Northern District of Iowa

A Humboldt, Iowa man who possessed a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced December 15, 2021 to 8 years in federal prison.

Levi Goodell, age 26, from Humboldt, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 28, 2021, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence in the case showed Goodell possessed a sawed-off shotgun, with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transferring Record.  Goodall possessed the firearm knowing he was prohibited from possessing any firearms as a convicted felon.  Goodall has a criminal history consisting of 5 burglaries, an OWI, an assault, and absence from custody.

Law enforcement discovered Levi Goodell’ illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition during an investigation into his kidnapping, assault, harassment, and domestic abuse of another person. 

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

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

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

The case file number is 20-3011.

The case was investigated by the Humboldt Police Department and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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South Sioux City, Nebraska man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine around the tristate area was sentenced December 17, 2021, to 10 years in federal prison.  Jose Elorza, age 25, received the prison term after an August 5, 2021, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

In a plea agreement, Elorza admitted to selling methamphetamine (approximately 3 pounds total) in March 2021. 

Elorza was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 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.

Elorza 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 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 21-4039.

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A man who possessed ammunition after having prior convictions for felonies and domestic abuse assaults, and who was subject to no contact orders, was sentenced today to 77 months in federal prison.

Daryl Harden, age 41, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a June 28, 2021 guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition.  At the plea hearing, Harden admitted that, on January 11, 2020, he knowingly possessed five rounds of ammunition after having been convicted of six crimes punishable by more than one year of imprisonment, after having been convicted of nine misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, and while he was subject to two no contact orders.

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

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

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

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 20-46.

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A Waterloo man, who escaped from federal custody was sentenced December 17, 2021, to twelve months in prison.

Darnell Henderson, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence after an August 11, 2021 guilty plea to escape from custody.

Information disclosed at sentencing and at his plea hearing showed that, in October 2019, Henderson was sentenced to 31 months in federal prison after being convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.  As part of his sentence, Henderson was released to the custody of the Gerald Hinzman Center in Cedar Rapids following his release from the Bureau of Prisons.  In April 2021, Henderson fled from the Hinzman Center and did not return.  He was not located by law enforcement until June 30, 2021. 

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Devra Hake and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service.  

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

The case file number 21-CR-27.

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A Des Moines man who was involved in the importation and distribution of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine was sentenced on December 17, 2021, to over twelve years in federal prison. 

Jack Mazariegos-Galicia, age 20, from Des Moines, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a May 24, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, beginning in 2017, law enforcement was investigating a large-scale methamphetamine organization operating out of Mexico.  The head of the organization, Mario Hernandez, was in Mexico and worked with others, including Mazariegos-Galicia, to transport kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico to Iowa.  In June 2020, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by Mazariegos-Galicia and an associate.  The stop took place outside of Des Moines and the vehicle had travelled from Texas.  Inside the vehicle, officers located nearly 5,000 grams of pure “ice” methamphetamine.  Mazariegos-Galicia and his associated had picked up the methamphetamine in Texas and drove it back to Iowa for it to be distributed in Iowa.  In total, Mazariegos-Galicia’s role in the group involved over 43,000 grams of methamphetamine. 

Mazariegos-Galicia was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Mazariegos-Galicia was sentenced to 151 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.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Emily Nydle.  This 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 Mid-Iowa Task Force (Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department), Iowa National Guard and Counter Drug Program, Tri-County Task Force (Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, 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 20-CR-2034.

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A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced December 16, 2021, to four years in federal prison.

Lawrence Parmelee, 43, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 29, 2021, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence showed that Parmelee was involved in a conspiracy from March 2019 through December 2019 that distributed more than 1,300 grams of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.  On August 14, 2019, Parmelee distributed over 26 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.  Parmelee would obtain distribution quantities of methamphetamine for use/redistribution and also assisted others (by driving/ transporting them to/from drug transactions) for which Parmelee was compensated with methamphetamine for use/re-distribution.

Parmelee was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Parmelee was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment.  Parmelee must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Parmelee is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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

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

The case file number is 21-4038. 

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A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to 12 months in federal prison.

Gabriel Marceleno-Lopez, age 29, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on July 28, 2021, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for an aggravated felony.

At the guilty plea, Marceleno-Lopez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Marceleno-Lopez was deported in April 2012 following a February 2012 conviction in the District Court of Ford County, Kansas, in State v. Gabriel Marceleno-Lopez, Case No. 10-CR-579, for aggravated robbery, an aggravated felony.  He was deported a second time in March 2017 following a July 2014 felony conviction in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, in United States v. Gabriel Marceleno-Lopez, Case No. 6:14-CR-10032, for illegal reentry after an aggravated felony conviction. 

In May 2021, Marceleno-Lopez came to the attention of immigration agents following his arrest for Harassment of a Public Official and Interference with Official Acts in Black Hawk County, Iowa.  These charges are still pending in state court.

Marceleno-Lopez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Marceleno-Lopez was sentenced to 12 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.         

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

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

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

The case file number is 21-CR-2035.

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A woman who falsified an ATF form to purchase two guns for a felon was sentenced today to five years of federal probation.

Jamie Marie Graham, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 25, 2021 guilty plea to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

Court records reflect that Graham met Dmontrey Redmond in late October 2020.  Redmond was a felon and could not legally possess or purchase firearms, but Graham agreed to purchase two guns for him in early December 2020.  Graham and Redmond entered a gun store in Waterloo, where Redmond selected two pistols and Graham purchased them, using a cash card provided to her by Redmond.  After she purchased the pistols, Graham gave them to Redmond.  One of the pistols was eventually given to, or purchased by, individuals in Cedar Rapids.  Those individuals left the pistol loaded and unsecured inside their home.  On December 23, 2020, their four-year-old child found the loaded firearm and accidentally discharged the weapon.  The fired round struck the child through the chin and head area and caused significant injuries.  The child survived the injuries.  The other firearm Graham purchased has not been recovered.  Redmond has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing.

Graham was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Graham was sentenced to five years’ probation.

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

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

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

The case file number is 20-CR-115-CJW.

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A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced December 14, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Todd Gruis, 50, from Melvin, Iowa pled guilty on September 7, 2021, to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the hearings, evidence showed that in early 2021 Gruis and a Minnesota man purchased methamphetamine via the “dark web” on multiple occasions.  The methamphetamine was purchased by the Minnesota man who would have the packages sent to Gruis’ home.  Upon Gruis receiving the packages, the two would coordinate to split the methamphetamine in half. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Gruis will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.  Gruis was sentenced to 31 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 United States Postal Inspection Service, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. 

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

The case file number is 21-4044.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Fort Dodge man who failed to register as a sex offender pled guilty December 14, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Understanding Born Marshall age 38, from Fort Dodge, Iowa was convicted of failure to register as a sex offender.

In a plea agreement, Marshall admitted that he was residing in Webster County, Iowa and failed to update his address and registration information as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.  Marshall was previously convicted of two counts of second-degree rape in North Carolina in 2002.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. 

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

The case file number is 21-3032.

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A former postal employee who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of checks from the mail was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.

Amy Jurisic, age 38, currently of Carterville, Georgia, and previously from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 14, 2021 guilty plea to one count of mail theft.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Jurisic worked as a postal clerk for the Dubuque Post Office in 2017 and 2018.  Starting in June 2017 and lasting through at least October 2018, Jurisic stole over 60 pieces of mail.  Jurisic specifically stole mail that contained checks made out to a business located in Dubuque.  Evidence showed that she then gave the checks to an individual in Chicago who was part of a check-cashing operation.  The operation would change the names on the check and attempt to deposit the checks into various bank accounts.  Overall, Jurisic stole nearly $650,000 in checks.  Of that amount, approximately $62,000 was actually deposited into bank accounts.  Other checks were flagged as fraudulent and banks did not process the deposits.

Jurisic was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Jurisic was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $62,456.33 in restitution to victims.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-1042.

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A convicted sex offender was sentenced December 9, 2021, to more than 5 years in federal prison.  Duane Levering, age 36, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 15, 2021, guilty plea to failure to register as a sex offender.

Levering was previously convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in 2005.  Levering knew he was required to register and update his residence information as a sex offender. Later, however, he was caught living in the attic of a home in Ft. Dodge from Spring 2020 to the time of his arrest on December 9, 2020, without registering.  Levering has an extensive criminal history, including two prior federal convictions for failure to register as a sex offender, serious assault, aggravated assault, and multiple convictions for disorderly conduct, public intoxication, eluding police, failure to obey police, and theft.  

Levering was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Levering was sentenced to 65 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.  Levering 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 the United States Marshal Service. 

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

The case file number is 21-3011.

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A man who was prohibited from possessing firearms was sentenced on December 8, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Jeremy Walters, 40, from Hartley, Iowa, pled guilty on July 15, 2021, to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms.

At the hearings, evidence was presented to show that Walters possessed two assault-style rifles, one with an extra capacity magazine, on January 28, 2021.  Walters was previously convicted of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, in the Iowa District Court for Clay County, on or about August 23, 2004.  Walters further admitted to being an unlawful user of methamphetamine which prohibited him from possessing guns, and to possession of five ounces of marijuana along with the guns.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Walters was released to self-report to a federal prison once designated.  Walters was sentenced to one year and one day imprisonment and must also serve a term of two years of supervised release following the imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 21-4022.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute meth while possessing guns was sentenced on December 7, 2021, to more than 11 years in federal prison. 

Christopher O’Tool, 43, from Arcadia, Iowa, pled guilty on June 15, 2021, to two counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

At the hearings, evidence showed that O’Tool was involved in two conspiracies, one from about January 2016 through June 2016 and another from March 2019 through July 2019, in which he and others distributed more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine.  In May and June 2016, O’Tool distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement.  On June 2, 2016, law enforcement stopped O’Tool, searched his vehicle and seized one pound of methamphetamine and a .45 caliber handgun, with ammunition.  O’Tool admitted to his involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in and around the Carroll, Iowa area, which he acquired from a source in Omaha, Nebraska.  On July 11, 2019, law enforcement agents met with O’Tool and seized two 9mm pistols from O’Tool’s truck.  O’Tool again admitted distributing meth in the Carroll, Iowa area.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  O’Tool was sentenced to 136 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 4-year term of supervised release following any imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  O’Tool remains in custody pending transport to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Denison Police Department, Carroll Police Department, and Iowa DCI. 

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

The case file number is 21-3017.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Cedar Rapids man who was convicted of his second federal drug offense was sentenced today to more than 16 years in federal prison.

Curtis Lee Prescott, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 28, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after a conviction for a serious drug offense.

At the guilty plea, Prescott admitted he was involved in distributing methamphetamine between January 2019 and July 2020.  Prescott’s criminal history includes felony convictions in seven separate cases with a total of twelve separate felony offenses, including a federal conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine.  He has numerous misdemeanor offenses as well, including a conviction for domestic assault involving strangulation.

Prescott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Prescott was sentenced to 197 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Linn County Sheriff’s Office; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; and the Drug Enforcement Administration  

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

The case file number is 20-cr-110-CJW-MAR.

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A methamphetamine user who illegally possessed a loaded handgun was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.

Timothy James Hensley, age 44, from Martelle, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 16, 2021 guilty plea to one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.

Evidence at a prior hearing showed that on October 19, 2020, Hensley was stopped by a Linn County Sheriff’s Deputy for driving a truck with a license plate that belonged to a different vehicle.  During the stop, the Deputy learned that Hensley was barred from driving and had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear for court.  During a search of Hensley’s person, the Deputy found a container with methamphetamine.  During a search of a backpack found on the passenger’s seat, officers found approximately 25 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine and a loaded .45 caliber handgun.

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

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

Hensley 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 Linn County Sherriff’s Office and 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 21‑CR‑00036‑CJW-MAR.

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A man who threw a loaded handgun and crack cocaine from a car while being pulled over by police was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Donte Kent, age 33, from Iowa City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 7, 2021 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance after a prior felony drug conviction and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In a plea agreement Kent admitted that on June 27, 2020, he was the passenger in a car involved in a traffic stop in Linn County, Iowa.  When the officer activated lights to initiate the traffic stop, Kent began throwing items, including a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol, out of the passenger side window.  Kent also threw a bag containing 28 individually wrapped quantities of crack cocaine and a scale.  Kent had prior convictions for four domestic abuse assaults, a felony crack cocaine distribution, and another conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

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.

Kent was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Kent was sentenced to 188 total months’ imprisonment, with 188 months for the drug crime and 120 concurrent months for the firearm crime.  He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Kent 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 was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob Schunk and Dan Chatham. 

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

The case file number is 21-CR-00013‑CJW‑MAR.

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A Cedar Rapids man who possessed an AR-15 style rifle was sentenced December 7, 2021, to two years in federal prison.

John Douglas Clark, age 61, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 9, 2021 guilty plea to one-count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. 

Information at sentencing showed that, in April 2020, Clark kept a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle in a gun safe located in his basement.  On April 4, 2020, Clark brought the rifle to his place of employment, where he was observed on security camera with a co-worker possessing and handling the firearm, even kissing it.  Clark was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was a methamphetamine user and a felon.  Clark had previously been convicted in federal court of manufacturing and attempting to manufacture fifty grams or more of methamphetamine. 

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

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

Clark 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-00086.

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A man who illegally possessed guns pled guilty December 2, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Levi Dimmitt, 34, from Sibley, Iowa, was convicted of being a prohibited person in possession of multiple firearms. 

At the plea hearing, Dimmitt admitted that he was a user of marijuana and methamphetamine while possessing the guns.  As a user of controlled substances, Dimmitt is prohibited from possessing guns.  Reports show that law enforcement executed a search warrant on April 24, 2021, at Dimmitt’s residence.  Officers searched the residence and located drug paraphernalia, a drug ledger, marijuana, methamphetamine, and four guns. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Dimmitt remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Dimmitt faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sibley Police Department, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, 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 21-4062.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who distributed heroin to a young Cedar Falls, Iowa, woman in 2018 that resulted in her death was sentenced on December 3, 2021, to 40 years in federal prison.

Eric DeAngelo Griggs, age 40, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an April 29, 2021 jury verdict finding him guilty of distribution of heroin resulting in the death of a young woman and two counts of using a communications facility to facilitate a drug crime.

Evidence at trial showed Griggs was living in the Waterloo, Iowa, area in 2018, and was distributing heroin.  On August 31, 2018, Griggs used Facebook Messenger to coordinate a heroin distribution to the victim, who was then a user of heroin.  Later that evening, the victim obtained the heroin from Griggs, and died of acute heroin intoxication after using it.  After the victim was found the next day, police officers used her cellular telephone to call Griggs to come pick up the victim so he could give her more heroin, resulting in his arrest.

Griggs was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Griggs was sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to make $16,552.90 in restitution to the victim’s mother for funeral and trial-related expenses.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Griggs 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 Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Tri-County Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

The case file number is 19-CR-2062.

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A woman who trafficked hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine in Iowa was sentenced today to more than seventeen years in federal prison. 

Sandra Ann Deyerle, age 30, received the prison term after a May 4, 2021 guilty plea to one-count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one-count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Information at sentencing showed that, in 2020, Deyerle became involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization with ties to organized crime in Mexico.  On October 30, 2020, after a thorough investigation, law enforcement searched Deyerle’s residence and storage units associated with Deyerle.  Law enforcement recovered a gun and 100 grams of heroin from Deyerle’s residence, and 450 grams of heroin and several pounds of methamphetamine from storage units.  Deyerle admitted that she had received 200 pounds of methamphetamine during her involvement in the drug trafficking organization. 

Deyerle was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Deyerle was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment, and she must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Deyerle 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 Dillan Edwards.  This 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 Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Green County Sheriff’s Office, and the Elbert County, Colorado Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 21-CR-02014.

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A woman who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty December 2, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Kelly Beightol, 41, from Webster City, Iowa, was convicted of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  Beightol was previously convicted of Possession of More Than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine With the Intent to Deliver, and Delivery of Less Than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine, in the Iowa District Court for Webster County, on or about December 23, 2015.

At the plea hearing, Beightol admitted that on September 6, 2021, during a traffic stop in Hardin County, Iowa, she was found in possession of about 53 grams of pure methamphetamine and ½ pound of marijuana.  Law enforcement also seized indicia of drug distribution, including drug packaging, a digital scale, two cellular telephones, and nearly $1,700 in cash.  Beightol said she intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person or persons. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Beightol remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Beightol faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four 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, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Laboratory, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and the Webster City Police Department.

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

The case file number is 21-3035. 

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A convicted felon who distributed nearly a pound of methamphetamine and possessed a gun was sentenced today to more than 30 years in federal prison.

Patrick Miller Webb, age 32, from Des Moines, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 20, 2021 jury verdict finding him guilty of distribution of methamphetamine near a protected location, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

The evidence at trial showed that Webb drove from Des Moines to Dubuque to sell nearly one pound of methamphetamine during a controlled buy for $6,000.  Following the drug sale, officers found a loaded firearm underneath the driver’s seat of Webb’s car, where he had been sitting. The drug distribution occurred inside a carwash that was located within 1,000 feet of a public playground located at Cleveland Park, Dubuque. Webb has a previous felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and was also a user of methamphetamine and marijuana.  Information at sentencing showed that Webb had previously been convicted of two felonies involving controlled substances, which classified him as a career offender.

Webb was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Webb was sentenced to 380 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.

Webb 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 Alexander Geocaris and Assistant United States Attorney Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, 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 20-CR-1018.

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A man who possessed firearms after finishing his prison terms was sentenced December 1, 2021, to a total of seven years in federal prison.

Jumonie Dontez Wilson, age 21, from Waterloo Iowa, received the prison term after an April 23, 2021 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In October 2019, Wilson was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to being a drug user in possession of a firearm.  In his December 1, 2021, sentencing hearing, Wilson admitted that after being released in October 2020, he violated his supervised release conditions by using marijuana and possessing a firearm.  On November 18, 2020, Wilson was at a residence with friends and a gun went off, resulting in life threatening injuries to one of the friends.  Wilson later told another person that he and the injured person believed the guns were empty and shot at each other.  Wilson was arrested the next day when he ran from law enforcement while tossing a loaded firearm.

Wilson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Wilson was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment in the felon in possession case and must serve an additional 24 months’ imprisonment in the 2019 case.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

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

The case file numbers are is 20-cr-2065 and 19-cr-2018.

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A man who received COVID-19 relief funds that he was not entitled to and unlawfully possessed firearms was sentenced November 29, 2021, to more than seven years in federal prison.

Dannish Dontreal Robertson, age 22, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 21, 2021 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. 

Information from a plea agreement and sentencing showed that, in June 2020, fraudulent applications in Robertson’s name were submitted for loans intended to aid small businesses struggling with the economic effects of the

COVID-19 pandemic.  Robertson received more than $30,000 in loan funds because of the false applications.  Robertson then sent some of the money to other participants in the scheme and spent some of it himself at high-end retailers. 

Robertson is a convicted felon and an unlawful drug user.  He admitted to unlawfully possessing five firearms between 2018 and 2020.  This included possessing a firearm during an incident on July 28, 2018, in which Robertson ran from a Cedar Rapids police officer while clutching a gun in his waistband.  Robertson discarded the gun behind a house.  The loaded gun was not found until August 11, 2018, when a resident found it and reported it to the police.      

Robertson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Robertson was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $20,607 in restitution to a Small Business Administration lending institution and $10,000 to the Small Business Administration.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This prosecution is an example of the Department of Justice’s strong commitment to combating fraud and criminal activity related to COVID-19.  Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

This case was also 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General, as well as 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 numbers are 21-CR-008, 21-CR-009.

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A man who committed a robbery and operated his car while intoxicated with a firearm in his possession was sentenced on November 29, 2021, to more than eight years in federal prison.

Rickey Bernard Wright, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 2, 2021 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Information at sentencing showed that on November 17, 2019, Cedar Rapids police officers responded to a 911 call reporting that Wright had robbed a victim at gunpoint behind a liquor store in Cedar Rapids.  The victim described Wright’s car, his clothing, and the firearm Wright used.  The victim had to drive his car into the back of the liquor store to get away.  Approximately a half hour later, police officers responded to a second 911 call reporting a car doing donuts on the grounds of a registered historical site.  After arriving at the site, officers discovered that Wright had crashed his car through a fence.  Wright was intoxicated and could not walk straight.  Officers found the firearm that the victim of the robbery had described on the driver’s side floorboard in the car.      

Wright was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Wright was sentenced to 104 months and 28 days’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $200 in restitution to the victim of the robbery.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and 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 20-CR-044.

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A Cedar Rapids, Iowa, convicted felon who shot a firearm at a vehicle was sentenced November 30, 2021, to nearly five years in federal prison. 

Nicholas Campbell-Scott, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a May 13, 2021 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. 

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, in December 2020, Campbell-Scott fired several shots at a vehicle.  While there were people nearby, no one was injured but the vehicle was damaged.  Officers found Campbell-Scott a few blocks away from the shooting.  He was travelling as a passenger in a vehicle.  Officers found the gun used in the shooting underneath of his seat.  Campbell-Scott has at least four prior felony convictions, some of which involved violence.

Campbell-Scott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Campbell-Scott was sentenced to 57 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 Attorney Ashley Corkery.  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-2017.

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A man who possessed with intent to distribute nearly a half-pound of pure methamphetamine was sentenced November 23, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

On June 22, 2021, David Naberhaus, 57, from Deloit, Iowa, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Previously, in 2000, Naberhaus was convicted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the hearings showed that on November 18, 2020, Naberhaus was stopped by law enforcement for traffic violations in Woodbury County, Iowa.  Due to Naberhaus’ nervous behavior, a K-9 was deployed and indicated the presence of controlled substances from within the car.  Law enforcement searched the car and discovered approximately 222 grams of pure methamphetamine in 5 separate baggies, 12 grams of marijuana, 3 grams of cocaine, and $6,501.  After Naberhaus was federally charged, a warrant for his arrest was issued.  On February 15, 2021, while on routine patrol, Iowa State Patrol noticed a disabled vehicle registered to Naberhaus on the shoulder of Highway 20 with Naberhaus present.  After arrest for the federal warrant, a search of Naberhaus’ car revealed 2.34 grams of methamphetamine in an open cigarette package, a smoking pipe, 3 bags of marijuana (total of approximately 23.95 grams), 4 bags of additional methamphetamine (total of approximately 16.68 grams of methamphetamine) and 72 empty Ziplock bags.  

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Naberhaus was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment.  Naberhaus 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 Ida County Sheriff’s Department, Sioux City Police Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 21-4010. 

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A Roland, Iowa, man who was involved in the importation and distribution of nearly ten kilograms of methamphetamine was sentenced today to over 22 years in federal prison. 

Bobbey Dean Robey, age 62, from Roland, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a May 14, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in 2018, law enforcement began investigating a large-scale methamphetamine operation operating out of Mexico.  The head of the organization, Mario Hernandez, was based out of Mexico and worked with others, including Robey, to transport kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into Iowa.  Investigators conducted a wiretap investigation and intercepted thousands of calls and messages between Hernandez and other members of the drug-distribution organization.  Robey was intercepted discussing methamphetamine shipments with Hernandez. 

In July 2020, investigators conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle just outside of Des Moines.  The vehicle had travelled from Texas.  In the vehicle, officers located nearly 5,000 grams of pure methamphetamine.  The occupants of the vehicle admitted that the load of methamphetamine was intended for Robey.  Robey had intended to redistribute the methamphetamine to people in Iowa. 

Robey has a lengthy criminal history, including 14 adult criminal convictions.  Eight of his adult criminal convictions are felonies.  Robey was twice convicted of assaulting one other person, including a police officer.

Robey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Robey was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-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 Attorney Ashley Corkery.  This 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 Mid-Iowa Task Force (Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department), Iowa National Guard and Counter Drug Program, Tri-County Task Force (Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, 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 20-CR-2034.

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A Waterloo, Iowa, man, who unlawfully possessed three firearms, was sentenced on November 23, 2021, to over nine years in federal prison. 

Adnan Alibegic, age 28, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a June 22, 2021 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. 

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in October 2020, Alibegic was found passed out in his vehicle at a gas station in Waterloo.  While emergency personnel assisted him, police officers located a loaded, stolen firearm next to him.  They also located a pill bottle containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and alprazolam.  Officers searched Alibegic’s home and located two additional firearms.  Alibegic’s DNA was found on all three guns. 

Alibegic has a lengthy criminal history.  In 2018, he was convicted of intimidation with a dangerous weapon after he shot a gun at a group of individuals.  One of the rounds struck a residence and passed through a living room where children were present.  Alibegic also has a conviction for conspiracy to commit a forcible felony.  

Alibegic was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Alibegic was sentenced to 110 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 Attorney Ashley Corkery.  This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) through a cooperative effort of the Waterloo Police Department, the 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-2019.

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A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute pled guilty on November 19, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.  Donovan Lang, 27, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Lang admitted that on August 15, 2021, in Sioux City, Iowa, he was the sole back seat passenger of a vehicle stopped for various traffic violations.  During the traffic stop, Lang was found to possess a knife and roughly 100 grams of methamphetamine.  The methamphetamine was wrapped in purple latex gloves that were found beneath where Lang was seated.  About 5-7 matching purple latex gloves and a knife were found in Lang’s pockets. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Lang remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Lang faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

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

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

The case file number is 21-4077. 

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A Waterloo, Iowa, woman who was involved in the importation and distribution of over 4,000 grams of methamphetamine was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison. 

Breanna Garcia, age 34, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a May 3, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in 2018, investigators began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating between Mexico and Iowa.  As part of the investigation, investigators conducted a wiretap investigation of a phone utilized by Travis Werkmeister, Garcia’s boyfriend.  Investigators intercepted thousands of calls and text messages between Werkmeister and other members of the drug-distribution organization, including Garcia.  Werkmeister worked with Mario Hernandez, the leader of the organization who was based out of Mexico, to import kilos of methamphetamine with the purpose that the methamphetamine be redistributed in Iowa.  Garcia would collect money on behalf of Werkmeister and meet with other members of the organization on behalf of Werkmeister.  Garcia has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2006.  Since that time, she has acquired 21 criminal convictions.

Garcia was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Garcia was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a five-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 Attorney Ashley Corkery.  This 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 Mid-Iowa Task Force (Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department), Iowa National Guard and Counter Drug Program, Tri-County Task Force (Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, 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 20-CR-2034.

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A Sioux City man who sold large quantities of methamphetamine around Sioux City was sentenced November 16, 2021 to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Marcus Anderson, age 43, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a June 22, 2021 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

In a plea agreement, Anderson admitted he conspired to sell 15,000 grams of methamphetamine around the tri-state area.  Anderson further admitted he traveled to Kansas City in the fall of 2018 to obtain methamphetamine for redistribution.  He was stopped after picking up approximately nine pounds of ice methamphetamine for redistribution.

Anderson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Anderson was sentenced to 183 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 20-4087.

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A Mason City man who distributed large quantities of methamphetamine around the Mason City area was sentenced November 19, 2021 to 10 years in federal prison.

Jacinto Barrientes, age 56, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 1, 2021, guilty plea to one count of possessing methamphetamine and two counts of distributing methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Barrientes admitted to possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing large quantities of methamphetamine around the Northern District of Iowa, specifically Mason City, Iowa.  Barrientes has an extensive history of criminal activity including driving while intoxicated, domestic abuse/assault, rioting, and a prior felony drug trafficking offense.   

Barrientes was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Barrientes was sentenced to 120 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and was investigated by the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, the Mason City 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 21-3008.

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

Joshua Brown, age 49, from Iowa City was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Brown admitted that, on July 18, 2020, he knowingly possessed a pistol after having been convicted of two crimes punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.  Brown admitted he had prior convictions for unauthorized possession of an offensive weapon in Johnson County in 1995 and possession of a firearm by a felon in Cedar County in 1996.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Brown remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing.  Brown 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, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

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

The case file number is CR 21-14.

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A man who conspired to distribute over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine was sentenced on November 22, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Cory Mackey, 34, from Ida Grove, Iowa, pled guilty on June 17, 2021, to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.

At the hearings, evidence showed that from February 2019 through July 9, 2020, Mackey conspired to distribute over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Ida County, Iowa area.  On January 16, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Mackey’s home and discovered methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.  In July 2020, law enforcement discovered a vehicle, in which Mackey was a passenger, parked in the wrong lane on a rural road in Holstein, Iowa.  A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 2.75 pounds of pure methamphetamine and over $18,000 in cash. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mackey remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.  Mackey was sentenced to 145 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release following any imprisonment. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, DCI Laboratory, and Ida County Sheriff’s Office.

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

The case file number is 21-4004.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on November 18, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Demarcus Foy, 31, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Foy admitted that between April 2015 and continuing to on or about June 2020, he and others distributed more than 45 kilograms of methamphetamine.  Also, on four separate occasions during 2019, Foy distributed a total of over 100 grams of pure methamphetamine to individuals cooperating and under the supervision of law enforcement in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Foy often received from six to ten pounds of methamphetamine at a time from his source which he further distributed. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Foy remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Foy 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 was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 20-3021.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Cedar Rapids man who possessed methamphetamine and a revolver was sentenced on November 19, 2021, to more than five years in federal prison.

Donald Devere White III, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 2, 2021 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. 

Information at the sentencing hearing showed that, on October 22, 2018, officers with the Cedar Rapids Police Department conducted a traffic stop on White’s truck.  During the traffic stop, officers searched White’s truck and recovered close to 35 grams of methamphetamine and a revolver.  White admitted in a plea agreement that he intended to distribute some or all of that methamphetamine to another person. 

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

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and 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 19-CR-115.

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A man who distributed methamphetamine while illegally possessing firearms was sentenced November 18, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Melvin Cloud, Jr. 44, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on June 17, 2021, to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Cloud, Jr. had previously been convicted of three prior drug trafficking offenses which designated him an armed career criminal.

At the hearings, evidence showed that on four separate occasions in 2020 in Sioux City, Iowa, Cloud, Jr. distributed a total of over 82 grams of methamphetamine.  On February 25, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cloud, Jr.’s residence and seized four guns, including a 12-gauge shotgun, .357 revolver, .45 caliber ACP, and a stolen .40 caliber pistol. As a drug user and felon, Cloud, Jr. was prohibited from possessing guns. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cloud, Jr. was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 4-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. Cloud, Jr. 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 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 21-4018. 

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Two men who worked together to rob two people at gun point were convicted by a jury yesterday after a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.       

Antione Maxwell, age 33, from Mason City, Iowa, and Chavee Harden, age 32, from Waterloo, Iowa, were convicted of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.  Maxwell was also convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  The verdict was returned yesterday following about four hours of jury deliberations.           

The evidence at trial showed that, on November 4, 2020, Maxwell and Harden worked together to rob two Waterloo residents at gun point.  Testimony at trial showed that Maxwell held a firearm to one of the victim’s head and robbed them of marijuana products, money, and cell phones.  The items that were stolen were later found in Harden’s house and in Maxwell’s car parked in front of Harden’s house. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Harden and Maxwell were taken into custody by the United States Marshal’s Service after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. 

For conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, Harden and Maxwell each face a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. 

For possessing a firearm as a felon, Maxwell faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. 

For using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, Maxwell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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

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

The case file number is 21-CR-2013.

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A convicted felon who possessed a gun while also using drugs was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison.

Dexter Howard, age 33, received the prison term after a June 18, 2021, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and a drug user.

Evidence presented at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings in this case revealed that defendant was a felon and a drug user.  The gun he was in possession of had the manufacturer’s serial number removed.  His unlawful possession of a firearm was discovered when a video emerged showing him brandishing a firearm inside his car while driving near a crime scene police were actively investigating.

Howard was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Howard was sentenced to 33 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.

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

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

The case was 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-CR-4011.

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A Sioux City man who sold large quantities of methamphetamine around Sioux City pled guilty on November 17, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Isidro Jaramillo, age 41, from Sioux City, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Jaramillo sold 6 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer for $10,000 in March 2021.  During a subsequent search of Jaramillo’s residence, agents located approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately $10,000 in cash used to purchase the 6 pounds of methamphetamine.  Jaramillo was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Case No. 09-CR-00422, of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

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

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

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

The case file number is 21-4021.

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An unlawful drug user who possessed multiple firearms was sentenced on November 19, 2021, to more than four years in federal prison.

Joel Perea-Duenas, age 20, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 16, 2021, guilty plea to two counts of being a drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  At the time Perea-Duenas possessed the guns and ammunition, he knew he was an unlawful user of cocaine and marijuana.

Evidence at Perea-Duenas’s, detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on June 23, 2020, Perea-Duenas was asked to serve as the getaway driver for a shooting.  He agreed, put on dark clothing, and joined three armed men in a waiting car.  The attackers drove to the home of their intended victim, but seeing law enforcement in the area, aborted their attack.  Later, at a secondary target, one of men repeatedly fired upon a Sioux City, Iowa home.  Perea-Duenas admitted he knew about the intended shooting before agreeing to drive. He also admitted knowing there were people, including children, in the targeted home. Perea-Duenas wanted the shooting to occur to in retaliation against a resident of the home and his family.   

Perea-Duenas was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Perea-Duenas was sentenced to 54 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $38,863.42 in restitution to the victims and an insurance company.   He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 20-4071.

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A South Sioux City, Nebraska, man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced November 18, 2021, to more than two years in federal prison.

Joseph Haack, 23, from South Sioux City, Nebraska, received the prison term after a July 12, 2021, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.

Evidence presented by the United States at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed Haack was twice disarmed by Sioux City Police.  On November 2, 2020, during a traffic stop, Haack was discovered in possession of a stolen rifle with an obliterated serial number.  On November 2, 2020, he was discovered shoplifting while armed with a loaded handgun which was also stolen and had an obliterated serial number.  During this time Haack was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and marijuana.

Haack was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Haack was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was investigated by the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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

The case file number is 21-4006. 

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Midwest Petroleum & Convenience, Inc. (Midwest Petroleum), doing business as 7Star Liquor and Tobacco Outlet, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, convenience store, has agreed to settle a dispute under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding an allegation that it refused service to an individual with disabilities because of her service animal.

“People with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal are entitled to come and go freely in the community,” said Acting United States Attorney Sean R. Berry. “We are pleased that Midwest Petroleum has agreed to take steps to ensure that people who use service animals are welcomed and accepted.”

Under the settlement agreement, Midwest Petroleum agreed to adopt a service animal non-discrimination policy, provide relevant training to its employees regarding the ADA, post signage indicating service animals are welcome, and pay $1,000 in damages to the complainant.

As part of its investigation, the United States Attorney’s Office determined that, on December 26, 2020, the complainant entered 7Star Liquor and Tobacco Outlet with her service dog. A Midwest Petroleum employee told the complainant that dogs were not allowed within the store. Even after the complainant informed the employee that the animal was a service animal, the complainant was forced to leave.

The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by public accommodations, such as convenience stores. Among other things, public accommodations must allow people with disabilities the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, and facilities. They must make reasonable modifications of their policies, practices, and procedures to permit people with disabilities to be accompanied by service animals.

Individuals in the Northern District of Iowa that believe their civil rights may have been violated may submit their complaints by e-mailing the United States Attorney’s Office at USAIAN.CivilRightsComplaint@usdoj.gov or by accessing https://civilrights.justice.gov/. For more information on the ADA, or to access publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).

The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Gillespie and the Disabilities Rights Section of the United States Department of Justice.

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WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Northern District of Iowa, two cities were awarded funding totaling $250,000.

“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”

The following cities in the Northern District of Iowa received awards:

• Dysart – $125,000
• Sheldon – $125,000
   

“The grants awarded to Dysart and Sheldon will provide those cities the opportunity to hire officers who will further develop community oriented policing programs.  Each city will be made safer by doing so,” said Acting United States Attorney Sean R. Berry. 

CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.  

Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.

To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.  

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.

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A former Cedar Rapids pharmacist who diverted controlled substances for his own use pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  Brandon Lee Iacobo, age 35, from La Crosse, Wisconsin, was convicted of one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.

In a plea agreement, Iacobo admitted that, from January 2020 through November 2020, he was the pharmacist-in-charge or pharmacy manager at a Cedar Rapids pharmacy and diverted hundreds of controlled substances from the pharmacy to his own personal use.  To cover up his thefts, Iacobo falsified controlled substance “cycle counts” in the pharmacy’s inventory and shorted customers’ tablets from their prescriptions when filling them.  In December 2016, a California administrative law judge determined Iacobo lacked the “continued ability to perform the duties of a licensed pharmacist, in a manner consistent with public health, safety, and welfare, even on a probationary basis,” and found his pharmacy license should be revoked.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration 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-71.

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A Corridor e-Bayer, who forged and counterfeited over $250,000 in postage and made false statements on international customs forms, was sentenced on November 12, 2021, to three years in federal prison.

Bradley Jon Matheny, age 43, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 2, 2021 verdict finding him guilty of seven counts of postage meter stamp forgery and counterfeiting and three counts of export violations.  The verdict and sentencing followed a day-long trial that was held in February.

The evidence at the trial and the sentencing hearing showed that Matheny operated an eBay business known as “Mathenys” from his residence in Marion.  Through “Mathenys,” Matheny sold retail goods to individuals all over the United States and around the world.  Matheny used the United States Postal Service (USPS) to ship these goods to his customers.  In 2015, for example, Matheny shipped over 28,000 packages with the USPS.  Postage posed a significant financial cost to Matheny’s business.  To reduce his costs, and increase his profit, Matheny possessed and used forged and counterfeited postage meter stamps on many of the packages he sent to his customers between 2013 and 2017.

In 2015, USPS personnel at the Cedar Rapids Main Post Office became suspicious of Matheny’s mailing practices after he kept dropping off his packages at the post office late in the evening at the dock.  USPS eventually alerted federal law enforcement, specifically the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), that Matheny might be falsifying postage in connection with his eBay business.  A review of Matheny’s packages in late 2015 revealed that most of Matheny’s packages had either insufficient postage or a forged or counterfeited postage meter stamp.  Similar reviews in 2016 and 2017 yielded similar results.

In 2017, law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Matheny’s residence, a single-family house in Marion.  During the search, the USPIS seized a large number of unusual paper clippings of partial Priority Mail and First Class postage meter stamps as well as a handwritten list of crossed-out Priority Mail tracking numbers.  Law enforcement also imaged Matheny’s electronic devices and, on his computer, found a number of the unaltered electronic versions of the forged postage meter stamps in question.  Later, working with representatives of eBay, law enforcement learned that Matheny was taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the USPS’s electronic postage payment systems to receive Priority Mail treatment for his packages even though he had only paid the First Class rate.  At Matheny’s sentencing, a USPIS inspector testified that the face value of the counterfeited and forged postage that Matheny manufactured between 2013 and 2017 exceeded $380,000.

Some of Matheny’s customers lived overseas, including in Russia, Israel, New Zealand, and South Africa.  The USPS required Matheny to make truthful declarations on these exports to other countries.  Specifically, Matheny was required to truthfully declare whether the package contained merchandise or a gift and also the value of the contents of the package.  Matheny falsely certified on these forms that his packages each contained a “gift” that was worth a nominal sum such as “$1.90,” when in truth Matheny knew the contents of his packages were not gifts and worth more than what he listed on the forms.  This allowed Matheny’s packages to clear foreign customs more rapidly and possibly avoid foreign customs taxes.

Matheny was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Matheny was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000.  He was also ordered to make $256,441.78 in restitution to the USPS.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Matheny 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 United States Postal Inspection Service. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-50.

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A drug user who possessed firearms and ammunition pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Douglas Studer, age 62, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition.  At the plea hearing, Studer admitted that, on May 17, 2019, he knowingly possessed two pistols and 932 rounds of ammunition while being a user of methamphetamine.

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

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 21-1027.

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A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty November 3, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Arturo Flores, 23, from Eagle Pass, Texas, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on June 16, 2021, in Sioux City, Iowa, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Flores was driving.  Flores had no identification, but did have a female passenger, her baby, and an 11-year old in the car with him.  After a K-9 (drug dog) alerted on the vehicle, law enforcement located and seized over 4 pounds of methamphetamine, wrapped in duct tape, inside a drink cooler on the floor in front of the front passenger’s seat, over $2,000 cash in the passenger’s purse, and a small rock of methamphetamine found in the driver’s side door pocket.  Flores admitted that he had acquired the methamphetamine in South Texas and was bringing it to Iowa for further distribution.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Flores remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Flores 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 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 21-4061.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.