cortez, and two other individuals outside of Gonzales’s and Cortez’s shared residence.  On that date, Gonzales and Cortez paid approximately $15,000 in cash for half a kilogram of cocaine and approximately 20 pounds of marijuana. 

Cortez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Cortez was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.  Cortez must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

On November 14, 2022, Gonzales pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.  Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2023.

Cortez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he 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-00054.

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A man who was on federal supervised release for a 2017 firearms crime and was later found with drugs and a gun was sentenced on July 28,2023, to more than 4 years in federal prison.

Kyle Leick, age 33, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 30, 2023, guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and an admission to violating his federal release terms.

At the guilty plea and in the supervised release revocation hearing, Leick admitted that on July 10, 2022, he was on federal supervised release from a 2017 firearms conviction when police responded to his residence and found him in possession of a loaded gun, cocaine and other drugs, along with drug dealing paraphernalia.  Leick also admitted numerous other violations of supervised release including missing drug tests, using drugs, committing new crimes while on supervision and absconding from supervision. 

Leick was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Leick was sentenced to a total of 52 months’ imprisonment, comprised of 34 months’ imprisonment for his new crime and an additional 18 months’ imprisonment for his violation of the terms of his supervised release.  Leick must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

Leick 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 Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque 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 numbers are 22-CR-01041 and 17-CR-01051.

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Joshua Pedersen, 46, from Moville, Iowa, was sentenced July 28, 2023, to 11 years in federal prison for Possession of Child Pornography.

Evidence in the case established that between November 2018, and December 2019, Pedersen used Internet-based, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks “Kik” and “Skout” to knowingly receive and distribute child pornography.  Pedersen also admitted he distributed child pornography to a minor to persuade the minor to create and send him child pornography.  Pedersen has a prior conviction for Dissemination and Exhibition of Obscene Materials to Minors, and multiple convictions for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

Pedersen was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 132 months’ imprisonment.  He was also fined a total of $5,000.  Pedersen must also serve a 5-year term of supervised released following the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

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

The case file number is 22-3017. 

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A man who previously possessed firearms illegally was sentenced July 18, 2023, to more than two years in federal prison.

David Tyler Galloway, age 22, from Toronto, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 9, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

At the guilty plea, Galloway admitted he unlawfully possessed a firearm in September 2019.  Galloway sold the firearm to an individual after arranging to sell it and psilocybin mushrooms to the other person.  Galloway was previously convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon in Cedar County, Iowa, and received a deferred judgment in July 2019.

Galloway was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Galloway 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.

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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Cedar County Sheriff’s Department, Muscatine County Sheriff’s Department, Muscatine Police Department, Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, Clarence 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 22-CR-00093.

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A man who regularly transported methamphetamine from California to Iowa for a Cedar Rapids drug trafficking organization was sentenced July 25, 2023, to more than 16 years in federal prison.

Calub Joseph Storlie, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 7, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.

Information provided at sentencing and evidence presented in a prior hearing showed that Storlie took numerous trips to California between 2017 and 2020 to obtain ice methamphetamine for David Belton.  Storlie eventually recruited a relative, Albert Bailey, to join him on the trips, and each was paid about $2,000 per trip as well as expenses.  On these trips, Storlie commonly drove a “trap car” with a false compartment inside to transport the drugs.  That “trap car” was seized by law enforcement in 2020 with documents indicating that the insurance for the car was in Storlie’s name and 30 pounds of ice methamphetamine was found inside the false compartment. 

During a wiretap investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Cedar Rapids in late 2021 and early 2022, Bailey was discovered to be a driver for a group of individuals who were purchasing ice methamphetamine in California and selling it in eastern Iowa.  Bailey traveled to California and then drove between 30 and 60 pounds of methamphetamine back to Iowa, where other individuals sold it.  In February 2022, intercepted communications over the wiretap indicated that Bailey would be transporting methamphetamine from California to Iowa.  Investigators tracked Bailey’s vehicle and stopped it in York County, Nebraska.  During a search of the vehicle, investigators located and seized approximately 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine.  Immediately following the seizure of the methamphetamine in Nebraska, Storlie was intercepted on the wiretap speaking to other members of the conspiracy about the seizure and how to cover it up.  Evidence in the case showed that Storlie had previously gone on similar trips to California for the same individuals as Bailey.

In addition to his involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine, Storlie purchased and stored at least nine firearms for Belton, who was a felon.  Storlie had falsified ATF forms to purchase the firearms.

Eleven other individuals were charged in the same investigation as Storlie.  David Poitier Belton, Derek Michael Mims, Phillip Lanell Rogers, Robert Lee Michael Bates, Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr., Christopher Eric Curley, Elmer Mims, and Timothy Michael Webber are all awaiting sentencing.  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.

Storlie was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Storlie was sentenced to 200 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.

Storlie 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 a large quantity of methamphetamine and had numerous firearms was sentenced on July 26, 2023, to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Johnny Mack Hill, Jr., age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 4, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms during and in relation to his drug offense, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

At the guilty plea, Hill, Jr. admitted that on October 14, 2020, he was in possession of at least 500 grams of methamphetamine he intended to sell to others, and multiple firearms that he possessed in connection with his drug offense.  Hill, Jr. was previously convicted of attempted murder for a shooting on October 2, 2020, in a Cedar Rapids bar.

Hill, Jr. was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Hill, Jr. was sentenced to 185 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutive to his sentence for attempted murder imposed in the Iowa District Court for Linn County.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case 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.

Hill, Jr. 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 Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by 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 21-CR-00021.

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A man who sold K2 from a smoke shop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and who fled the country in 2014 after being charged with federal drug crimes was sentenced July 25, 2023, to 20 years in federal prison.

Mohammad Al Sharairei, age 47, previously from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 12, 2022 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of maintaining a premises for the distribution of controlled substance analogues and one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substance analogues.

The evidence at trial showed that in 2012 and 2013, Al Sharairei and his wife owned and operated a smoke shop on First Avenue in Cedar Rapids called Puff N Stuff II.  During June 2013, federal agents raided Puff N Stuff II and seized thousands of packets of K2 which were labeled as “novelty items,” “potpourri,” and “incense” and contained a warning that the products were “not for human consumption.”  Some names of the “potpourri” products were Bizarro, Grave Digger, Lights Out, and Mega Kush.  The substances in the packages were determined to contain synthetic cannabinoids called PB‑22 and 5F‑PB‑22.  Trial evidence showed that these synthetic cannabinoid substances are far more potent than marijuana and have been associated with severe psychological and physical effects, including death.  Trial evidence showed that, despite labeling the products as “not for human consumption” and having a store policy that customers could not talk about smoking the products, Al Sharairei himself smoked the “incense.”

Evidence at sentencing showed that, even after the June 2013 DEA raid of his business, Al Sharairei continued selling synthetic cannabinoids.  In August 2013, Al Sharairei and his wife called the police to report a theft of synthetic cannabinoids from a vehicle at their Cedar Rapids residence.  When responding police informed Al Sharairei that they would be calling DEA to seize the rest of the synthetic cannabinoid products in the vehicle, Al Sharairei declared that he did not care if they took it, and that he had already ordered another shipment that would be on the way.  Trial evidence also showed that after Al Sharairei was charged and appeared in federal court, he fled the country in 2014 prior to a scheduled hearing.  He remained a fugitive until he was extradited back to the United States from Brazil.

Seized store records from Puff N Stuff II showed that between January 2012 and June 26, 2013, the store had sold over $1.3 million in synthetic cannabinoid products.  At sentencing, the judge found that Al Sharairei was responsible for over 78 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids.  The sentencing judge commented that Al Sharairei’s actions were “brazen” and that his business selling synthetic cannabinoids in packaging labeled “not for human consumption” was “a total scam.”

Al Sharairei was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Al Sharairei was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.  He also was ordered to forfeit $425,000 in drug proceeds.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Al Sharairei 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.  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.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam Vander Stoep. 

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

The case file number is 14‑CR‑63‑LTS‑MAR.

A man who discharged firearms in December 2021 and May 2022 was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.

Romeo Kuykendall, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 22, 2023 guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that, in December 2021, Kuykendall shot multiple times in the air and then at an occupied vehicle.  Some of the bullets hit a neighboring occupied residence.  Part of this shooting was captured on smart doorbell footage taken from the house that was hit.  Then, in May 2022, Kuykendall again discharged a firearm, this time in a residence with a sleeping child.  Law enforcement received a 911 call based on this incident and later stopped a vehicle that Kuykendall was in.  In the vehicle, officers found two firearms that Kuykendall admitted were his.  Kuykendall also admitted that he used marijuana multiple times a week and his urine tested positive for marijuana metabolites. 

Kuykendall was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Kuykendall was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Kuykendall 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 Liz Dupuich and Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake.  It was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department. 

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

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

The case file number is 22-CR-2046.

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A Cedar Rapids man who shot a Marion man eight times in February 2021 was sentenced today to the maximum possible punishment, a decade in federal prison.

Anthony Fisher, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 26, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of possession of ammunition as a convicted felon. 

The evidence at trial showed that, on February 16, 2021, Fisher and two other men broke into a Marion man’s residence with the intent of stealing money and possibly marijuana.  Immediately after the three men entered the residence, Fisher shot the Marion man eight times without any apparent provocation.  The three men, including Fisher, then fled the scene.  Emergency personnel responded quickly and provided aid to the victim, who survived.  The victim’s young child was also found near where the victim had been shot.  Law enforcement never recovered the firearm Fisher used to shoot the victim; however, the jury found Fisher unlawfully possessed the eight rounds of ammunition used to shoot the victim.  At the time of the shooting, Fisher was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as he was a felon.  Fisher had previously been convicted of interference with official acts – dangerous weapon, a felony offense, in state court in April 2020. 

Fisher was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Fisher was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment, the highest sentence allowed by statute.  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.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Marion Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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

The case file number is 22-CR-00013-LTS.

Ian Bigler, age 34, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess stolen firearms and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user.

Evidence in the case revealed that on October 1, 2021, Bigler participated in a home burglary where he and a coconspirator stole 10 guns. The burglary was planned in advance, and Bigler used diversions to insure the home was empty when the burglary was committed.  Afterward, Bigler took several steps to conceal the conspiracy.  On October 11, 2021, Bigler, fled from police in a 2008 white Dodge Ram pickup truck that contained evidence of the burglary (including a pistol which had been stolen during the burglary).  On October 15, 2021, Bigler equipped himself with a bulletproof vest and two firearms (including a Pistol, which had been stolen during the burglary) and a shortened shotgun, secreted himself from law enforcement in a home in North Sioux City, South Dakota, and held another person against his/her will.  Additionally, at various times Bigler researched the internet for ways to conceal the conspiracy. The topics included: “how does the FBI track you,” “how to hide,” “how to beat drones,” and “us marshals wanted list.”

Additionally, Bigler was also held accountable for a November 15, 2020, incident where he brandished a firearm in an apparent attempt to rob or extort a local business. 

Bigler has a lengthy criminal history.  He was previously convicted of several felonies: burglaries, willful injury, and misdemeanor assault while displaying a firearm, amongst other crimes. 

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

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

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

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

The case file number is 22-4022.

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A man who called himself “Capone” was sentenced on July 21, 2023, to over 8 years in federal prison.

Randy Hall, age 39, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 13, 2023, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and an unlawful drug user.

Evidence in the case showed when Hall was arrested on outstanding state warrants, he was in possession of a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol.  Hall had secreted the weapon on his person and then tried to hide it in the police cruiser that was being used to transport him to jail.  The firearm was discovered.

Hall has a lengthy criminal history including: assault on a police officer, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, escape, theft in the 1st degree, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and a pervious felon in possession of a firearm among other crimes.

Hall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 97 months’ and 22 days imprisonment (which was a sentence of 108 months adjusted for time served).  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

Hall 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 and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 22-04089.

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A man who followed a couple into two separate businesses and a Sioux City home, all while confronting them with a gun, was sentenced on July 21, 2023 to more than 8 years in federal prison.

Rico Willis, age 45, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, unlawful drug user and domestic abuse misdemeanant on March 2, 2023.

Evidence in the case showed that on August 29, 2022, Willis followed two individuals into two separate businesses, then to a Sioux City home, all while confronting them with a gun.  Outside of the home, Willis struck one the individuals in the head with the gun, causing it to discharge, and knocking the individual to the ground. Willis then fled the scene.  A concerned citizen recorded the incident and provided the recording to law enforcement.  

Willis has a long criminal history including convictions for: felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, 2nd degree robbery, harassment, domestic assault, and numerous drug crimes.

Willis was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 106 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

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

The case file number is 22-4092.

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A man who possessed a firearm as an illegal user of a controlled substance was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Jacques Simpson, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 7, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user and one count of wire fraud.

In a plea agreement, Simpson admitted that he knowingly possessed a firearm as a drug user.  Late at night on November 9, 2021, a Cedar Rapids police officer came across a vehicle parked in a city park containing Simpson and a female.  The officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.  After exiting the vehicle, Simpson admitted he had a firearm in his sweatshirt pocket.  A Glock 19 9x19mm caliber pistol was found with a loaded magazine and one round chambered.  Four additional loaded magazines of various calibers were found in Simpson’s car. 

On November 24, 2021, Simpson bought another gun and lied on the ATF form about being a user of marijuana.  On November 25, 2021, Simpson’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Illinois.  Simpson smelled of marijuana and had a BAC of .086%.  During a search of Simpson, officers found the firearm purchased the day before.  Nine additional loaded magazines of various calibers were found in Simpson’s car. 

Simpson bought two more guns and again lied on the ATF forms about being a user of marijuana.  On December 8, 2021, Simpson’s vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in Cedar Rapids.  The officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.   Simpson admitted being an unlawful drug user and admitted smoking marijuana earlier that day.  During the traffic stop, officers recovered from Simpson’s coat pocket a loaded Glock 29 firearm with a round in the chamber, along with a loaded Glock 21 firearm with a round in the chamber near the center console in the vehicle.

Simpson also admitted in the plea agreement to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act is a federal law enacted in late March 2020 that provides emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  One form of such financial assistance is the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program.  Simpson took out two PPP loans in March 2021 resulting in a total loss of $36,040.  Simpson fraudulently claimed on the PPP loan application forms that he had viable businesses which in fact never existed, had no employees or any payroll expenses. 

Simpson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Simpson was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to pay $19,790 in restitution to Capital Plus Financial, LLC, and $16, 250 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.  He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.          

Simpson 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

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

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

The case file number is 22-CR-21.

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