Northern District of Iowa

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

Tyler Maus, age 30, from Marion, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.  At the plea hearing, Maus admitted that, on December 5, 2021, he possessed four pistols after having been convicted of four felonies.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Maus remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing.  Maus 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 Hiawatha Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 22-49.

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A man and woman who sold fentanyl in the Dubuque, Iowa area, pled guilty on November 30, 2022, and December 6, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Fallon Christina Murphy, age 25, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and Jose Soto-Guzman, age 47, pled guilty to distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location and possession of a firearm by a felon.  In a plea agreement, Soto-Guzman admitted that between March and June 2022, he supplied heroin users in the Dubuque, Iowa area with fentanyl.  Soto-Guzman admitted that during the conspiracy, he regularly traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin, to purchase at least 4 grams of fentanyl from his source, which he then sold with Murphy in Dubuque.  Between March and June 2022, investigators conducted five controlled purchases from Soto‑Guzman and Murphy.  The drugs purchased contained fentanyl, but some of the fentanyl was mixed with heroin and some with methamphetamine.  During one of the controlled buys in late June 2022, Soto-Guzman indicated to the undercover officer purchasing the drugs from him that he had customers who had overdosed.

Two days after that controlled buy, officers searched the Dubuque residence where Murphy and Soto‑Guzman had been staying.  During the search, officers found a 9x19mm pistol that belonged to Soto‑Guzman.  Soto‑Guzman has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.  Soto‑Guzman was taken into federal custody at the time of the search.

Evidence in a prior hearing showed that after Soto‑Guzman’s arrest, Murphy continued to obtain fentanyl from the La Crosse source for distribution in Dubuque.  In late July 2022, Murphy traveled to La Crosse to purchase drugs, and upon her return to Dubuque, officers stopped the vehicle in which she was riding.  When the police stopped her vehicle, Murphy concealed the drugs inside her body to avoid detection.  Officers later recovered the drugs, which were determined to be nearly 10 grams of fentanyl.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Both defendants will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Murphy faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life following any imprisonment.  Soto-Guzman faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 1 year’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $4,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of at least 6 years and up to life following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and was 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-1022.

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A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced yesterday to over two months in federal prison.

Rigoberto Batz-Tinio, age 45, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Postville, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2022 guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. 

At the guilty plea, Batz-Tinio admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Batz-Tinio was previously deported in March 2004.  On September 16, 2022, immigration officials learned Batz-Tinio had illegally returned to the United States and found Batz-Tinio at the Allamakee County Jail following his conviction for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Batz-Tinio was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Batz-Tinio was sentenced to 76 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 22-CR-1033.

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Kenneth Alan Block, age 35, from Spencer, Iowa, was sentenced on December 6, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City, to 8 years in federal prison. 

On July 19, 2022, Block pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from February 2021 through September 2021, Block and others distributed at least 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Spencer area.  In addition, on September 29, 2021, Block was found with approximately 170 grams of ice methamphetamine after giving consent to search his car.  

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Block was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 4 year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Block remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer, Iowa Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Great Lakes Task Force, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 22-4020.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A convicted sex offender who lived and worked in Iowa without registering was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.

Vincent Mack, age 57, from Byron, Georgia, received the prison term after a May 25, 2022 guilty plea to failing to register as a sex offender.

Information from the sentencing hearing showed that Mack was required to register as a sex offender because he was previously convicted of child molestation in Georgia.  While still under supervision for that conviction in December 2021, Mack cutoff his GPS ankle monitor and moved to Iowa with a friend.  Approximately three weeks later, law enforcement officers became aware of Mack and determined that he was living and working in Iowa.  During the time he was in Iowa, Mack did not register as a sex offender as he was required to do.

Mack was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Mack was sentenced to 24 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.  Mack 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 Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office.  Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 22-CR-33.

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

Odon Mora-Maldonado, age 25,a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Howard County, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2022 guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. 

At the guilty plea, Mora-Maldonado admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Mora-Maldonado was deported in December 2017 after being found in Atlanta, Georgia, by law enforcement officers.  He was also deported in April 2019 following his convictions in Georgia for driving under the influence in November 2018 and for battery-family violence,obstructing/hindering an emergency telephone call, and cruelty to a child less than 18 years of age in February 2019.  On September 29, 2022, immigration officials learned Mora-Maldonado had illegally returned to the United States and found Mora-Maldonado at the Howard County, Iowa, jail following his arrest on state charges.

Mora-Maldonado was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Mora-Maldonado was sentenced to 61 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 22-CR-2056.

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

Gaspar Cedillo-Cobo, age 23, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Galena, Illinois, received the prison term after an October 11, 2022 guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. 

At the guilty plea, Cedillo-Cobo admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Cedillo-Cobo was deported in March 2018 following his conviction in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States.  On September 8, 2022, immigration officials learned Cedillo-Cobo had illegally returned to the United States and found Cedillo-Cobo at the Jones County, Iowa, jail following his arrest on state charges.

Cedillo-Cobo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Cedillo-Cobo was sentenced to 75 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 22-CR-79.

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A Cedar Rapids man who was involved in the distribution of heroin was sentenced today to more than 6 years in federal prison.

Sammie Truman Williams, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 22, 2022 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in 2017 and 2018, Williams and other individuals worked together to sell heroin in the Cedar Rapids area.  In January 2018, investigators conducted a wiretap investigation of a phone operated by Williams.  Multiple people called the phone to arrange heroin deals.  Williams would set up the deal, but an accomplice would deliver the heroin.  In total, Williams was responsible for the distribution of over 100 grams of heroin.

Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Williams was sentenced to 77 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.

Williams 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 Ashley Corkery and Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration Cedar Rapids Resident Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

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

The case file number is 21-CR-06.

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A man who fleeced a non-profit for thousands of dollars over the years was sentenced December 1, 2022, to 3 months in federal prison.

Jesse Clinton Henderson, age 66, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 9, 2022 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.

In a plea agreement, Henderson admitted he was employed by the Jesse Cosby Neighborhood Center (JCNC) starting in 2007. He became Executive Director in 2014. As Executive Director, Henderson was tasked with managing the day-to-day operation of the center including overseeing staff members, grant writing, fundraising, and controlling finances and expenditures.  

Henderson possessed debit and credit cards associated with the JCNC’s bank accounts. He was not authorized to use the cards or any of the funds in the JCNC bank accounts for his own personal benefit. From approximately 2018 through 2021, Henderson used and misappropriated or gambled approximately $71,483.15 of the non-profit’s funds for his own benefit. Henderson made unauthorized cash withdrawals, debit card withdrawals and charges, and credit card purchases and transactions from JCNC’s bank accounts. 

Henderson was able to conceal his scheme from the JCNC and their Board of Directors by intentionally failing to disclose monthly financial reports or bank statements where his unauthorized expenditures and withdrawals would be exposed. Therefore, JCNC and the Board did not know about the unauthorized withdrawals and expenditures. 

In July 2021, Henderson admitted to law enforcement that he used the bank cards of the JCNC to for an unauthorized purpose and for his own benefit, for at least couple of years. He further admitted to intentionally failing to make financial records and expenditures available to the JCNC and its Board.

“The Jesse Cosby Neighborhood Center, a non-profit organization in Waterloo, provides senior services with an adult day center, meals on wheels, and a youth summer feeding program. In short, it serves young and old in the Waterloo Community. For roughly three years, Jesse Henderson repeatedly and selfishly took money from this organization, lied to the people of the organization, and undermined the charitable works of the organization” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.  “This sentence shows that those who embezzle and steal, putting greed and self-interest above all else, will be held accountable.”       

“Henderson stole and gambled away tens of thousands of dollars meant to help those in need. Now, he will be held accountable for his actions. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to rooting out fraudsters that seek to use federal funds for personal gain,” said William J. Hannah Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Chicago Field Office.

Henderson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Henderson was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment and fined $ 100. He was ordered to pay restitution to the JCNC. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Henderson is to surrender to the United States Marshal on December 27, 2022.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the United States Department of Justice - Office of the Inspector General. 

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

The case file number is 22-cr-2032-CJW.

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A woman who distributed heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced today to 46 months’ imprisonment in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Marsha C. Dismukes, age 54, from Ford Heights, Illinois, received the sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base. 

In a plea agreement, Dismukes admitted to engaging in a drug-related conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine in Cedar Rapids.   Information at the sentencing hearing showed that Dismukes was involved in the distribution of approximately 900 grams of heroin. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Dismukes was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following her term of incarceration.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Dismukes remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to federal prison.

This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 21-CR-00068-CJW.

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A Webster City man who ordered a pound ice methamphetamine from a man he met in state prison was sentenced November 29, 2022, to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Gabriel Allen Pelz, age 44, from Webster City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of use of a communication facility to commit a felony drug crime.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Pelz met Andrew Surprenant while they were both incarcerated in state prison.  Pelz was released from state custody in December 2021, and, in early January 2022, Pelz contacted Surprenant and arranged to acquire a pound of ice methamphetamine from him.  At the time, law enforcement was monitoring a wiretap on Surprenant’s phone and intercepted the conversations between Pelz and Surprenant.  Law enforcement conducted surveillance of Surprenant’s residence and watched Pelz arrive at there.  After Pelz left, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of him and recovered a pound of ice methamphetamine from Pelz.  Pelz later admitted that he acquired the ice methamphetamine from Surprenant and intended to distribute it to others in the Webster City area. 

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

Andrew Surprenant previously pled guilty to his involvement with a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization.  On October 21, 2022, Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment. 

Pelz 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 was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Homeland Security Investigations. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-02017.

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A Webster City man who ordered a pound ice methamphetamine from a man he met in state prison was sentenced November 29, 2022, to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Gabriel Allen Pelz, age 44, from Webster City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of use of a communication facility to commit a felony drug crime.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Pelz met Andrew Surprenant while they were both incarcerated in state prison.  Pelz was released from state custody in December 2021, and, in early January 2022, Pelz contacted Surprenant and arranged to acquire a pound of ice methamphetamine from him.  At the time, law enforcement was monitoring a wiretap on Surprenant’s phone and intercepted the conversations between Pelz and Surprenant.  Law enforcement conducted surveillance of Surprenant’s residence and watched Pelz arrive at there.  After Pelz left, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of him and recovered a pound of ice methamphetamine from Pelz.  Pelz later admitted that he acquired the ice methamphetamine from Surprenant and intended to distribute it to others in the Webster City area. 

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

Andrew Surprenant previously pled guilty to his involvement with a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization.  On October 21, 2022, Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment. 

Pelz 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 was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Homeland Security Investigations. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-02017.

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A man who sexually abused a sleeping woman was sentenced today to more than fifteen years in federal prison.

Robin Roberts, age 67, from the Meskwaki Settlement, received the prison term after a June 1, 2022 jury verdict finding him guilty of sexual abuse.

The evidence at trial showed that on July 8, 2021, the victim went to Roberts’ residence.  During her time at the residence, Roberts sexually abused the victim while she was sleeping.

Roberts was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Roberts was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Liz Dupuich and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Meskwaki Nation Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 21-CR-0060.

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On November 22, 2022, Justin Haubrich, 46, from Milford, Iowa, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison.

Haubrich pled guilty June 28, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from May 2018 through January 2019, Haubrich was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 2500 grams of methamphetamine.  Haubrich was supplied methamphetamine from sources in Denison and Council Bluffs, Iowa for further distribution in Northwest Iowa.  During a traffic stop in January 2019, Haubrich was found in possession of a .45 caliber handgun and was known to keep and store firearms during his drug trafficking activities.  

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Haubrich was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of three years supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Haubrich remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, the Okoboji, Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.   

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

The case file number is 21-4097. 

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A man who possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute it and who possessed a firearm as an unlawful drug user, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Joshua Ryan Gorrell, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it within 1,000 feet of a protected location, and one count of possession of a firearm as an unlawful drug user.

In a plea agreement, Gorrell admitted that, on July 22, 2022, he made a 911 call regarding an overdose that occurred at his home in Cedar Rapids.  When first responders arrived, they found a deceased overdose victim.  Officers searched Gorrell’s home and found $123,038 in U.S. Currency and over two pounds of actual (pure) methamphetamine, 43 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, 68 grams of marijuana, and 238 grams of THC wax.  Officers found some of the drugs and cash in ductwork inside of Gorrell’s home.

Gorrell also admitted in a plea agreement that on August 22, 2022, law enforcement officers searched his home again and found a firearm, $15,253 in U.S. Currency, approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, and approximately 252 grams of marijuana.  Later that day, Gorrell’s urine tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Gorrell remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. 

For possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it within 1,000 feet of a protected location, Gorrell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and the following maximum penalties: not more than life imprisonment without the possibility of parole; a fine of not more than $20,000,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; and a term of supervised release of at least 10 years and up to life.  For possessing a firearm as a drug user, Gorrell faces the following maximum penalties: not more than 15 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole; a fine of not more than $250,000; a mandatory special assessment of $100; and a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years. 

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.  It was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Marion Police Department, and Linn County Sheriff’s Office. 

This case is also 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-59.

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A Mason City, Iowa man who possessed large amounts of child pornography was convicted by a jury on November 17, 2022, after a 4-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.

Brandon Manning, age 41, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of two counts of possession of child pornography.  The verdict was returned following more than four hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that Manning possessed thousands of images and videos of child pornography, including pornography of children under the age of 12 years old, on an SD card in a cellphone he attempted to destroy when being served with a search warrant on March 12, 2022, and on an internal hard drive for a laptop that was found in his home, hidden in his bedroom.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Manning remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Manning faces, for each count, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years up to life of supervised release 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.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Mason City Police Department and the State of Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 22-3002.

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An Iowa nurse who stole fentanyl from elderly patients pled guilty on November 21, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.  Ryan William Thornton, age 27, from Clear Lake, Iowa, was convicted of acquiring fentanyl by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.

In a plea agreement, Thornton admitted that he diverted liquid fentanyl, that was supposed to be dispensed to patients, for his own personal use by removing fentanyl from the patients’ IV pumps with a syringe. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Thornton remains free on bond pending sentencing.  Thornton faces a possible maximum sentence of 4 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 1 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 and Appeals Investigations Division Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

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

The case file number is 22-3034.

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A California man was sentenced November 17, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison.  Wesley Wood, age 43, from San Marcos, California, received the prison term after a May 26, 2022, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

In a plea agreement, Wood admitted he conspired to distribute multiple pounds of methamphetamine to Sheldon, Iowa in the U.S. Postal Service.

Wood was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Wood was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Wood 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 Ron Timmons and investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.

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

The case file number is 21-4056.

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A Waterloo man who possessed a firearm less than a year after he was released from federal prison for possessing a firearm illegally was sentenced today to more than two additional years in federal prison.  Dereon Equwan Davenport, also known as Dereon Galloway, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 18, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

At Davenport’s guilty plea hearing and other hearings in his cases, Davenport admitted that he was convicted in U.S. District Court of possession of a firearm by a drug user in 2019.  The district court sentenced Davenport to 21 months’ imprisonment for that crime, and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons released Davenport from custody in December 2020.  In July 2021, while Davenport was on supervised release with the U.S. Probation Office for his 2019 firearms crime, Davenport was arrested during a traffic stop in Waterloo and a loaded, chambered firearm was found in a pocket in his pants.  In November 2021, Davenport was arrested in Cedar Falls and later convicted of harassing a public official and driving while under suspension.  While on supervised release, Davenport also used controlled substances multiple times, failed to undergo required drug testing and treatment, failed to maintain employment, and did not notify the probation office of his whereabouts.

Davenport was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Davenport was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment, which consists of 21 months of imprisonment for the new firearms conviction and a consecutive 12 months of imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release in his 2019 firearms case.  Davenport must also serve a new three-year term of supervised release after the prison term imposed in the new case.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Davenport is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the 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 numbers are 22-CR-2005 and 18-CR-2055.

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A man who used a false identification document and a false social security number was sentenced today to more than two months in federal prison.

Jose Lindolfo Henriquez-Arriaga, age 39, a citizen of Honduras illegally present in the United States and residing in Charles City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 26, 2022, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents and one count of misuse of a social security number.

At the guilty plea, Henriquez-Arriaga admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “green card,” both bearing his name, to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in June 2021 at a business in Alden, Iowa.  The number on the Social Security card was unassigned and the number on the Permanent Resident Card was assigned to a Korean female. 

Henriquez-Arriaga was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Henriquez-Arriaga was sentenced to 77 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 22-CR-68.

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A man who distributed heroin and fentanyl in Dubuque, Iowa, plead guilty on November 18, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Menelaeus C. Watson, age 35, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of distribution of heroin and fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a protected location.

In a plea agreement, Watson admitted to engaging in two transactions to distribute heroin and fentanyl in Dubuque.  The transactions took place within 1,000 feet of a local college and two parks.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Watson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Watson faces a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $4 million, and up to six years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason D. Norwood and Patrick J. Reinert.

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

The case file number is 21-CR-1033-CJW.

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Bryan Ross, 26, from Ellsworth, Iowa, plead guilty November 4, 2022, in federal court to Producing and Distributing Child Pornography.

In a plea agreement, Ross admitted that between July 2019, and February 2022, he knowingly harassed and coerced minors online via Facebook and Snapchat to take sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves to send to him. Ross further admitted that he received and attempted to receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and distributed them to others online. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set for a later date after a presentence report is prepared.  Ross was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Ross faces a mandatory sentence of 15 years imprisonment with the maximum of not more than 30 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $250,000, a mandatory special assessment of $100 and a term of supervised release of 5 years to life.

The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

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

The case file number is 22-3016. 

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Wyant Unruh, 37, from Carrol, Iowa, plead guilty November 7, 2022, in federal court to Possession of Child Pornography.

In a plea agreement, Unruh admitted that between November 2019, and July 2021, he used the messaging app Kik to knowingly receive and attempt to receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He further admitted to using the app to share child pornography with others.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set for a later date after a presentence report is prepared.  Unruh was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Unruh faces a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $250,000, a mandatory special assessment of $100 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years with the potential of life.

The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

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

The case file number is 22-3016. 

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The owner of a Sergeant Bluff, Iowa construction firm pleaded guilty November 16, 2022, to tax evasion for evading payment of his company’s employment taxes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Kevin Alexander, 62, of Sioux City, owned K&L Construction, Inc., a landscaping and construction company. As the sole shareholder and president of K&L Construction, Alexander was responsible for filing quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying over to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. From the second quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2017, K&L Construction paid approximately $3.8 million in wages to its employees and withheld approximately $1 million in payroll taxes, but the company did not pay over any of these withholdings to the IRS. 

During IRS collection proceedings, Alexander accepted responsibility for paying K&L Construction’s outstanding tax balance. Alexander, however, submitted a false form to the IRS that concealed some of his assets. As part of his plea agreement, Alexander admitted that he submitted the false form for the purpose of concealing assets and evading payment of K&L Construction’s outstanding payroll tax liability.

Alexander will be sentenced at a later date before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Alexander remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  He faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. Alexander also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. Judge Strand will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax of the Northern District of Iowa made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

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

The case file number is 21-4092.

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A Waterloo man who purchased at least 38 guns for other people was sentenced November 8, 2022, to over six years in years in federal prison. 

Joshua William Butler, age 35, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a May 3, 2022 guilty plea to false statement during purchase of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a drug user.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in 2020, Butler purchased at least 38 firearms from different retailers in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls area. When Butler filled out the forms to purchase the firearms, he indicated that the guns were for him and that he did not use controlled substances.  However, it was later determined that Butler purchased the firearms for others.  In January 2021, police officers searched Butler’s Waterloo residence.  During their search, officers found a Glock 9mm firearm, ammunition, a 33-round extended magazine, marijuana, and 62 ecstasy pills.  The Glock 9mm had a serial number that someone had attempted to scratch off.  Officers also searched a storage unit belonging to Butler and found another gun.  Officers believe that only ten of the firearms purchased by Butler have been recovered.  The majority of the firearms were recovered in the Chicago area.  Many of the firearms were recovered from people who were lawfully prohibited from possessing firearms, including one individual who was out on bond at the time for murder charges.

“Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals saves lives. Our partners in this case, the ATF, FBI, and the Waterloo Police Department, successfully devoted their time and effort to put an end to Butler’s illegal activities,” said United States Attorney Timothy Duax.  “As a result, our community is safer. To those who would act as straw purchasers and provide guns to convicted criminals, I can only say look at Mr. Butler, and ask whether you want to share his fate. The United States Attorney’s Office, its law enforcement partners, and the law-abiding public are committed to enforcing our firearms laws, and keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals.”

ATF Special Agent in Charge, Fred Winston said: “Firearms trafficking is never a victimless crime and this case highlights ATF’s commitment to restrict the flow of firearms to the violent criminals.  There is no way to know the number of violent crimes that were prevented by disrupting Mr. Butler’s firearms trafficking scheme, but we do know that this investigation not only put a trafficker behind bars, but also made our communities safer by limiting criminals access to firearms.”

Butler was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Butler was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment fee.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Kyndra Lundquist.  This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) through a cooperative effort of the Waterloo Police Department, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.  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 21-CR-2020.

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On November 7, 2022, Antwoine Johnson, 29, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Johnson pled guilty June 14, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 23, 2022, the Sioux City Police Department stopped Johnson for a traffic violation.  Law enforcement detected the smell of marijuana emanating from the car.  During a subsequent search of the car, officers found a loaded 9mm firearm in the void between the driver’s seat and console.  Officers also found approximately 120 grams of marijuana in four separate baggies in the center console.  Johnson was previously convicted of felony burglary, third degree in 2016, and was an unlawful user of marijuana, both of which prohibited him from possessing a gun. 

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.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Johnson was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 2 year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Sioux City Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

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

The case file number is 22-4019.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Cedar Rapids woman who distributed methamphetamine and heroin was sentenced November 7, 2022, to two years in federal prison.

Breanna Lynn Luna, age 42, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 23, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence disclosed at sentencing showed that, between January 2020 and March 2020, Luna distributed methamphetamine and heroin in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  On March 4, 2020, law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle in which Luna was a passenger.  During the stop, officers recovered methamphetamine from Luna’s purse.  Luna was then arrested and transported to jail, where she was subject to a search.  During the search, deputies recovered methamphetamine from Luna’s person.          

Luna was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Luna was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, and she must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Luna 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 Attorneys Emily Nydle and Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the 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-00048.

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A man who hauled loads of 30 to 60 pounds of methamphetamine from California to Iowa pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Albert Henry Bailey, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

At the plea hearing, Bailey admitted he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Iowa.  Evidence at a prior hearing showed that 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 would sell 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.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Bailey was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Bailey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 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 was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 22‑CR‑87‑CJW‑MAR.

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A prohibited person who possessed a firearm pled guilty on November 7, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Tylon Randolph, age 21, from Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Randolph admitted that, on June 1, 2022, he possessed a Hi-Point 9 mm pistol after having been convicted of a felony and while he was an unlawful user of marijuana and alprazolam.

Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Randolph remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Randolph 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 is being investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 22-71.

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A man who possessed over a pound and a half of methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 19 years in federal prison.

Robert Charles Shelton, age 42, from Parkersburg, West Virginia, received the prison term after a May 2, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that Shelton was attempting to burglarize a home in Cedar County, Iowa, when relatives of the homeowner found him.  Shelton attempted to flee in his car but became stuck in a field.  Shelton abandoned his car and fled from the house on foot before law enforcement officers arrived.  The following morning, law enforcement officers received a call of a person walking near the Cedar Valley Bridge.  There, an officer found Shelton carrying a bag and a flashlight.  In the bag, officers located over a pound and a half of methamphetamine and a BB handgun.

Shelton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Shelton was sentenced to 235 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.  Shelton 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 investigated by the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Muscatine County Drug Task Force. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-17.

A Sioux City, Iowa man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced November 4, 2022, to more than 7 years in federal prison.

Michael Mace, age 20, from Sioux City, Iowa received the prison term after a June 23, 2022, guilty plea to possession of ammunition as a felon.

Evidence in the case showed Mace’s criminal possession of ammunition was discovered when, on July 19, 2021, officers of the Sioux City Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Mace was a passenger. A high-speed pursuit ensued.  During the pursuit, a firearm was thrown from the vehicle. The pursuit ended when the driver lost control of the vehicle. Mace fled on foot but did not get far.  The gun was later located on the sidewalk along the path of the flight. It bore no identifying marks, but the bullets loaded in the gun did, and were determined to bear Mace’s fingerprints.          

Mace, despite being just 20, has a lengthy criminal history including: (1) Possession with Intent to Delivery Methamphetamine, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, on or about January 21, 2021; (2) Theft in the First Degree, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, on or about January 21, 2021; (3) Assault on an Officer, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, on or about January 21, 2021; (4) Theft in the Second Degree, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County on or about January 21, 2021; and (5) Eluding, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, on or about January 21, 2021.

Mace was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 84 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Mace 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 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 21-04073.

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A Sioux City, Iowa man was sentenced November 2, 2022, to more than 4 years in federal prison.

Isaiah Wiley, age 23, from Sioux City, Iowa received the prison term after a July 18, 2022, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.

Evidence in the case showed that on or about February 12, 2021, Wiley, while under the influence of marijuana, threatened his pregnant girlfriend with a gun. In a separate incident on or about March 14, 2022, Wiley fired a single shot into the air during an argument with another individual. After a short foot pursuit, Wiley surrendered to officers after laying the firearm on the ground.

Wiley was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand, to 52 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve 3 years of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Wiley 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 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 22-04039.

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A man who possessed a firearm after the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office searched his Hawkeye, Iowa, home on August 10, 2022, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Rusty Joe Barker, age 38, from Hawkeye, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition after he was convicted of a felony offense.

In an earlier detention hearing, the evidence showed that Fayette County Deputies learned that Barker had access to a firearm and ammunition when they went to the Barker home in response to a child abuse/runaway child investigation. At the plea hearing, Barker admitted he possessed a handgun and ammunition on August 10, 2022, when the deputies searched his home.  Barker also admitted he was previously convicted of kidnapping and willful injury in the Iowa District Court for Chickasaw County on September 25, 2007. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Barker remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Barker faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Fayette County Attorney’s Office, Iowa State Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive. 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-02057.

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A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty November 2, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.

Amber Miller, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Miller admitted her involvement in a conspiracy scheme that distributed more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine from January 2020 through April 2022.  On two separate occasions in January and March 2021, Miller distributed a total of 140 grams of meth to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.  Miller also admitted conduct in the obstruction of justice.   

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, DCI Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 22-3015.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who was prosecuted for her second escape from federal custody was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.

Angela Hermine Walters, age 47, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 28, 2022 guilty plea to one count of escape from custody.

At the guilty plea, Walters admitted that, on October 19, 2021, she was in the custody of the Attorney General completing her federal sentence for failing to surrender to serve a prison sentence.  On that day Walters, left her assigned residential reentry center in Cedar Rapids, and did not return as scheduled.  Walters was found a few days later by Cedar Rapids Police officers.  Walters has a prior conviction for escape from federal custody.

Walters was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Walters was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Walters 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 Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by United States Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Cedar Rapids Iowa Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-00020.

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A man who sexually assaulted a child by using threats and placing them in fear of physical assault was sentenced today to more than 37 years in federal prison.

Stephen Albert, age 50, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 9, 2022 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of sexual abuse by threat and force and one count of sexual abuse of a minor.

The evidence at trial showed that, beginning in the summer of 2012 and continuing through October 2016, Albert regularly sexually assaulted a child on the Meskwaki Settlement.  The sexual assaults took place in various homes on the Settlement as well as at Albert’s place of employment. 

Albert was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Albert was sentenced to 452 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

During the sentencing, Judge Williams noted that Albert was “manipulative, controlling and domineering over his wife and children” and that through his actions Albert “reaped irreparable harm” to the victim.   

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Meskwaki Nation Police Department, the Tama City Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 21-CR-62.

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An Iowa nurse who diverted narcotics from two Waterloo area nursing homes, including a pain pill from a 95-year-old who was suffering from chronic pain and dementia, was sentenced November 2, 2022, to a year in federal prison.

Matthew Daniel Bowlden, age 32, formerly of Waterloo and Centerville, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2022 guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.  Evidence presented in a plea agreement and at Bowlden’s sentencing showed that Bowlden worked at two nursing homes in the Waterloo area in 2019.  Bowlden diverted narcotics from both nursing homes.  For example, on his first shift at one of the nursing homes, in March 2019, Bowlden was working in the nursing home’s “dementia unit” and removed an oxycodone pill that another nurse had placed within a plastic cup.  The pain pill in the cup was intended for a 95-year-old resident of the nursing home’s dementia unit who suffered from chronic pain.  Bowlden consumed the pill and threw the plastic cup away in the trash.

Bowlden has eight prior convictions extending back to 2013.  Bowlden’s prior convictions include operating while intoxicated, interference with official acts, receiving stolen property specifically a firearm, tampering with a motor vehicle, possession of marijuana, and escape or attempted escape from custody.  Bowlden previously served time in a Missouri prison before he was released and violated the terms of his parole by committing crimes in Iowa.  Bowlden was investigated on three separate occasions by the Iowa Board of Nursing, which ultimately suspended Bowlden’s nursing license in 2019 with leave to reinstate it after one year.  As a result of Bowlden’s federal conviction, Bowlden is required to forfeit his nursing license to the United States.

Bowlden was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Judge Williams observed at Bowlden’s sentencing hearing that Bowlden’s conduct with respect to the 95-year-old resident was “highly aggravating” and an “egregious violation” of the trust placed in him as a licensed nurse.  Bowlden was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

In 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of 10 districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/

Bowlden was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-2025.

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A man who engaged in a gun battle in Cedar Rapids was sentenced on November 1, 2022, to more than eight years in federal prison.

Lamont Bailey, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 11, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Surveillance videos introduced at the sentencing hearing showed that, on December 11, 2021, Bailey drove his car to a business on Kirkwood Court SW in Cedar Rapids and parked.  Before he exited his car, Bailey tucked a pistol into his waistband.  Bailey then went into the business.  As Bailey exited the business, he took his pistol out of his pants and re-entered his car.  Three individuals were walking through the parking lot behind Bailey’s car, but there was no altercation at that time.  Bailey drove his car onto Kirkwood Court SW, but then abruptly stopped his car and parked it on the side of the road.  Moments after Bailey parked his car, one of the three individuals who had been walking through the parking lot began shooting toward Bailey’s car.  Bailey then stood up from the driver’s side of his car and fired two shots in the direction of the three individuals.  He then re‑entered his car and drove away.  The other individual continued shooting at Bailey’s car.  Officers located Bailey later that night and found a 9mm pistol that was later determined to match two shell casings from the scene of the shootout.  Bailey had been previously convicted of three drug felonies in Chicago, Illinois.

Bailey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Bailey was sentenced to 100 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Williams and Dan Chatham and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force.  The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

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‑00019‑CJW‑MAR.

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A Canadian man who imported pseudoephedrine from Canada into the United States and Australia during 2011 and 2012 was sentenced today to 9 years in federal prison.

Joseph Damgajian, age 51, from Laval, Qubec, Canada, received the prison term after a May 25, 2022, guilty plea to one count of using the U.S. and Canadian Mail systems to distribute pseudoephedrine, one count of unlawfully importing pseudoephedrine into the United States, and one count of making false customs declarations to illegally import pseudoephedrine into the United States.

In a plea agreement, Damgajian admitted that during 2011 and 2012, he was selling pseudoephedrine using the Internet.  A methamphetamine lab search in Iowa during July of 2011, identified Damgajian as a source for pseudoephedrine, a chemical used to manufacture methamphetamine.  Damgajian sold over 4.2 kilograms (9.25 pounds) of pseudoephedrine through an online market.  He hid in the pseudoephedrine in vitamin bottles that he resealed and produced false customs declarations in an effort to avoid the seizure of the substances by customs officials.  Agents in the United States made undercover purchases of pseudoephedrine from Damgajian and coordinated with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who seized additional packages of pseudoephedrine Damgajian was illegally sending from Canada to other countries including the United States and Australia.

Damgajian was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Damgajian was sentenced to 108 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated 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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Postal Inspectors, Canadian Border Services Agency, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, and the U.S. 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 12-CR-2035.

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A Dubuque pharmacist who stole hundreds of doses of controlled substances from pharmacies where he worked from 2017 through 2020 and tampered with medication dispensed to patients from a pharmacy where he worked in 2020 was sentenced today to 2 years in federal prison.

Anthony Pape, age 34, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 22, 2022, guilty plea to two counts of acquiring controlled substances by deception and two counts of tampering with consumer products and placing others in danger of bodily injury.

In a plea agreement, Pape admitted that between January 1, 2018, and March 27, 2020, he stole over 2,500 doses of controlled substances from the inventory of two Dubuque area pharmacies where he worked.  Also, in February and March 2020, he tampered with medications delivered in six prescriptions he filled for five different patients, including two children.  Pape admitted he tampered with the medications by opening the capsules containing the medication and removing most or all of the medications.  He then put the empty capsules back into the stock bottles so they would be dispensed to patients.  Pape consumed the stolen medications. 

Pape was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Pape was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000.  He was ordered to forfeit his pharmacy license, make $9,993 in restitution, and pay $400 in special assessments.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

“Patients deserve healthcare providers who have only the best interests of the patients in mind,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax.  “When a healthcare provider commits crimes to serve their personal interests at the expense of patients, we will ensure they are held accountable.”

“Patients rely on the knowledge that they will receive FDA-approved medications to manage their conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office.  “When health care professionals tamper with those needed medications, we will pursue and bring them to justice.”

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 21-CR-01032.

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A Waterloo man, who is a felon and shot a firearm at a residence after assaulting a woman, was sentenced October 26, 2022, to ten years in federal prison. 

Trivansky Tyrique Swington, age 29, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon on February 9, 2022. 

Evidence at the trial and sentencing showed that in February 2021, Swington was at a party in Waterloo.  Swington and three others left the party and got into a vehicle.  Swington then assaulted one of the women in the vehicle. Swington scratched at the woman, pulled her hair out, and held a gun to her head.  The woman and other people inside the vehicle were able to get out.  Swington then punched another woman in the face.  Swington took off down the street on foot.  A few moments later, he turned around and fired at least two shots at the residence where the party was being held.  A three-year-old child was inside sleeping at the time.  Officers were able to locate Swington a few blocks away.  They also used a police K-9 to locate the firearm, which Swington had tried to bury in the snow.  Swington has ten prior convictions including convictions for assault, harassment, and conspiracy to commit robbery.  

Swington was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Swington was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment fee.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United State Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Devra Hake.  This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) through a cooperative effort of the Waterloo Police Department, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.  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 21-CR-2033.

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A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a gun that he used to return fire at two others in broad daylight was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.

Timothy Postley, age 42, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 17, 2022 guilty plea to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon.

Evidence at multiple hearings in the case showed that, on June 6, 2021, three individuals exchanged gunfire at approximately 10:00 a.m. outside an apartment building in Cedar Rapids.  Prior to the gunfire, Postley had fought physically with a second man.  Following that fight, a relative of the second man opened fire at Postley with an automatic rifle and the second man fired at Postley with a handgun.  Postley then temporarily fled, but returned with a handgun and shot back at the two.

Officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department responded to the scene.  Postley had his girlfriend retrieve a bag from the nearby apartment building.  The girlfriend tried to walk away from the scene with the bag.  Officers attempted to stop her, but she ran.  Officers caught up to her and found that she had thrown the bag under a nearby car.  Officers found a handgun and marijuana in the bag.  The serial number on the handgun had been obliterated. 

This conviction is Postley’s second federal criminal conviction.  He was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in 2005.  He spent over a decade in federal prison because of that conviction.

Postley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Postley was sentenced to 78 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.

Postley 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 Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force.  The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-34.

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

John Lee Ralston, age 55, from Monmouth, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2022 guilty plea of possessing firearms as a prohibited person.  

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 15, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Ralston’s home and discovered two firearms in his bedroom and drug paraphernalia throughout his house.  That same day, Ralston gave a urine sample that tested positive for controlled substances, including methamphetamine.  Ralston has a prior federal felony offense for possessing firearms as an unlawful drug user.  Ralston has four other felony convictions and one serious misdemeanor conviction for domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury.

Ralston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Ralston was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment, and he must serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Ralston 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 Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Emily Nydle and investigated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and officers with the Jones County Emergency Response Team. 

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

The case file number is 21-CR-76.

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A man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than fifteen years in federal prison.

Charles Edward Ford, age 54, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 4, 2022 guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on three occasions between March and April 2021, Ford distributed ice methamphetamine to a confidential informant.  Between February and April 2021, Ford purchased an additional twelve pounds of ice methamphetamine and one pound of a mixture containing methamphetamine.  Ford has prior felony offenses for possessing a controlled substance with intent to deliver, second offense, delivery of cocaine base, and assault on a peace officer.

Ford was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Ford was sentenced to 190 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Ford 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 Devra T. Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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

The case file number is 22-CR-18.

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A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 21, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.

On April 29, 2022, Luis Sanchez, 41, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.  In 2014, Sanchez was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa for distribution of methamphetamine.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from January 2021 through September 2021, Sanchez and others distributed more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine.  Evidence further showed that on three occasions in 2021, Sanchez distributed more than 150 grams methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Sanchez was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of eight years of supervised release following imprisonment.  Sanchez remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending transportation to a federal prison. 

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

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

The case file number is 21-4082. 

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A Waterloo man involved in a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization was sentenced on October 21, 2022, to more than 33 years in federal prison. 

Andrew David Surprenant, age 33, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 28, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.             

Information at sentencing showed that Surprenant was a member of a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization that was distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Waterloo, Iowa, area.  On August 29, 2021, two days after he was released from state prison, Surprenant began communicating with a Mexico‑based source of supply regarding the distribution of methamphetamine.  A wiretap of Surprenant’s telephone revealed that the Mexico‑based source of supply provided Surprenant with at least ten pounds of methamphetamine that was imported from Mexico.  The Mexico‑based source of supply also directed Surprenant to recruit individuals to send wire transfers to members of the organization in Mexico.  On January 12, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants at Surprenant’s residence and storage unit, seizing over seven pounds of methamphetamine, seven firearms, and ammunition. 

Five other individuals, Sandra Ann Deyerle, Jeremy Aswegan, Levi Dull, Ruben Vasquez, and Narciso Chinchillas Vasquez, previously pled guilty to their involvement with the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization and have been sentenced.  Sandra Ann Deyerle was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment.  Jeremy Aswegan was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment.  Levi Dull was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment.  Ruben Vasquez was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment.  Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez was sentenced to 158 months’ imprisonment. 

In total, law enforcement has seized over 175 pounds of methamphetamine, 23 pounds of fentanyl, a pound of heroin, and eleven firearms during this investigation.  

Surprenant was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Surprenant 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 was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Homeland Security Investigations. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-02003.

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A Sioux City woman who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on October 21, 2022, in federal court.

Kimberly Hansen, 58, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea hearing showed that Hansen was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 15 kilograms of methamphetamine from June 2017 through August 2019.  Via the mail, Hansen received multiple ounces to pounds of methamphetamine for a local conspiracy leader.  Hansen also traveled to California at least six times to acquire pounds of methamphetamine which she brought back to Sioux City for redistribution.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Hansen was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Hansen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

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

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

The case file number is 22-4086. 

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A man who distributed methamphetamine to a woman, which resulted in her death, pled guilty today.

Eric A. Young, age 42, from St. Ansgar, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Young admitted to a stipulated version of facts that he provided methamphetamine to a woman from Nashua, Iowa on the night of her death.  Young admitted to selling the methamphetamine to the woman in exchange for $90 and was present when the woman became unresponsive.  The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Young remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Young faces the following maximum penalties: (1) not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, without the possibility of parole; (2) a fine of not more than $1 million; (3) a mandatory special assessment of $100; and (4) a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life.  The parties have agreed to a sentence between 168-210 months.  The Court is not bound by this agreement.

This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood.

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

The case file number is 22-CR-2024-CJW.

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A convicted felon who threatened to pistol whip and kill a victim while displaying a firearm was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison.

Durango Ken Castile, age 48, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after May 26, 2022 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Information from sentencing showed that Castile was released from prison on parole in August 2021.  Thereafter, Castile was abusive towards the victim for several months, which culminated in Castile threatening to pistol whip and kill the victim while he was holding a firearm.  At the plea hearing in this case, Castile admitted that he possessed a firearm on or about January 3, 2022, after previously being convicted of a felony offense.      

Castile was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Castile was sentenced to 57 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyndra Lundquist and Lisa Williams.  It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-2007.

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A man who had gasoline-filled destructive devices, commonly called Molotov cocktails, in his home on May 19, 2021, was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.

Melchizedek Robin Hayes, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 10, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, specifically three destructive devices.

In a plea agreement, Hayes admitted he had previously been convicted of prior burglary and multiple domestic abuse crimes.  On May 19, 2021, Hayes had three Molotov Cocktails in his home, when Cedar Rapids Police Department officers responded to a call for emergency service and found them.

Hayes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Hayes was sentenced to 26 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Reinert and Ashley Corkery.  This case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

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

The case file number is 21-CR-00069.

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