Northern District of Iowa

A man from Mexico who re-entered the United States illegally and stole another’s identity for purposes of employment was sentenced January 27, 2021 to two years in federal prison.

Heriberto Arellano-Almontes, age 57, from Mexico, received the prison term after a July 22, 2020, guilty plea to aggravated identity theft.

In a plea agreement, Arellano-Almontes admitted that he is an alien citizen of Mexico.  Arellano-Almontes was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on or about May 5, 2004. On August 17, 2019, Arellano-Almontes was arrested by law enforcement in Crawford County, Iowa, for Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated.  Arellano-Almontes was found to be employed at Midwest Industries, Inc., in Ida Grove, Iowa, utilizing another’s identity where he filed an I-9 Employment Eligibility Form and W-4 Tax Withholding Form with Midwest Industries on April 11, 2016.  He also presented a State of Missouri Identification Card and a social security card under the same identity. 

On October 2, 2019, Arellano-Almontes was found illegally residing in Crawford County, Iowa.  Arellano-Almontes also has a prior felony conviction for possession of methamphetamine from 2003 out of the District Court for Colfax County, Nebraska.

Arellano-Almontes was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  He was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment.  He also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Arellano-Almontes 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 Kevin Fletcher and Ron Timmons, and investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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

The case file number is 20-4021.

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Dr. Paul Lottes, a family medicine physician in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act by writing prescriptions for opioid medications that had no legitimate medical purpose and were not issued in the usual course of professional practice.

The United States alleges that from August 2017 to April 2019, Dr. Lottes wrote prescriptions for opioids classified as Schedule II controlled substances for two patients that had no legitimate medical purpose and were not issued in the usual course of professional practice, in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. 

In addition to agreeing to pay the $100,000 settlement, Dr. Lottes has also agreed not to reapply for a controlled substances registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) for a period of three years.  Without the DEA registration, Dr. Lottes will not be able to prescribe controlled substances during this time. 

“Overprescribing is a major factor in the devastating opioid epidemic facing our country,” said U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan.  “As this settlement demonstrates, our office is committed to using all available tools to fight this epidemic, including civil prosecution under the Controlled Substances Act.”

“Doctors who prescribe controlled substances outside the bounds of professional practice betray their oaths as practitioners and also fail the patients who trust them for care,” DEA Omaha Division Diversion Program Manager Sarah Boblenz said. “DEA and its partners at the federal, state and local level will continue to investigate all practitioners who cause harm to the public and fuel the opioid epidemic.”

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Carrington and investigated by the State of Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the DEA.    

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

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A California man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Iowa was sentenced on January 26, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Gabriel Mata-Becerra, 27, from Hayward, California, pled guilty on September 17, 2020, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Mata-Becerra admitted that beginning on or about March 2019 and continuing to on or about May 2019, he and others had an agreement to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.  While acting in furtherance of that agreement, on or about April 21, 2019, Mata-Becerra was traffic stopped in Wyoming and law enforcement seized approximately ten pounds of ice methamphetamine from inside an unconnected speaker box in the trunk of his vehicle.  Mata-Becerra further admitted that he had acquired the methamphetamine in California and was traveling from California to Hawarden, Iowa to deliver the methamphetamine to another person.

Mata-Becerra was sentenced before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mata-Becerra was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3 year term of supervised release following any imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Mata-Becerra 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 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; the Wyoming State Patrol; and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigations.  

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

The case file number is 19-4054.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally possessed a gun was sentenced January 25, 2021, to more than two years in federal prison, including credit for 27 days previously served on a related State of Iowa assault conviction.

Justice Terry, 26, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 18, 2020, guilty plea to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Evidence at the hearings showed that as of September 30, 2019, Terry was subject to a court order issued by the Iowa District Court for Wright County on April 29, 2019, restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner, that included a finding that Terry was a credible threat to the physical safety of the intimate partner.  Also, as of September 30, 2019, Terry was an unlawful user of marijuana and/or methamphetamine.  On September 30, 2019, Terry was stopped by law enforcement while driving. During the traffic stop, Terry was found in possession (in the vehicle, under the driver’s seat) of a Taurus .357 magnum revolver, loaded with 3 rounds, plus two small baggies of meth and one small baggie of marijuana and various drug user paraphernalia.  Terry was stopped by law enforcement because of reports he had assaulted his girlfriend (a passenger in the vehicle) with a handgun. Terry subsequently pled guilty and was sentenced in the State of Iowa for the assault upon his girlfriend.           

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

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge 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 20-3006. 

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An Estherville, Iowa, police officer is being honored by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for his commitment to reducing drug abuse.  The recipient of the Enrique S. Camarena Award is Captain Nathaniel Dunlavy of the Estherville Police Department.      

The award is named after Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was an 11-year veteran agent of the DEA before being kidnapped, brutally tortured, and then murdered in Mexico in 1985 while working undercover gathering information and evidence about drug lords.  This award is presented each year to local law enforcement officers who best exemplify the qualities and principles for which Agent Camarena gave his life—specifically, making their communities a safer place to live through outstanding drug prevention and enforcement efforts.

Captain Dunlavy has gone above and beyond the call of duty in pursuit of a drug-free community, worked tirelessly to reduce drug abuse, and is a worthy recipient of this distinguished award.  Captain Dunlavy spent over a decade as the DARE officer for Estherville schools.  During that time, he expanded the program to include all students in kindergarten through fifth grade.  He also started teaching refresher courses in middle and high school, ensuring the students he previously taught remembered what they learned.  Through the DARE program, Captain Dunlavy impacted an entire generation of students.

Captain Dunlavy’s contributions to keeping young people drug free did not end with his work in the DARE program.  He volunteered thousands of hours of his own time to teach, coach, and mentor hundreds of youth.  Through his interactions with students, he not only served as a teacher, but as a positive role model.  Captain Dunlavy is especially good at identifying young people who may be on a bad path, connecting with them, and helping them avoid drug use or other destructive behaviors. 

Peter E. Deegan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, stated, “Captain Dunlavy is dedicated to educating students about the risks of drugs and substance abuse.  By his actions, he has demonstrated that engaging with young people and being a positive role model is key to ensuring students remain drug free.”

“Captain Dunlavy’s commitment to students as a school resource officer, DARE program leader, coach, mentor and friend, exemplify the beliefs of fallen DEA Special Agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena,” DEA Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Darin Thimmesch said. “Kiki strongly believed that one person could make a difference in the life of another and Captain Dunlavy has proven that true time and time again.  On behalf of DEA, we thank Captain Dunlavy for his service and encouragement to future generations to live a drug-free life.”

United States Attorney Deegan will present Captain Dunlavy with the Enrique S. Camarena Award in Estherville on January 26, 2021.

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A man who illegally possessed guns pled guilty January 22, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Travis Grote, 43, from Webb, Iowa, was convicted of possessing stolen firearms and possessing firearms as a prohibited person.

At the plea hearing, Grote admitted that on June 25, 2019, he was involved in a transaction to sell multiple stolen firearms to an undercover law enforcement officer.  Grote also admitted that knew he had previously been convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, on or about December 19, 2001, and therefore was a felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Grote remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Grote faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and 6 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, DCI Crime Laboratory, and Spencer Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 20-4014.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing guns was sentenced on January 19, 2021, to more than 10 years in federal prison.

Jacob Hernandez, 27, from Storm Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 16, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

In a plea agreement, Hernandez admitted that from January 2020 through March 2020, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the Storm Lake and Fonda areas. In February and March 2020, law enforcement conducted three controlled drug purchases of methamphetamine from Hernandez. In March 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence. Ultimately, officers seized two guns, approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine, over $5,000 in cash, drug trafficking materials, 2 bullet proof vests, marijuana, drug ledgers, and various ammunition. 

Hernandez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Hernandez was sentenced to 125 months’ and 29 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Hernandez 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.

This case was also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Sac County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Laboratory. 

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

The case file number is 20-3029.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Le Mars, Iowa man who stole government funds using a COVID-19 unemployment scheme was sentenced January 19, 2021, to 3 months in federal prison.

Dennis George Chinn, age 55, from Le Mars, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 25, 2020 guilty plea to theft of government funds.

In a plea agreement, Chinn admitted to falsely reporting his income, stating it was $150 per week, so he could get an additional $600 weekly payment, and to fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits related to COVID-19 relief funds to which he was not entitled.  In total, Chinn obtained over $13,000 in COVID-19 pandemic CARES Act Iowa unemployment funds. 

Chinn was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Chinn was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to pay $12,231.00 in restitution.  He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the United States Department of Labor and the Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Rooting out COVID-19 fraud is a priority of the Department of Justice. On March 27, 2020, the President signed the CARES Act, which provides emergency assistance to individuals, families, and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased unemployment benefits.

These prosecutions are an example of the Department of Justice’s strong commitment to combating fraud and criminal activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.

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

The case file number is 20-4082.

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A man who illegally possessed a gun pled guilty January 19, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Jeffrey Carothers, 52, from Lake City, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Carothers was previously convicted of a crime which prohibited him from possessing guns, namely, receiving stolen property, in the Superior Court for the State of California in and for the county of Plumas, on or about November 17, 1995.

At the plea hearing, Carothers admitted that around April or May 2019, he possessed a 9mm pistol.  Carothers further admitted he was an illegal user of methamphetamine and that over the past one or two years, he had traded methamphetamine and marijuana for guns approximately six times.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Carothers faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment; a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Lake City 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 20-3018.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on January 20, 2021, to more than 7 years in federal prison.

Marissa Weisbly, 34, from Los Osos, CA, received the prison term after an August 19, 2020, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At sentencing, Weisbly was found to have been involved with trafficking 70 pounds of methamphetamine across California, Iowa, and South Dakota.  On February 8, 2020, while patrolling the Grand Falls Casino parking lot in Larchwood, IA, law enforcement searched a vehicle connected to Weisbly and ultimately recovered nearly 3 pounds of methamphetamine, and drug trafficking materials. Earlier that winter, Weisbly and her coconspirators had brought pounds of methamphetamine to the Midwest for distribution. 

Weisbly was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Weisbly was sentenced to 93 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Lyon County Attorney’s Office, and Iowa Department of Criminalistics Investigation.

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

The case file number is 20-4064.

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A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing a gun pled guilty January 19, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Jeremy Werneburg, age 41, from Carroll, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Werneburg was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in November 2007, in the United States District Court for Northern District of Iowa.  The 2007 conviction prohibited Werneburg from legally possessing firearms.

At the plea hearing, Werneburg admitted that from November 2017 through about December 2018, he and others distributed more than 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. On October 7, 2018, law enforcement, utilizing a confidential informant, bought over 27 grams of pure methamphetamine from Werneburg.  On November 9, 2018, law enforcement received a tip that Werneburg’s vehicle contained drugs.  On the same date, Werneburg’s vehicle was searched and law enforcement seized approximately one ounce of methamphetamine (pre-packaged in smaller amounts) and a handgun.  The methamphetamine and gun were located in two separate hidden compartments in the vehicle. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Werneburg remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Werneburg faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.  On the firearm conviction, the possible maximum sentence is 10 years’ imprisonment; a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 20-3017. 

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A Carroll, Iowa man who possessed a gun after a previous attempted burglary conviction in 2019, was sentenced January 19, 2021, to more than 2 years in federal prison.

Buomkuoth Lol, age 19, from Carroll, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 24, 2020, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

At the guilty plea, Lol admitted on May 8, 2020 he possessed a gun and .40 caliber ammunition.  Lol admitted to knowing he was prohibited from possessing guns after being convicted of attempted burglary in Buena Vista County on November 5, 2019.  

Lol was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Lol was sentenced to 27 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 is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

Lol 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 Spirit Lake 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 20-4052.

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A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced January 14, 2021, to more than 12 years in federal prison.

Bobby Hernandez, 50, from Eagle Grove, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 27, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Hernandez was previously convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, on or about September 29, 2009.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from about 2017 through about October 2019, Hernandez distributed at least 750 grams of methamphetamine mixture in the Eagle Grove/Wright County, Iowa areas.  On April 29, 2019, Hernandez was arrested in Webster County, Iowa, pursuant to an outstanding arrest warrant for a state probation violation.  At the time of this arrest, officers seized over 7 grams of methamphetamine.  Hernandez also distributed over 6 grams of methamphetamine on two occasions in June and August of 2019 to individuals cooperating with law enforcement.  On August 15, 2019, Hernandez was arrested in Fort Dodge, Iowa for an outstanding warrant for failure to appear related to a Wright County, Iowa criminal case.  During the arrest, officers seized a bag under the car seat where Hernandez had been sitting, which contained small quantities of methamphetamine and heroin, and a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a homemade silencer affixed to the barrel. 

Hernandez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Hernandez was sentenced to 152 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Hernandez 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 the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Grove Police Department, Fort Dodge Police Department, and Iowa DCI. 

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

The case file number is 19-3049.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who enticed a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity was sentenced on January 14, 2021, to 12 years in federal prison.

Sean Matthew Williams, age 25, from Edgerton, Wisconsin, received the prison term after an August 27, 2020, guilty plea to one count of Coercion and Enticement.

In a plea agreement, Williams admitted that between March 1, and May 8, 2020, he persuaded a person under the age of 18 to engage in illegal sexual activity. He further admitted engaging in cell phone conversations with the victim, whom he knew to be 15 years old. During the conversations, he knowingly persuaded the victim to have sex with him or attempted to do so. Williams admitted driving from Edgerton, Wisconsin to northwest Iowa to have sex with the 15-year-old victim. Williams went to the victim’s residence, picked her up, and was driving with her when stopped by local law enforcement for a traffic violation. Alert questioning by the law enforcement officer resulted in the discovery of Williams’ scheme.  A search of the vehicle Williams was driving revealed a box of condoms, zip ties, and a roll of Gorilla brand tape.  

Williams was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Williams was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Duax and investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Crimes Against Children Task Force, the LeMars, Iowa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

The case file number is 20-CR-4045.

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A man who received child pornography was sentenced January 13, 2021 to more than 7 years in federal prison.

Kyler Colten Cook, age 30, from Carroll, IA, received the prison term after a September 23, 2020 guilty plea to receipt of child pornography.

In a plea agreement, Cook admitted that between February 8, 2019 and December 3, 2019, he knowingly received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

While released pending trial, Cook was caught sending graphic texts and visual images to a female and was then detained in federal custody pending trial.

Cook was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Cook was sentenced to 93 months’ imprisonment and fined $3,000.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Carroll Police Department.

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

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

The case file number is 20-CR-3023.

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An Onawa man who failed to register as a sex offender was sentenced today to more than 2 years in federal prison.

Tyrone Haskell Tyndall, age 44, from Onawa, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 16, 2020, guilty plea to failure to register as a sex offender.

In a plea agreement, Tyndall admitted to residing in Onawa, Iowa while failing verify his relevant information as a sex offender with the Monona County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office.  Tyndall was convicted in 2004 of sexually abusing a child in Nebraska.  Tyndall admitted to violating his requirement to register as a sex offender in Iowa and Nebraska from July 2018 to August 2019, even though he lived in both states during this timeframe. 

Tyndall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Tyndall was sentenced to 27 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.

Tyndall 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 Kevin Fletcher and Ron Timmons and 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 20-4044.

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A man who accessed child pornography pled guilty on January 11, 2021, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Jared Daily, age 34, from Belle Plaine, Iowa, was convicted of one count of accessing with intent to view child pornography.  At the plea hearing, Daily admitted that, between January and June 2020, he used a cell phone to access child pornography, including images of prepubescent children.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Daily was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.    Daily faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $22,100 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.

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

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

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 20-73.

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A Storm Lake man who trafficked and intended to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine pled guilty today, January 12, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.  Christian Javier Ramirez, age 31, from Storm Lake, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Ramirez admitted that from early January of 2020 to on or about January 30, 2020, he intentionally conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine.  According to the complaint filed in this matter, approximately 7 pounds of methamphetamine was intercepted in Colorado by the Colorado State Patrol and was destined for Storm Lake, Iowa, at the direction of Ramirez.      

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigation/ICE, Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, and Colorado State Patrol. 

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

The case file number is 20-4011.

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A former real estate developer who conspired with a bank vice president to lie to a bank for years was sentenced today to three years of probation.

Kenneth Moore, age 65, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 3, 2020 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to make a false statement to a financial institution.

Evidence and information disclosed during court hearings showed that between 2007 and 2009, Moore worked as a real estate developer in the Dubuque, Iowa, and Galena, Illinois, areas.  During that time, he conspired with Dan Raduns, who was a vice president at a bank in Dubuque.  Evidence showed that the two conspired to lie to the bank about how money the bank was loaning to Moore was being used.  Specifically, they lied about using the money to complete a particular construction project when, instead, it was being used elsewhere.  Ultimately, the bank lost over $320,000 in loans made on the construction project.

Moore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Moore was sentenced to three years’ probation.  He was ordered to make $332,108.80 in restitution to the victim bank.  Raduns was also previously sentenced to three years’ probation and to make restitution to the victim.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.    The case file number is 19-CR-1021.

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A man who possessed photographs and at least six videos containing child pornography, and who communicated with others online in an attempt to obtain additional nude photographs of children, was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Dustin Herhold, age 27, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 6, 2020 guilty plea to the attempted sexual exploitation of a child.

In a plea agreement, Herhold admitted that between September 20, 2019, and October 1, 2019, he used a chat application to request nude photos of a twelve-year old child.  He also admitted to possessing nude photographs of children on a tablet.    

Herhold was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Herhold was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment and fined $100.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term and register as a sex offender.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  

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

The case file number is 20-CR-2016-CJW.

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A Cedar Rapids man who illegally possessed a loaded firearm was sentenced on January 6, 2021, to more than three years in federal prison.

Thomas Anthony Wallace, age 34, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 19, 2020 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that on October 14, 2019, Cedar Rapids police officers were searching for Wallace for violating his state probation.  They found Wallace in the driver’s seat of a parked Toyota Camry.  After smelling marijuana, officers searched Wallace’s car and recovered a loaded firearm and marijuana.  Wallace was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was a drug user and had previously been convicted of multiple crimes of domestic violence. 

Wallace was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  He was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Wallace 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.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by 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-00043.

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A drug user who possessed firearms and ammunition was sentenced on January 5, 2021, to four years in federal prison.

Daniel Heim, age 33, of Dubuque, Iowa, received the sentence after an August 17, 2020 guilty plea to one count of being a drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition.  In a plea agreement, Heim admitted that, in December 2019, he possessed 14 firearms and 3,398 rounds of ammunition while being a user of marijuana and cocaine.  Heim also admitted that, in December 2019, while on a road in Dubuque County, he fired at least five shots from a .45 caliber pistol that was later found in his truck.  The other firearms were found in Heim’s residence.

Heim was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Heim was sentenced to 48 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. 

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

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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, 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 20-1006.

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A man who possessed a stolen firearm while being a drug user was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.

Chase David Grant, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 17, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user.

In April 2018, law enforcement officers observed videos on social media showing Grant using drugs, including marijuana, and that, in at least one video, he appeared to have a gun.  Later that month, officers were preparing to conduct a search at Grant’s home when they saw three individuals attempting to enter his home with a gun.  Officers stopped the individuals.  One of the individuals told officers that they had previously stolen the gun they had from Grant.  He also told officers that they were there to collect money from Grant.  Grant later admitted that the gun the three individuals possessed had been stolen from him.  He also admitted that he had stolen that gun from someone in Colorado.  Grant was a user of controlled substances at the time he possessed this stolen gun. 

Since April 2018, Grant has been convicted of a number of state offenses, including burglary, forgery, malicious prosecution, possession of marijuana with the intend to deliver, failure to affix a tax stamp, and carrying weapons.  The carrying weapons offense stemmed from a November 2018 traffic stop during which Grant was driving a car that smelled like marijuana and a firearm was found in the driver’s side door panel of the vehicle.

Grant was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Grant was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

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

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

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

The case file number is 19-cr-2047.

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

Rhamond Bolden, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 8, 2020 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence in the case showed that in 2013, Bolden was convicted of being a drug user in possession of a firearm in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  The court initially sentenced him to 16 months in prison, but after multiple violations of his supervised release, Bolden ultimately served 30 months in prison.  He was released in 2017.  During a traffic stop in early 2020, law enforcements officers found him in possession of a loaded handgun.

Bolden was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Bolden was sentenced to 37 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 is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

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

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

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

The case file number is 20-CR-0035.

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Senior Litigation Counsel Richard L. Murphy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Iowa was recognized by the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) with the Lifetime of Exceptional Service Director’s Award.  United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. presented Mr. Murphy with the award on December 2, 2020.

Mr. Murphy was recognized for his more than 35 years of service to the Northern District of Iowa and the Department of Justice.  Mr. Murphy first worked in the United States Attorney’s Office as an intern in 1981.  After clerking for a federal judge, Mr. Murphy joined the office full-time.  Over the next decades, he prosecuted many of the most important and difficult cases in the district:

• As an organized crime and narcotics prosecutor, he launched a vigorous initiative that transformed the “war on drugs” in the district into an aggressive and successful offensive.  In the fall of 1988, a two-year investigation led by Mr. Murphy resulted in 65 arrests, the seizure of cocaine valued at $1.5 million, marijuana valued at $800,000, and over $300,000 in cash and other assets.  For his efforts Mr. Murphy was awarded the Director’s Award for his outstanding contributions to narcotics enforcement in 1990. 
   
• In 1996, Mr. Murphy was awarded the Director’s Award for his outstanding accomplishments as lead prosecutor in the prosecution and conviction of 11 members of the Sons of Silence (SOS) Outlaw Motorcycle Club.  The prosecution incapacitated both SOS chapters in Iowa and seriously disrupted racketeering activities of the club nationwide.  The national vice-president and three SOS chapter presidents were convicted as part of the case.  During the investigation, seven current or former SOS members broke the “code of silence” and agreed to cooperate fully.
   
• In 2014, Mr. Murphy received the Director’s Award for supervising the (then) largest criminal worksite enforcement operation in United States history.  The investigation resulted in the conviction of more than 300 illegal workers, several company officials, and a conviction by jury of a corporate CEO for an array of financial crimes including a $26 million bank fraud as well as significant immigration related fraud.
   
• In 2016, Mr. Murphy was honored with the Anti-Defamation League’s Shield Award for his work as lead prosecutor of Gervais Ngombwa.  Ngombwa was convicted by a jury of naturalization fraud as a result of having lied to gain entry to the United States as a refugee following the 1994 Rwandan genocide.  Evidence presented in court showed Ngombwa had actively participated in the genocide.  Ngombwa was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and will be removed to Rwanda after the completion of his prison term.

In addition to his decades prosecuting crimes, Mr. Murphy contributed to the promotion of justice in Iowa and nationally by serving in numerous leadership positions and being hand-picked for many additional duties for the Department of Justice:

• Mr. Murphy has served in virtually every leadership position in the United States Attorney’s Office.  Mr. Murphy served (sometimes concurrently) in each of the following management positions: First Assistant United States Attorney, Criminal Chief, Senior Litigation Counsel, and Counsel to the United States Attorney.   
   
• Mr. Murphy’s leadership was also instrumental in responding effectively to the massive flood in Cedar Rapids in June 2008 that displaced the main office for five months.  Mr. Murphy’s outstanding work during this time-period was recognized with a 2009 Director’s Award for Superior Performance in a Managerial Role.  Following the flood, Mr. Murphy spent hundreds of hours serving as the office’s lead representative as a new federal courthouse was designed, constructed, and occupied by the office.
   
• Mr. Murphy served as Special DOJ Counsel to the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) from September 1990 through April 1991.
   
• Mr. Murphy served as a member and Chair of the DOJ’s Criminal Chiefs Working Group.  With other committee members, Mr. Murphy assisted in formulating recommendations to the Attorney General concerning a wide variety of issues affecting criminal prosecutors. 
   
• In 2018, as the office’s Antiterrorism Coordinator and National Security prosecutor, Mr. Murphy collaborated with state, federal, and local law enforcement; mental health providers, prosecutors, school administrators and resource officers, and juvenile court services to develop a School Threats Prevention Resource Guide.  The guide was widely distributed to those same stakeholders across the district and elsewhere.  This effort is recognized nationally as a “Best Practices” at https://usanet.usa.doj.gov/staffs/AGAC/Pages/BestPrac.aspx.

After nearly 40 years of service to the Northern District of Iowa, Mr. Murphy will retire at the end of 2020. 

“The impact Mr. Murphy has had on the United States Attorney’s Office and the federal court system in the Northern District of Iowa cannot be overstated,” said United States Attorney Deegan.  “For more than 35 years, he has served with an unyielding commitment to justice and the rule of law.  By consistently providing the public with the very highest quality legal representation, Mr. Murphy has served as an outstanding example for generations of government attorneys.  He is truly irreplaceable and we will miss him terribly, but we all wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement.” 

EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.

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Nathan Nosley, age 29, has been charged with sexual exploitation of children and distributing, receiving, possessing, and accessing child pornography.  The charges are contained in a Superseding Indictment filed on December 16, 2020, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.  

The six-count Superseding Indictment alleges that, between 2017 and 2020, Nosley persuaded, induced, and enticed minors under 18 to produce images of sexually explicit conduct that were transported in interstate commerce, distributed child pornography, received child pornography, possessed child pornography on a cell phone and a memory card (two counts), and accessed child pornography on a cell phone. 

If convicted, Nosley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 120 years’ imprisonment, a $1,500,000 fine, $201,600 in special assessments, and at least 5 years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment. 

Nosley appeared on November 25, 2020, in federal court in Cedar Rapids for a detention hearing and was held without bond.  Nosley’s next appearance for trial is set for March 22, 2021. 

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Marion Police Department. 

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

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 20-101. 

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

Juan Carlos Cabrera-Carreto, age 45, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on November 13, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.

At the guilty plea, Cabrera-Carreto admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Cabrera-Carreto was deported in September 2005.  Cabrera-Carreto most recently came to the attention of immigration agents following a traffic accident in September 2020.

Cabrera-Carreto was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Cabrera-Carreto was sentenced to 97 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 20-CR-83.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

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

Andres Mejia-Perez, age 30, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on October 30, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.

In a plea agreement, Mejia-Perez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Mejia-Perez was deported in January 2012 and he illegally reentered the United States in April 2012.  Mejia-Perez most recently came to the attention of immigration agents in May 2020 when he was found during the execution of a state search warrant at a home in Toledo.

Mejia-Perez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Mejia-Perez was sentenced to 119 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 20-CR-72.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed child pornography was sentenced on December 23, 2020, to over 7 years in federal prison.

Justin Allen Pageler, age 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 20, 2020, guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography.

In a plea agreement, Pageler admitted that between September 25, 2018 and June 26, 2019, in the Northern District of Iowa, he knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Pageler stated in an interview with law enforcement that he utilized peer-to-peer file sharing services BitTorrent and Ares on computers in his home to download and view the pornography.

Pageler was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Pageler was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Duax and investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service. 

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

The case file number is 19-CR-4060.

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A man sold cocaine near a college in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison.

Derrick Devale White, age 28, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to distributing a controlled substance near a protected location on May 8, 2020.  At the time he sold cocaine, White was on federal supervised release for distributing a controlled substance near a playground and a middle school in 2017.

White was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  White was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment on the new offense.  White was also sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively on his supervised release revocation.  He must also serve a nine-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Geocaris and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque Police Department, and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.

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

The case file number is 20-CR-1020 and the supervised release case file number is 17-CR-1031.

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A man who used a phone to set up a drug sale and then sold marijuana and two firearms to an individual working with the police in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced on December 22, 2020, to more than three years in federal prison.

James Bell III, age 33, from Rock Island, Illinois, received the prison term after a July 13, 2020 guilty plea to one count of distribution of marijuana near a park in Dubuque, Iowa, after a prior drug conviction, one count of using a telephone to set up a drug transaction, and one count of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense and two domestic abuse misdemeanor crimes.

Evidence at sentencing showed that Bell used a telephone on November 21, 2017, to set up a marijuana transaction.  Later that day, he sold approximately one ounce of marijuana to an individual working with the police.  On December 7, 2017, Bell sold two firearms to an individual working with law enforcement.  During that transaction, Bell also sold someone else marijuana.

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

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque, Iowa, Police Department and the 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.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

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

The case file number is 20-CR-1011.

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A Waterloo man, responsible for providing a gun to his friend when both were prohibited from possessing guns, was sentenced today to 112 months in prison.

Aundrey Frequal Roberts, Jr., age 26, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence today following a June 18, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Information disclosed at sentencing and at his plea hearing showed that in July 2019, Robert’s friend, Dreyon Grant, got into a dispute with another man at an apartment complex in Waterloo after the other man accused Grant of stealing money.  When the victim confronted him, Grant came out of his apartment unit holding a knife and pointing it at the victim.  After the victim refused to leave, Grant called Roberts.  A short time later, Roberts came over with a gun.  Grant tried to scare the victim away with the gun.  The victim called 911.  Police responded and located the gun.  No one was injured in the dispute. 

Roberts has prior criminal convictions for intimidation with a dangerous weapon, harassment, and assault, among other convictions.  Roberts also admitted to being the driver of a vehicle involved in a shooting which left a nine-year old child with a gunshot wound.   

Roberts was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Roberts was sentenced to 112 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make payment of $100 to the special assessment fund.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery.  This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) through a cooperative effort of the Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations Safe Streets Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.  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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

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

The case file number is 19-CR-2060.

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A man who participated in a Waterloo, Iowa, home invasion was sentenced today to more than 10 years in federal prison.

Joshua Bo Truax, age 36, from Swaledale, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 10, 2020 guilty plea to being in possession of a firearm as an Armed Career Criminal.

At the guilty plea, Truax admitted he was involved with others in a home invasion at a Waterloo home on the evening of October 21, 2019.  The group was armed with two stolen firearms.  Once they got in the residence, they attempted to kidnap one of the residents, assaulted one person, and discharged two firearms.

Truax was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Truax was sentenced to 126 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the 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.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-2006.

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A man who pled guilty to drug and gun charges was sentenced December 21, 2020, to 27 years in federal prison.

Brandon James Seys, age 42, from Tampa, Florida, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Seys was arrested in Dubuque, Iowa, in December 2018.  During the arrest, officers recovered more than $10,000 on his person and recovered methamphetamine and cocaine in his hotel room.  Officers also recovered two firearms in a storage unit.  Seys later admitted at the plea hearing to possessing the firearms and being a felon.  Evidence during the case showed that Seys told others he was willing to use the firearms if officers attempted to arrest him. 

Seys was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Seys was sentenced to 324 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department the Dubuque Police Department, and the Dubuque County Drug Task Force.

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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

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

The case file number is 19-cr-1004.

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U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. announced today that the Northern District of Iowa collected $14,652,603.88 in civil and criminal actions in Fiscal Year 2020.  Of this amount, $13,388,019.63 was collected in civil actions and $1,264,584.25 was collected in criminal actions. 

The Justice Department collected more than $15.9 billion in civil and criminal actions in fiscal year (FY) 2020 ending Sept. 30, 2020. The $15,988,516,670 in collections in FY 2020 represents more than five times the approximately $3.2 billion appropriated budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions of the Justice Department combined in that same period. The total includes all monies collected as a result of Justice Department-led enforcement actions and negotiated civil settlements.  It includes more than $13.5 billion in payments made directly to the Justice Department, and more than $2.4 billion in indirect payments made to other federal agencies, states and other designated recipients. 

“Collecting money on behalf of taxpayers and crime victims is a vital part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office mission,” U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. said.  “Each year, these collections far exceed the total amount of our office’s budget and result from the hard work of many individuals in our office.”  

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws.  In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.

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A man who was arrested with ten pounds of methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced December 21, 2020, to more than twelve years in federal prison.

Malik Sekou Sahid Buchanan, age 40, from Burlington, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 6, 2020 guilty plea to possessing meth with intent to distribute.

Buchanan was arrested delivering ten pounds of methamphetamine to the Cedar Rapids area.  Buchanan had previously provided an individual with five pounds of methamphetamine.  Buchanan was charging $5,000 per pound of meth.  During the arrest, officers recovered methamphetamine from Buchanan’s car weighing approximately ten pounds.  The meth was 100% pure.

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

Buchanan 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 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Hiawatha Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Tri-County Drug Task Force, the Waterloo Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, the Cedar Falls Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 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-00011.

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Tavonte Donnell Stewart, age 23, from Chicago, Illinois, has been charged with one count of derecho benefits fraud.­  The charge is contained in a complaint unsealed today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids. ­

The complaint alleges that, on or about September 15, 2020, Stewart applied for disaster benefits from FEMA arising out of the severe derecho storm in Iowa on August 10, 2020.  Stewart is alleged to have claimed in his application that his primary residence at the time of the derecho was in Cedar Rapids, when in truth he was residing in the Chicago area where he was on federal supervised release for a felony counterfeiting conviction.  When FEMA contacted a representative of a property management firm about the address in Cedar Rapids, the manager stated that the property in question was not occupied at the time of the storm and had suffered only minor roof damage from the derecho. 

If convicted, Stewart faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. 

Stewart appeared today in federal court in Chicago and was held without bond.  Stewart’s next appearance for a detention hearing is set for December 23, 2020.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General.  Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 20-CR-114.

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A Sioux City man who distributed large quantities of methamphetamine in and around the Tri-State area was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.

Tyler Hugh Clark, age 39, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 18, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

In a plea agreement, Clark admitted that between January 2018 and July 30, 2019, he conspired and participated in the distribution of 500 grams or more of pure methamphetamine in and around the Tri-State area.  Clark was also in possession a firearm to protect himself, his drug business, and to further his participation in the methamphetamine conspiracy.   

Sometime in January or early February of 2019, defendant began getting methamphetamine from Omaha for resale in and around Sioux City.  Defendant got approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine each week for 5 months, until his source of supply was arrested by law enforcement.  After that, he found a new source and received about 3 more pounds of methamphetamine to sell.  Defendant had over a half-pound of methamphetamine on his motorcycle when he was arrested in July of 2019.   

Clark was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Clark was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment (60 months’ for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and 60 months’ for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime).  He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the 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; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Also involved in this investigation were the Sergeant Bluff Police Department and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 19-4063.

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A man who attempted to kidnap a child was sentenced to more than14 years in federal prison.

Michael Marshall-Limoges, age 24, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of kidnapping.

Evidence at the detention, suppression, change of plea, and sentencing hearings established on March 22, 2019, E.N. (age 14) and her brother E.L. (age 9) walked to the Kum & Go, on Morningside Avenue in Sioux City, Iowa.  At some point, before they arrived at the gas station, defendant saw them.  Once the children entered the store, defendant repositioned his car, entered the store, and continued to observe the children.  When the children left the store, defendant followed them, twice made supposedly innocent contact with them, and then attacked them. 

As part of his attack, defendant blocked the children’s path with his car.  He then threatened E.N. saying “If you don’t get in my car, I’m going to hurt your brother/or I am going to run your brother over.”  Next, defendant grabbed a fistful of E.N.’s hair, overcame her physical resistance, ignored her screams, pushed her into his car, and trapped her inside of the car by closing the passenger side door.  E.N. noticed the open driver’s side door and escaped through it. During her escape defendant again tried to grab her but she struggled to safety.

Meanwhile, E.L., who had managed to escape yelling, “they took my sister,” found help in the person of J.N.  J.N., hearing the screams, ran down the alley toward the boy and the still ongoing kidnapping.  J.N. saw defendant enter his vehicle, rapidly accelerate, and drive at a high rate of speed directly at the boy.  Fearing defendant was going to run the boy down, he shoved the boy out of the way; J.N. then stood in the alley himself trying to stop the oncoming vehicle.  Defendant did not stop.  Defendant drove his car directly at J.N.  J.N. jumped out of the way to avoid being hit by the car.  J.N. called 911 and shepherded the children to safety.

Ultimately, defendant told law enforcement that had E.N. not escaped him “things would have been a lot worse for me” because “who knows what I would have done next.” 

Marshall-Limoges was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Marshall-Limoges was sentenced to 168 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.

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

The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 19-4028.

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A Hampton man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, while possessing a gun, pled guilty on November 18, 2020 in federal court in Sioux City.

David Hirsch, age 55, from Hampton, Iowa, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

In a plea agreement, Hirsch admitted that on April 16, 2020 he was in possession of methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute.  At that time, he also possessed a loaded Glock .45 caliber handgun. 

On April 16, 2020, police executed a search warrant at a residence in Franklin County.  Upon entry, law enforcement found Hirsch attempting to flush methamphetamine down the toilet.  Law enforcement located a loaded Glock .45 caliber handgun on Hirsch.  Hirsch has a prior 2002 felony conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine.

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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Hirsch remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  For possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, Hirsch faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000.00 fine, and 4 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.  For possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Hirsch faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to the drug charge, and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and was investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 20-3019.

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A Mexican man who had been a fugitive from justice for nearly 15 years was sentenced today to more than 3 years in federal prison.

Perpecto Rico-Perez, age 51, a citizen of Mexico, who was illegally present in the United States and living in Waterloo, Iowa, in the early 2000s, received the prison term after a July 21, 2020 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.

Information disclosed at sentencing and in a plea agreement showed that, on May 25, 2000, Rico-Perez and his brother went to Wildside Creationz, a former auto shop in Waterloo.  While they were inside, an altercation ensued and Rico-Perez was shot in his right eye, his brother was shot in the chest and arm, and a third man was shot and killed.  Law enforcement arrived and found close to two kilograms of cocaine inside the business. 

Immediately following the shooting, Rico-Perez and his brother fled the scene and returned to Rico-Perez’s residence in Waterloo, where Rico-Perez’s young daughter called 911.  In the late evening hours of May 25, 2000, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rico-Perez’s residence.  In a small cupboard above a bathtub in the bathroom, they recovered a .45 caliber handgun, which had been reported stolen less than six months earlier. 

Rico-Perez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda Reade.  Rico-Perez was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Rico-Perez 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 Matthew J. Cole and Special Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the 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.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

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

The case file number is 05-CR-02019.

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A convicted felon who loaded and handled a gun while he was working overnight at a business was sentenced December 10, 2020, to more than two years in federal prison.

Michael Joe Meyer, age 29, from Tipton, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 27, 2020 guilty plea to felon in possession of a firearm.

Meyer was observed on a surveillance camera while he was working overnight.  He was seen loading and pointing a firearm towards the door for several minutes.  Meyer was prohibited from possessing a gun because of previous felony convictions for eluding and burglary.

Meyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Meyer was sentenced to 27 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 is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Tipton 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-00040.

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A woman who failed to surrender to serve a federal prison sentence was sentenced today to more than one year of additional prison time.

Angela Hermine Walters, age 45, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 4, 2020 guilty plea to one count of failing to surrender to the United States Marshal’s Service to begin serving a term of imprisonment that was imposed in May 2020.

Walters was first sentenced in 2009 to serve a sentence of 85 months’ imprisonment for a federal drug crime in case number 08-CR-04060.  Walters was released from custody and went on supervised release in 2014.  Walters’s supervised release in that case was revoked on a number of occasions.  On August 24, 2019, Walters escaped from her place of confinement and was prosecuted for escape in case number 19-CR-0095.  After her prison sentence, she was again placed on supervised release.  On May 21, 2020, the Court revoked Walters’s supervised release, sentenced her to serve five months’ imprisonment, and allowed her to self-surrender to the United States Marshal’s Service on May 28, 2020.  At her guilty plea in this case, Walters admitted she did not surrender as required and was later arrested on May 29, 2020.

Walters was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Walters was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and she must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Walters is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and investigated by United States Marshal’s Service in conjunction with the Eastern Iowa Fugitive Task Force. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-0056. 

A man who received and possessed child pornography was sentenced December 9, 2020, to more than 18 years in federal prison.

James Alan Sievers, 35, from Storm Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 19, 2020, guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Evidence at the plea hearing and sentencing showed that between June 5, 2019, and October 31, 2019, Sievers received and possessed visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.  During the execution of a search warrant at Seivers’ residence on October 31, 2019, officers seized items belonging to Sievers.  A forensic examiner found child pornography on some of defendant’s items, including depictions of adult males sexually penetrating prepubescent children. Evidence also showed that Sievers saved some of his child pornography in an encrypted zip drive. 

Sievers has three prior convictions for in Buena Vista County for incest, failure to register as a sex offender, and sexual exploitation of a minor. 

Sievers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Sievers was sentenced to 220 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Sievers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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

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

The case file number is 20-4001.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who intended to distribute over a pound of methamphetamine was sentenced December 9, 2020, to more almost 15 years in federal prison.

Tyson Wahlen, age 34, from Dodgeville, Wisconsin, received the prison term after a June 23, 2020 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

In a plea agreement, Wahlen admitted that on December 3, 2019, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his car for speeding in Dubuque, Iowa.  During the traffic stop, a K-9 was deployed and alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from Wahlen’s car.  Officers searched the car and recovered a yellow backpack from the front passenger floorboard.  The backpack contained over 550 grams of methamphetamine, over four grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and a couple of pipes.  Wahlen intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine inside the yellow backpack to other individuals. 

Wahlen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Wahlen was sentenced to 178 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Wahlen 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force.  Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 20-CR-01008.

A woman who possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty December 8, 2020, in federal court in Sioux City.

Brisa Paniagua-Trejo, 40, from Casa Grande, Arizona, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

At the plea hearing, Paniagua-Trejo admitted that on February 5, 2020, a Woodbury County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle she was driving. Upon conducting a search within the vehicle, law enforcement discovered approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 30 grams of cocaine, a used marijuana pipe, drug paraphernalia, several phones, two scales, and four rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.  Paniagua-Trejo was previously convicted of possession with intent to manufacture/deliver methamphetamine, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, and drug possession in the Minnesota District Court for Faribault County.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Paniagua-Trejo remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Paniagua-Trejo 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 up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Special 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 20-4054.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Daniel Chatham of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Iowa was recognized by the U.S, Department of Justice’s Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) with the a Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an AUSA.  United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. presented Mr. Chatham with the award on December 2, 2020.

Mr. Chatham was recognized for his superior performance as a Criminal AUSA.  Since 2010, Mr. Chatham has been the Northern District of Iowa United States Attorney’s Office’s chief opioid prosecutor.  During this time, he has prosecuted over 80 opioid cases, approximately 40 of which involved opioid deaths or injuries.  These prosecutions have included six opioid overdose trials.  As a result of his work, Mr. Chatham has developed a nationally recognized expertise in the investigation and prosecution of overdose cases.  His expertise has led to nationwide invitations to speak on the subject, and frequent consultations with AUSAs from across the country.  This award recognizes that Mr. Chatham has been instrumental in the Department of Justice’s battle against opioid abuse.

Mr. Chatham has prosecuted the most difficult and noteworthy opioid cases in the Northern of District of Iowa for the last decade.  In 2015, he prosecuted the first known fentanyl dealer in the Cedar Rapids.  In response to a substantial short-term increase in opioid overdoses in the Cedar Rapids area in early 2015, investigators and Mr. Chatham aggressively investigated the sources of the fentanyl-laced heroin that was being transported to Iowa from Chicago.  Ultimately, Mr. Chatham prosecuted four defendants for distributing these drugs – drugs that resulted in two deaths and six serious bodily injuries.  The lead defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Another noteworthy case prosecuted by Mr. Chatham involved a street-level heroin dealer in Dubuque, Iowa, in early 2016.  After returning from a resupply trip to Chicago, the dealer sold several grams of purported heroin to one of his customers.  The customer provided portions of the purported heroin to three friends in his car, and then another individual inside a nearby apartment.  Two of the friends in the car nearly immediately overdosed, requiring lifesaving measures by first responders.  The individual inside the apartment was found deceased the next day.  Laboratory analysis of the substances found in the car and apartment determined that the substance the dealer sold actually contained heroin and furanyl fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue that was not on the controlled substances schedules.  With Mr. Chatham as lead counsel at trial, the dealer was convicted of distribution of, and conspiracy to distribute heroin and furanyl fentanyl resulting in two serious bodily injuries and a death.  The dealer was sentenced to 252 months’ imprisonment.

Applying the principles he learned from these prior prosecutions, AUSA Chatham prosecuted another defendant in 2018 for distribution of heroin resulting in death.  This case again involved complicated issues of multiple drug toxicity, this time involving cocaine and heroin.  Mr. Chatham successfully prosecuted the defendant, with a jury finding that the heroin, and not the cocaine, caused the victim’s death.  The defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment.

“Through his outstanding work, Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham has prosecuted the most difficult cases involving incredibly dangerous opioids at a time when the nation has been going through an opioid crisis,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr.  “Mr. Chatham showed tireless dedication, hard work, and an unyielding pursuit of justice while ensuring that those who distributed drugs that hurt and killed others were held accountable for their actions.”

EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.

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A man who sought out and enticed a 12-year-old for sexual activity pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.

Nathan Landrum, age 40, from Carnarvon, IA, was convicted of enticement of a minor.

In a plea agreement, Landrum admitted that in April 2020, using Facebook Messenger, he knowingly enticed a 12-year-old child to his apartment for sexual activity.  Landrum brought the child to his bedroom where he intended to engage in sexual activity with the child.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Landrum remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Landrum faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

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

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

The case file number is 20-4046.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Sioux City man who engaged in rebate schemes, fraudulent invoice schemes, and stole items belonging to the Winebago Tribe of Nebraska pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.

Jason Ehlers, age 48, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of embezzlement and theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.

In a plea agreement, Ehlers admitted that he stole and embezzled from the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska at least $22,432.00.  Ehlers admitted to using his position as a General Manager with BluStone Homes, also known as HoChunk Real-Estate, solely owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, to engage in rebate schemes, a fraudulent invoice scheme, and theft of construction supplies, for his own benefit. 

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 20-4089.

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Thomas Hendrickson, 72, from Lehigh, Iowa, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on December 4, 2020.

Evidence showed that from January 2019 through October 2019, Hendrickson was involved in a conspiracy that distributed over five pounds of methamphetamine.  On October 10, 2019, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Hendrickson was operating.  After a K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances, law enforcement searched the vehicle and located approximately one pound of methamphetamine in a plastic baggie.  On this same date, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hendrickson’s residence in Lehigh and seized about one ounce of methamphetamine, approximately one pound of marijuana, and roughly $15,000 in U.S. currency.  Hendrickson previously served more than 14 years in prison for a federal firearm offense after being classified as an Armed Career Criminal. 

Hendrickson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Hendrickson was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Hendrickson is being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Tri-County Drug Taskforce, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, North Central Iowa Drug Taskforce, Central Iowa Drug Taskforce, and the Iowa DCI.

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

The case file number is 19-3047. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.