Northern District of Iowa

A Waterloo man who possessed a gun as a felon and while being a marijuana user was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison.

Shakur Demir Todd-Ellis, age 22, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence following a March 17, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a prohibited person.

Information disclosed at sentencing and at his plea hearing revealed that on March 25, 2019, a shooting occurred outside an apartment complex in Waterloo, Iowa.  Two different people fired shots during the incident.  Todd-Ellis was not one of the shooters, but was present during the shootings.  After the shooting, one of the shooters handed Todd-Ellis his firearm and Todd-Ellis went into the nearby apartment complex with it.  Officers surrounded the area and had Todd-Ellis and other occupants of the apartment unit come out.  Officers then searched the apartment unit where Todd-Ellis was located.  Inside the unit, officers located three firearms, including the one Todd-Ellis took from the shooter.  Officers also located multiple cell phone videos of Todd-Ellis holding firearms.  Todd-Ellis admitted he has used marijuana since the 6th grade.  He was also convicted of felony burglary in 2017. 

Todd-Ellis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Todd-Ellis was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment.  Todd-Ellis 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 20-CR-2009.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

The former director of a daycare in Tama County, Iowa, was sentenced today to eight months of imprisonment.

Kristine Daniel, age 49, from Kellogg, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 31, 2019 guilty plea to theft from a federal program.

At the guilty plea, Daniel admitted she stole money from a daycare operating in Tama County.  She further admitted that the daycare received federal funds as part of its operating budget.  Part of the money she stole from the daycare came from those federal funds. 

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Daniel stole, embezzled, or misappropriated $113,829.73 from the daycare while she was employed as the Executive Director of the daycare from December 2009 through April 2016.  Daniel obtained the money in various ways.  She misappropriated approximately $33,000 by using daycare credit cards to buy items for her own personal use, including video games, clothing, and home furnishings.  Daniel also issued herself over $34,000 in gross pay to which she was not entitled.  Further, Daniel stole cash payments that parents gave to the daycare to pay for childcare.  She stole over $42,000 in cash payments that she then deposited into her own bank account.  During the time she was stealing from the daycare, Daniel was making approximately $40,000 a year in salary from the daycare.

Daniel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Daniel was sentenced to eight months’ confinement, four months of which must be spent in prison and four months of which will be spent in home detention.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  She was also ordered to pay $113,829.73 in restitution to the daycare.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Auditor’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 19-CR-109.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

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

Anthony Rush, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  At the plea hearing, Rush admitted that, in May 2020, he knowingly possessed a .380 auto caliber pistol after having been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.  According to the indictment, Rush was convicted of attempted burglary in the second degree in Linn County in 2012. 

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

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

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

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 20-62. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally possessed a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Francisco Rubio, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act device.

In a plea agreement, Rubio admitted that on October 11, 2019, he knowingly possessed a Mossberg 500, 20 gauge sawed-off shotgun with an overall barrel length of less than 18 inches.  That day, Waterloo police officers were dispatched to an alleyway behind a residence after receiving a report that individuals were attempting to break into a car.  When an officer arrived, he observed Rubio seated in the passenger side of a red car.  The driver of the red vehicle was running away from a different vehicle.  The driver got into the red car and backed down the alley.  Ignoring police commands to stop, the driver continued backing her car down the alley until she reached the roadway.  The driver then turned her car onto the road and attempted to flee from the police.  During the pursuit, the driver turned her car onto another alleyway.  While they were traveling down this alleyway, Rubio threw the sawed-off shotgun out of his passenger window

Rubio was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Rubio was sentenced to 46 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.

Rubio 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 Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-2001.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Le Mars, Iowa man who stole government funds using a COVID-19 unemployment scheme pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.

Dennis George Chinn, age 54, from Le Mars, Iowa, was convicted of 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 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. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Chinn remains free on bond pending sentencing.  Chinn faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 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 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-CR-4082.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who received child pornography was sentenced today to over six years in federal prison.

Shawn Kuhse, age 37, of Wadena, Iowa, received the sentence after a March 13, 2020 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.  In a plea agreement, Kuhse admitted that between October 2018 and April 2019 he received child pornography.  Kuhse admitted he used a messaging app on his phone to receive child pornography from other users of the app.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Kuhse received over 700 images and 300 videos containing child pornography.  The child pornography contained images of prepubescent girls involved in sex acts with adult men, adult women, and animals.  Kuhse’s sentence was increased because the child pornography he received depicted sadistic, masochistic, or violent conduct.

Kuhse was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Kuhse was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment.  Kuhse must also serve a five-year term of supervised release, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Fayette 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.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 19-2073.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who filed 36 fraudulent tax returns, some using the identities of other people, over a two-year period and stole the subsequent refunds was sentenced today to over a year in federal prison.

Toniece King, age 37, from Evanston, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 16, 2020 guilty plea to one count of theft of government property and one count of false claim for refund of taxes.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, King used her own name and the names and social security numbers of others to file fraudulent tax returns from January 2015 through January 2017.  In total, she filed 36 fraudulent returns, claiming over $160,000 in refunds.  Over $65,000 of the fraudulently claimed refunds was paid out.  King received some of these refunds on prepaid debit cards that were found in her possession in March 2016.

King was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  King was sentenced to fourteen months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $65,481 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations and the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office.

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

The case file number is 19-CR-118.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who helped a man obtain a fatal quantity of opioids and then delayed calling for help after he overdosed was sentenced on September 16, 2020, to four years in federal prison.

Jacqueline Margarett Birch, age 23, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 7, 2020 guilty plea to aiding and abetting the distribution of a controlled substance.

Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Birch drove her boyfriend, Mateusz Syryjczyk, and another individual to a residence in Dubuque, Iowa, during the early morning of May 27, 2019.  Birch and the other individual went into the residence, and returned a short time later with purported heroin they had purchased from a dealer inside the residence.  The three then drove to a hotel in Dubuque, where they all used the purported heroin.  The other individual began to overdose in the room.  Birch and Syryjczyk did not immediately call 911, but, over the course of multiple hours, Birch occasionally performed CPR on the individual to restore some breathing function, though the person never regained consciousness.  Court records reflect that Birch also occasionally kicked the individual when he stopped breathing.  Eventually, Birch and Syryjczyk decided they needed to call 911, and Syryjczyk took the remaining drug paraphernalia from the room to prevent law enforcement from finding it.  Birch and Syryjczyk also made false statements to the responding police officers about the cause of the individual’s condition.  That individual was pronounced dead at the scene.  An autopsy later determined the cause of death was use of heroin, fentanyl, and valeryl fentanyl.  Syryjczyk previously pled guilty to misprision of a felony for his role in the incident, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.  Court documents also reflect that Birch had previously cleaned up an overdose death scene and lied to the police about it in Peosta, Iowa, in 2016.

Birch was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Birch was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. 

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

The case file number is 19-CR-1041-CJW-MAR.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who sold heroin that caused a near-fatal overdose pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Michael Jerome Greenwood, age 26, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of distributing heroin near a playground.

In a plea agreement, Greenwood admitted that he sold heroin in Dubuque between 2016 and 2018.  In August 2018, Greenwood sold $100 worth of heroin to two women.  After using the heroin, one of the women lost consciousness and started having trouble breathing.  The woman’s family members rushed her to the hospital, where she was revived with Narcan, saving her life.  Greenwood also admitted in the plea agreement that he sometimes requested sexual favors from his customers in exchange for heroin.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Greenwood remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Greenwood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 1 year imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Dupuich, Dan Chatham, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Geocaris. 

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

The case file number is 19-CR-1044-CJW.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A multiple-time convicted felon who unlawfully possessed guns was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.

Allen Osterkamp, age 29, from Dyersville, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 5, 2020, guilty plea to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

At the guilty plea, Osterkamp admitted he unlawfully possessed a stolen gun in March 2017.  At the sentencing hearing, Osterkamp admitted he actually possessed more than eight guns around March 2017.  Osterkamp had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including possessing a precursor with intent to manufacture meth, operating a motor vehicle without consent, and multiple convictions for theft.  Osterkamp also had two prior convictions for domestic abuse.

Osterkamp was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Osterkamp was sentenced to 70 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 19-CR-65.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who lied to a federal grand jury about her boyfriend’s drug use was sentenced to federal prison on September 16, 2020.

Paula Lynn Cole, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 2, 2020 guilty plea to one count of making a false declaration before a grand jury.

In a plea agreement, Cole admitted that she testified before a federal grand jury in September 2018 regarding an investigation of her boyfriend for a firearms charge.  During her grand jury testimony, Cole testified that she did not know whether her boyfriend was a marijuana user and that there was nothing that ever indicated to her that he used marijuana.  Cole admitted in her plea agreement that her grand jury testimony was false and that she knew that her boyfriend was a marijuana user because she had previously seen him use marijuana.

Cole was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Cole was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, four months of which will be served in prison, and four months of which will be served in home detention.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cedar Rapids Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. 

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

The case file number is 19-CR‑00107‑CJW‑MAR.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who received child pornography pled guilty today, in federal court in Sioux City.

Kyler Colten Cook, age 29, from Carroll, IA, pled guilty 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.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the 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 at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 20-CR-3023.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A California man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Iowa pled guilty on September 17, 2020, in federal court in Sioux City.

Gabriel Mata-Becerra, 37, from Hayward, California, pled guilty 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 actual (pure) methamphetamine.  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.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the 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 Cedar Rapids man who was involved in a melee at a friend’s house, and later found with guns and knives, was sentenced today to two years in prison.

Andrew Monroe, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a drug user.  On August 29, 2019, police responded to a call to a home in Marion, Iowa.  The police discovered that there had been a violent melee at the house.  The melee ultimately resulted in the hospitalization of multiple individuals with life-threatening stab wounds.  Monroe admitted to being present and police found him with a pistol while under the influence of marijuana.

Monroe was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Monroe was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and fined $100.  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.

Monroe is set to surrender to the United States Marshal on October 13, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. and will be 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 Marion Police Department. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-05-CJW.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Cedar Rapids man who illegally possessed a different firearm on multiple occasions was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Michael Gene Hodges, Jr., age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one-count of possession of a firearm as a drug user. 

In a plea agreement, Hodges admitted that he illegally possessed three firearms as a drug user: one on March 24, 2019, another on May 11, 2019, and a third on February 6, 2020.  Evidence at sentencing showed that Hodges discharged the firearm he possessed on March 24, 2019, during an incident that occurred in the parking lot of Woody’s Show Club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.          

Hodges was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Hodges was sentenced to 42 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.

Hodges 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 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 19-CR-00130.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A drug user who unlawfully possessed a rifle was sentenced September 10, 2020, to more than seven months in federal prison.

Isaiah Roy Mixon, age 21, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user. 

Information provided at his detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on January 6, 2019, Spencer, Iowa police officers responded to a request for a welfare check of defendant at his residence. Mixon was found in possession of 12 grams of marijuana, packaging materials, grinders, recently opened odorless bags that had been mailed to him, $12,000 in cash, and a DPMS .223 rifle and ammunition. 

Mixon was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mixon was sentenced to 7 months’ 28 days imprisonment.  He must also serve a 6-month 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.

Mixon 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 Spencer, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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

The case file number is 19-CR-4074.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

On September 11, 2020, an Iowa farmer was sentenced for his role in a scheme to defraud financial institutions. 

Michael Throne, age 61, from Scarville, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 12, 2020 guilty plea to one count of False Statement to a Financial Institution.

During his change of plea and sentencing hearings, it was revealed that sometime before January 2018 – and before he obtained his 2018 operating loans, Throne began stealing from, and lying to, his banks.  He began converting the property that had been pledged to the banks as collateral, and began overstating the value of the remaining collateral in order to obtain additional funds.  He even altered futures contracts to inflate his anticipated income streams.  When his scheme collapsed and was detected by the bank, he confessed his crimes to the bank.

Throne was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Throne was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $1,474,964.61 in restitution to the First State Bank of Kiester and $625,445.48 in restitution to the Farm Service Agency (FSA).   He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was investigated by the USDA, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Forde Fairchild, Ajay Alexander, Matt Cole, and Marty McLaughlin. 

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

The case file number is 20-3003.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Jared Daily, age 34, of Belle Plaine, Iowa, has been charged with distribution, receipt, and accessing of child pornography.  The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on September 3, 2020, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.  

The Indictment alleges that, between January and June 2020, Daily knowingly distributed child pornography, received child pornography, and accessed child pornography on a cell phone. 

If convicted, Daily faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $102,300 in special assessments, and at least 5 years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment. 

Daily appeared on September 9, 2020, in federal court in Cedar Rapids for a detention hearing and was released on bond.  Daily’s next appearance for trial is set for November 2, 2020. 

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. 

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. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced September 3, 2020, to more than 6 years in federal prison.  Shana Mull, 33, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 19, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between June 2019 through August 2019, Mull and others conspired to distribute over 10 pounds of methamphetamine in the Iowa Great Lakes area.  Mull was responsible for the distribution of smaller (sub ounce) quantities of methamphetamine.  Mull further admitted her association with and assistance to a larger methamphetamine dealer in the acquisition of ten pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of cocaine.  In late August 2019, on two separate occasions, Mull engaged in extremely reckless conduct in her attempts to elude law enforcement, causing substantial property damage while erratically operating a motor vehicle at excessive speeds.  During the time period of the conspiracy Mull associated with others who possessed firearms.  Mull was ultimately captured in Okoboji, Iowa, in a self-storage unit where she and her boyfriend were temporarily residing. 

Mull was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mull was sentenced to 82 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Mull 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 Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Okoboji Police Department, Milford Police Department, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, Spencer Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 19-4075.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported two times was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison.

Omar Acosta-Ruiz, age 35, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on June 29, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for a felony.

At the guilty plea, Acosta-Ruiz admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Acosta-Ruiz was first deported in August 2009.  He was also deported in March 2017 following a conviction in the Northern District of Iowa for illegal reentry, a felony. 

On May 29, 2020, Acosta-Ruiz was convicted in Tama County, Iowa, of false imprisonment and assault causing bodily injury.  He also has Iowa convictions for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in 2008 and operating a motor vehicle while barred in 2015.  Acosta-Ruiz also illegally used the Social Security number of U.S. citizens when he completed employment forms in September 2010 at a business in Sibley, Iowa, and in December 2018 at a business in Malcom, Iowa.  Acosta-Ruiz illegally worked at the business in Malcom until his arrest on April 25, 2020, in Tama County, Iowa, on the false imprisonment and assault causing bodily injury charges.

Acosta-Ruiz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Acosta-Ruiz was sentenced to 21 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by 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-42.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

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

Marcos Guico-Macario, age 43, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on July 15, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for an aggravated felony.

In a plea agreement, Guico-Macario admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Guico-Macario was deported in February 2003 following a May 2001 conviction in the District Court for Finney County, Kansas, for attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child, an aggravated felony.  Guico-Macario also admitted he illegally used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen when he completed employment forms in September 2018 at a business in Tama, Iowa.  Guico-Macario illegally worked at the business using the alias until his arrest on May 24, 2020, in Tama County, Iowa, for providing false identification information.

Guico-Macario was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Guico-Macario was sentenced to 96 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Guico-Macario 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-41.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

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

Victor Sajcap-Agreda, age 40, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Allamakee County, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on July 15, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.

At the guilty plea, Sajcap-Agreda admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Sajcap-Agreda was deported in March 2014 following a misdemeanor conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States.  Sajcap-Agreda most recently came to the attention of immigration agents following his arrest on May 31, 2020, in Allamakee County, Iowa, for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.  These charges are still pending.

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

Sajcap-Agreda 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-1017.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced September 4, 2020, to 7 years in federal prison.

Nathan Wagner, 34, from Onawa, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location.

At the hearing, Wagner admitted that from about June 2017 through December 2018 he along with others distributed more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine in Sioux City.  Wagner admitted that he and another individual involved in the conspiracy regularly traveled to Omaha, NE to obtain methamphetamine, which they brought back to a residence in Sioux City to split up and sell to others.  This residence was within 1000 feet of Cook Park.  

Wagner was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Wagner was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Wagner 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 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 19-4062. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Rodney Cook, age 40, of Starke, Florida, received the prison term after an August 24, 2020 guilty plea and sentencing on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal drug user.

Information disclosed during the change of plea and sentencing hearings revealed that on May 5, 2019, law enforcement was dispatched to the Park Motel in Denison, Iowa, in response to reports that a man had fired a gun from inside his room into the parking lot on the south side of the motel.  When police responded they did not see the shooter but noticed that the door to a particular hotel room was open and the window had been broken out.  As law enforcement approached that room, they observed Cook standing in his hotel room reloading a revolver.  Cook told one officer he had used methamphetamine earlier and there was meth in the room.  Cook told another officer he had fired the revolver in an attempt to scare some people away.  A subsequent search of his room revealed methamphetamine and a second handgun.  Cook has twice before been convicted of misdemeanor violence, including an assault and battery on a law enforcement officer. 

Cook was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Cook was sentenced to 24 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.

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

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

The case file number is 19-CR-4070.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who sexually exploited children in the Philippines was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison.

William Meyer, age 65, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a February 4, 2020 guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of children.  At the plea hearing, Meyer admitted that between 2012 and 2019 he persuaded, induced, or enticed minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions or transmitting live visual depictions of this conduct.  The record at the sentencing hearing established that Meyer had traveled to the Philippines for charitable work.  The live visual depictions included sexually explicit Skype video transmissions from at least six children in the Philippines, including three prepubescent girls.

Meyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Meyer was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment and fined $50,000.  Special assessments of $5,100 were imposed and Meyer must also serve a five-year term of supervised release.  He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 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.

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

The case file number is CR 19-105.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed firearm that he used in two shootings was sentenced September 1, 2020, to more than seven years in federal prison.

Leon Orlando Jackson, age 44, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 3, 2020, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

At the plea hearing, Jackson admitted possessing a firearm after being convicted of three felony offenses, including possession of a stolen auto, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of cocaine.  The prior firearm offense was a federal conviction out of Indiana.  Filings in the case showed that on April 23, 2017, defendant was involved in two shootings in Waterloo, including one that left a victim with an injury to his leg.

Jackson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Jackson was sentenced to 87 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.

Jackson 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 by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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-2036.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who assisted a multinational drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.

Jose Leonardo Alvarez, age 25, from Riverside, California, received the prison term after a March 13, 2020 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

In 2013, Jose Maria Valencia, Alvarez’s father, was sent to California state prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.  Despite his incarceration, Valencia continued to run his drug trafficking organization.  He ultimately directed the distribution of more than 250 pounds of ice methamphetamine from his prison cell.  Valencia relied on family members, such as Alvarez, to assist him with the drug trafficking.  Alvarez traveled to Iowa on multiple occasions to serve as Valencia’s eyes and ears, and reported back to Valencia on the status of organization.  Alvarez also collected money from the sale of methamphetamine in Iowa.  Alvarez was a fugitive for more than two years until his arrest in September 2019.   

Alvarez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Alvarez was sentenced to 70 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.  Alvarez 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 as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of  the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Mid-Iowa Task Force, comprised of the Marshalltown Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Falls Police Department, Eldora Police Department and the Dysart Police Department; and the Tri-County Drug Task Force, comprised of the Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar Falls Police Department, LaPorte City Police Department, Hudson Police Department, Evansdale Police Department, University of Northern Iowa Police Department, Waverly Police Department and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 17-CR-2041.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A drug user who unlawfully possessed a rifle was sentenced September 10, 2020, to more than seven months in federal prison.

Isaiah Roy Mixon, age 21, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user. 

Information provided at his detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on January 6, 2019, Spencer, Iowa police officers responded to a request for a welfare check of defendant at his residence. Mixon was found in possession of 12 grams of marijuana, packaging materials, grinders, recently opened odorless bags that had been mailed to him, $12,000 in cash, and a DPMS .223 rifle and ammunition. 

Mixon was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mixon was sentenced to 7 months’ 28 days imprisonment.  He must also serve a 6-month 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.

Mixon 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 Spencer, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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

The case file number is 19-CR-4074.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who threw two guns out of a moving car while being chased by federal Marshals was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Jordan Lewis Holmes, age 24, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 27, 2020 guilty plea to being a felon and drug user in possession of a firearm.

At the plea hearing, Holmes admitted that he possessed two nine-millimeter handguns in March 2019, and that at the time he was an unlawful marijuana user and a convicted felon.  Court records reflect that in March 2019, the United States Marshals Service was seeking to arrest Holmes for a warrant issued due to a parole violation on a prior felony stolen weapon trafficking charge.  Officers saw Holmes get into a vehicle and tried to initiate a traffic stop, at which time a chase ensued.  During the chase, the vehicle in which Holmes was a passenger drove into a church parking lot and two nine-millimeter handguns were thrown from the window where Holmes was seated.  At the end of the vehicle chase, the vehicle pulled into an apartment complex parking lot, and, without the vehicle coming to a stop, Holmes and the other three occupants of the vehicle fled on foot.  Officers caught up to Holmes and arrested him shortly thereafter.

Officers later retrieved the handguns from the church parking lot.  The serial numbers on both firearms had been defaced.  Further investigation revealed that two days before the chase, Holmes posted a video of himself holding a handgun that resembled one of the handguns found in the parking lot.  Evidence at a prior hearing showed that during a recorded phone call shortly after his arrest, Holmes told the other person that he had to get rid of his “size nine shoes,” indicating that Holmes had thrown the firearms from the moving vehicle.

Holmes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Holmes was sentenced to 46 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.

Holmes 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 United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.

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-00124-CJW-MAR.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Chicago man and a Cedar Rapids man who conspired with each other and others to sell heroin in Cedar Rapids were recently each sentenced to ten years in prison. 

Devontae Horton, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison sentence on August 27, 2020, after he was found guilty during a February 2020 jury trial.  The jury found Horton guilty of conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and distribution of heroin. 

Sean Jarel Williams, age 31, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison sentence today after a January 21, 2020 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 grams of heroin.

Evidence at Horton’s trial, and at both men’s sentencing hearings, showed that between approximately June 2015 and April 2019, Horton, Williams, and up to eleven others, conspired to distribute heroin in the Cedar Rapids area.  The group was known as the “Ferrari” group.  The members used one phone number, known as the “Ferrari phone”, to arrange and conduct heroin transactions.  At times, ten to twenty people a day called the phone for the sole purpose of purchasing heroin. 

In October 2018, Cedar Rapids police officers attempted to stop a vehicle occupied by Horton and another member of the Ferrari group.  Horton tried to get away from police but was eventually apprehended.  Officers located over $3,000 in cash in Horton’s front pocket.  The cash was drug proceeds.  In October 2018, Horton sold heroin directly to a confidential source.  Investigators had arranged the transaction by calling the “Ferrari” phone.

Williams also used the “Ferrari” phone to arrange heroin transactions.  Williams was also stopped by police in July 2017 travelling from Chicago to Cedar Rapids.  At the time, Williams had approximately 350 grams of heroin in his vehicle that he intended to distribute in the Cedar Rapids area.  

Bother Horton and Williams were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Each was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

“The ‘Ferrari’ group was a menacing source of deadly opioids in our community for far too long,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan.  “With these most recent sentencings, seven members of this criminal enterprise have now been brought to justice.  This is a significant law enforcement achievement, but the battle against opioids continues.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement and community partners to take the fight to the dealers and support those who struggle with addiction.”

Horton and Williams are the last of seven men who were charged together on April 24, 2019, for their role in the “Ferrari” group.  The following have already been sentenced for their roles in distributing heroin for the “Ferarri” group: 

Walter Malano Collins Murray, Jr., age 19, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment on December 30, 2019, following a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin. 

Cortez Nelson, age 30, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment on May 20, 2020, following a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 grams of heroin.  

Dewon Earl Meeks, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment on May 20, 2020, following a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin. 

Anthony Ricks, age 31, from Chicago, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment on July 10, 2020, following a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin.

Jarel Shawn Williams, age 23, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 127 months’ imprisonment on June 1, 2020, following a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 grams of heroin.

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

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

The case file number is 19-CR-45.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who removed drugs and paraphernalia from an opioid overdose death scene and then lied to police was sentenced today to nearly two years in federal prison.

Mateusz D. Syryjczyk, age 29, from Rockford, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 13, 2020 guilty plea to one count of misprision of a felony.

At the plea hearing, Syryjczyk admitted that, in May 2019, he knew that the crime of distribution of controlled substances resulting in serious bodily injury had occurred.  He also admitted that he failed to notify authorities that the crime had been committed and that he took affirmative steps to conceal the crime.  Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Syryjczyk and his girlfriend, Jacqueline Birch, and another individual drove to a residence in Dubuque, Iowa, during the late evening of May 26, 2019.  Birch and the other individual went into the residence, and returned a short time later with purported heroin they had purchased inside the residence.  The three then drove to a hotel in Dubuque, where they all used the purported heroin.  The third individual began to overdose in the room.  Birch and Syryjczyk did not immediately call 911, but, over the course of multiple hours, Birch would occasionally perform CPR on the individual to restore some breathing function, though the person never regained consciousness.  Eventually, Birch and Syryjczyk decided they needed to call 911, and Syryjczyk took the remaining drug paraphernalia from the room to prevent law enforcement from finding it.  Syryjczyk also made false statements to the responding police officers about the cause of the individual’s condition.  That individual was pronounced dead at the scene.  An autopsy later determined the cause of death was use of heroin, fentanyl, and valeryl fentanyl.

Syryjczyk was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Syryjczyk was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. 

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

The case file number is 19‑CR‑1042‑CJW-‑MAR.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

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

Jacinto Chavez-Brito, age 31, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea today to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.

At the guilty plea, Chavez-Brito admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Chavez-Brito was first deported in August 2007.  He was also deported in July 2014 following a conviction in the District of New Mexico for illegal reentry.  Chavez-Brito most recently came to the attention of immigration agents following his arrest on March 8, 2020, in Linn County, Iowa, on state charges that were later dismissed.

Chavez-Brito was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Chavez-Brito was sentenced to six 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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by 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-33.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who possessed a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison.

Levi Farren Miller, age 30, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 7, 2020 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Evidence at sentencing hearing showed that Miller displayed a sawed-off shotgun while in a heated disagreement with a neighbor regarding the neighbor moving Miller’s items off the neighbor’s porch.  Miller, a white male, used racially charged language during the confrontation.  Miller had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including burglary twice, theft twice, attempted burglary, and conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

Miller was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Miller was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case 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 our Project Guardian partners. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

Miller 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department.

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

The case file number is 19-cr-02031.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Minnesota man who was caught with nearly 14 ounces of high purity methamphetamine and a loaded handgun was sentenced August 25, 2020 to more than 13 years in federal prison.

Marcus Jones, age 32, from St. Paul, Minnesota received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to deliver 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

In a plea agreement, Jones admitted that on December 12, 2019, knowing he was a felon, possessed a Jennings .25 caliber pistol and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver the methamphetamine.

On December 6, 2019 police conducted a traffic stop in Mason City, IA.  The driver of the vehicle, Marcus Jones, fled on foot.  Jones was not apprehended at that time but later was arrested on December 12, 2019 after again attempting to flee from police.  At the time of his arrest, Jones had eight individually wrapped packages of ice methamphetamine that he intended to distribute, and a loaded pistol hidden in his center console.

Jones was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Jones was sentenced to 162 months’ imprisonment for possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine and 120 months’ for possession of a firearm as a felon, to be served concurrently.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Jones 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 Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Police Department, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, and the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force. 

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

The case file number is 19-cr-3058.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A methamphetamine user found with two firearms in his vehicle was sentenced August 26, 2020, to a term in federal prison.

Lukas Rick, age 24, from Center Point, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 6, 2020 guilty plea to possession of firearms by a drug user.

At the guilty plea, Rick admitted he was driving a car and in possession of both a .30-06 caliber Ithaca rifle and a 12 gauge Remington shotgun.  At the time he possessed these guns, he was an unlawful user of methamphetamine.  Law enforcement stopped Rick’s car because it was missing a license plate.  Law enforcement subsequently discovered that the rifle in Rick’s possession was stolen.

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

Rick was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal; Bureau of Prisons at a later date.

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 Liz Dupuich 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 19-CR-0114.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A former vice president of a bank who conspired to lie to the bank for years was sentenced today to three years of probation.

Dan Raduns, age 66, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 1, 2019 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, Raduns worked as a vice president at a bank in Dubuque.  During that time, he conspired with another person to lie to the bank about how money the bank was loaning to the other person 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.

Raduns was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Raudns was sentenced to three years’ probation.  He was ordered to make $324,032.27 in restitution the victim bank. 

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 at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 19-CR-1024.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Mexican man who possessed false identification documents was sentenced today to five months in federal prison.

Gandhi Rojas-Lopez, age 33, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and living in West Liberty, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of unlawful possession of identification documents.

In a plea agreement, Rojas-Lopez admitted that in February 2016, he possessed and used a fraudulent social security card and a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when completing paperwork to obtain employment in Stanwood, Iowa.  The account numbers on the identification documents were assigned to other people.

Rojas-Lopez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Rojas-Lopez was sentenced to five 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.

Rojas-Lopez [was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on September 9, 2020.

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 19-CR-76.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

On August 25, 2020, Shayne Yates, 49, from Hinton, Iowa, pled guilty to possessing child pornography and was sentenced to more than 2 years in federal prison. 

Evidence at the hearing showed that from August 2017 through February 2019, Yates possessed over 150 images of child pornography on a Kindle Fire Tablet.  The pornography contained 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.

Yates was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Yates was sentenced to 33 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.  Yates 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 Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. 

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

The case file number is 19-4092. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was involved in a shooting in Dubuque, Iowa, during the early morning hours of New Year’s Day pled guilty on August 25, 2020, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Katwan Montez Brown, age 27, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of being a felon and domestic abuser in possession of a firearm.

Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Brown handed a pistol to another person after that person had been in an argument in the street during the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 2020.  Video evidence showed that, shortly after Brown gave this person the pistol, that person shot multiple times from the doorway of a home, striking one individual.  After the shooting, Brown left the house and ran to an alleyway behind it, returning moments later.  Dubuque police officers later found a pistol in the alleyway, as well as a cell phone and identification belonging to Brown.  Brown’s fingerprints were found on the magazine inside the pistol.  Brown had previously been convicted of felony forgery and felony possession with intent to distribute marijuana in 2013 and felony possession of contraband in a correctional facility in 2018.  He was also convicted of domestic abuse assault with strangulation and domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury in 2015, and domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury, second offense, in 2017. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Brown remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Brown faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.

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‑1013‑CJW‑MAR.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who was prohibited from possessing a gun was sentenced on August 25, 2020, to 7 years in federal prison.

Meher Aboolian, 32, from Glendale, California, pled guilty on March 17, 2020, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Aboolian was previously convicted of crimes which prohibited him from possessing guns. These crimes included Burglary, False Checks, and Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on November 3, 2019, the vehicle Aboolian was driving was stopped by law enforcement.  During a search of Aboolian, officers found drug paraphernalia and pills, which Aboolian admitted he did not have a prescription for, concealed under his hat.  A search of the vehicle revealed additional drug paraphernalia, and items to mask the smell of illegal drugs.  Officers also located a stolen gun, namely a Smith & Wesson Model 669, 9mm pistol, with no visible serial number, and a loaded magazine.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Aboolian was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a term of 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Aboolian is being held in the US Marshals 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. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from Project Guardian partners. 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 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 20-4003. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

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

Curtis Eugene Koesters, age 40, received the prison term after a February 20, 2020 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and a drug user.

Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings in this case revealed that defendant was a recidivist drug dealer, with a history of dangerousness, who unlawfully possessed a gun in connection with his felonious drug trafficking activities.  When he was discovered in possession of the gun, he was also in possession of a methamphetamine pipe, approximately 7 grams of methamphetamine, $561 in US Currency, a syringe containing methamphetamine, and a digital scale, among other items.

Koesters was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Koesters was sentenced to 72 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.

Koesters 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 investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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

The case file number is 19-CR-4078.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A convicted felon who illegally possessed a gun during a brief standoff with police was sentenced August 21, 2020, to 20 months in federal prison.

Antoine Argue, 38, from Park Forest, Illinois, received the prison term after a guilty plea to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. 

Evidence presented by the United States at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings showed that law enforcement made a traffic stop of a vehicle on June 15, 2019 in which Argue was a passenger.  Argue was uncooperative when officers repeatedly ordered him to show his hands and to keep his hands up. Eventually as Argue exited the vehicle, law enforcement heard a metal object hit the pavement, which was identified as a loaded Taurus .45 caliber handgun. 

Argue was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Argue was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 19-CR-4047.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who illegally obtained SNAP and SSI funds was sentenced August 24, 2020, to time served.

Aracely Batres-Alonzo, age 26, from Guatemala received the prison term after an October 21, 2019, guilty plea to two counts of theft of U.S. government funds. 

In a plea agreement, Batres-Alonzo admitted that between about January 1, 2016 and May 31, 2019, she used $43,346.00 in the form of Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP), formerly Food Stamps; and Family Investment Program (FIP) funds, to which the she was not entitled to.  She fraudulently reported on her Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) applications and review/recertification eligibility documents (RREDs) that she and her spouse (father of her children) were not employed. The investigation showed her spouse had been working under an assumed name. The investigation also shows that Batres-Alonzo had been employed with several different companies since April 2015, and never reported her or her spouse’s income to DHS.  This unreported income would have made the household ineligible for benefits.    

Batres-Alonzo, the representative payee for her minor child’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit, administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), concealed material information from the SSA in her capacity as her minor child’s representative payee.  She failed to report her full household income to the SSA, causing her minor child to be overpaid $1,829.29 between April 1, 2018 and March 30, 2019. 

Batres-Alonzo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Batres-Alonzo was sentenced to 2 days’ time served.  She was ordered to make $43,346 in restitution to the Department of Human Services and $1,829.29 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.            

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (IDIA). 

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

The case file number is 19-CR-03028.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Gilmore City, Iowa man who owned and operated a tax return preparation business was sentenced August 25, 2020 to more than 1 year in federal prison.

David Miller, age 52, from Gilmore City, IA, received the prison term after pleading guilty to three counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns and three counts of receiving stolen government money or property.

In a plea agreement, Miller admitted that he owned and operated a tax return preparation business.  He further admitted that while operating that business, he prepared fraudulent income tax returns.  The fraudulent returns that Miller prepared between 2011 and 2016 resulted in a total loss to the government of $125,954.  Miller also stole money from his clients by depriving them of part of their tax refunds.  Miller also failed to report the stolen funds as income, which resulted in an additional tax obligation for himself of $30,752.  In his plea agreement, Miller agreed to pay a total of $156,706 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

“Miller abused his position as a tax preparer to steal from both the American taxpayer and Miller’s own clients,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr.  “I thank the Internal Revenue Service for its hard work in protecting the integrity of the tax system.  Together, the United States Attorney’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service will continue to hold tax preparers accountable when they commit fraud and abuse.”    

“Today’s sentencing of Mr. Miller again emphasizes that the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue their pursuit of those who would attempt to defraud America’s tax system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Adam Steiner. “Taxpayers should be careful in selecting the tax professional who prepares their returns.”

Miller was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Miller was sentenced to 12 months’ and 1 day imprisonment.  He was ordered to pay restitution to the victims in this case—numerous individual tax payers and the IRS.  He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Miller will report to the Bureau of Prison’s as directed by the United States Marshals Service. 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and investigated by the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. 

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

The case file number is 20-CR-3004.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

From on or about November 25, 2018, and continuing until on or about April 23, 2019, MOSES STRICKLAND, JR., ANTHONY HOLEYFIELD and ANTWON HOLEYFIELD (and others known and unknown to authorities) conspired to steal, receive, possess, conceal, store, barter, sell, and traffic as many as 15 stolen firearms.

Moses Strickland, Jr., age 22, from Decatur, Illinois, was sentenced on August 21, 2020 to over six years in prison after a March 11, 2020, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to possess stolen firearms, one count of possession of stolen firearms, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Antwon Holeyfield, age 25, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on January 24, 2020 to over three years in prison after a August 12, 2019, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to possess stolen firearms and one count of possession of stolen firearms.

Anthony Holeyfield, age 21, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on January 31, 2020, to 8 months in prison after a September 23, 2019, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to possess stolen firearms and one count of possession of stolen firearms.

Evidence presented by the United States at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings in this case revealed, on November 26, 2018, Antwon Holeyfield and Strickland broke into a victim’s Woodbury County, Iowa home using an axe.  Once inside the two stole valuables including 15 firearms.  After leaving the victim’s residence, Antwon Holeyfield and Strickland went to Anthony

Holeyfield’s residence where Anthony Holeyfield helped them move all of the stolen firearms and other stolen items into his house.  Then men worked together over the next several months to sell the stolen firearms.  The men conducted deals at Anthony Holeyfield’s home and other places to people who lived in and out of Iowa.  Stickland even attempted to sell some to the firearms in Chicago, Illinois before his firearms were interdicted by police.  Despite law enforcement’s best efforts a number of the stolen firearms are still unrecovered.  

Strickland was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Strickland was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $14,034.78 joint and several in restitution. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Antwon Holeyfield was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 42 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $14,034.78 joint and several in restitution. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Anthony Holeyfield was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 8 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $14,034.78 joint and several 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.

Strickland 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. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from our Project Guardian partners.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa and the Chicago, Illinois Police Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 19-4027.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally possessed a gun pled guilty and was sentenced August 24, 2020, to more than nine years’ in federal prison. 

Robert Anderson, 27, from Denver, Colorado, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Anderson had been previously convicted of three felony crimes in Texas, in 2012, 2015 and 2018, respectively.

Evidence at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearing revealed the following.  On December 5, 2019, Anderson, who was already a three-time felon, attempted to carjack an innocent victim in front of the Hard Rock Casino and succeeded in robbing the victim at gunpoint.  The weapon used was a handgun that was loaded (and designed to use) .410 shotgun shells.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Anderson remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.  Anderson was sentenced to 112 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a term of 3 years of supervised release following the imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

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

The case file number is 20-4013.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A man who illegally possessed stolen and loaded guns was sentenced on July 30, 2020 to more than five years in federal prison.          

James Patrick Murphy, age 38, from Algona, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 26, 2020, guilty plea to two counts of being a felon, drug user, and domestic abuse misdemeanant in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. 

Evidence presented by the United States at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing, hearings revealed Murphy was a felon, recidivist domestic abuser, and drug user.  Each of these three facts precluded Murphy from lawfully possessing guns.  Murphy’s unlawful possession was discovered when law enforcement received a report of a person who appeared to be sleeping behind the steering wheel of his pickup truck.  Law enforcement arrived at the reported location in Algona, Iowa, and recognized the person as Murphy.  As law enforcement approached the pickup, they observed an AR-15-style rifle and a semiautomatic pistol on the seat next to the defendant.  Murphy was removed from the pickup.  Items seized from defendant’s truck included the AR-15 rifle with a fully loaded 20 round magazine, a scope, a Taurus pistol with a fully loaded magazine and a round in the chamber, a small baggie of methamphetamine, a pouch containing a cellophane wrapper with four small pills and four guitar picks, a United States passport for the defendant, and a cellphone. Subsequent investigations revealed that the guns were stolen. 

Murphy was sentenced in Sioux City by United Stats Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Murphy was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is  no parole in the federal system.

Murphy 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. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from its Project Guardian partners.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.       

The case was investigated by the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office and Algona, Iowa Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

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

The case file number is 19-3042.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Dubuque man, responsible for persuading a 15-year old girl to send him nude photos and videos, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison.

Mark Curtis, Sr., age 60, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a March 4, 2020 guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receipt of child pornography.

Information disclosed at his plea and sentencing hearings showed that between August 2018 and October 2018, Curtis persuaded a 15-year old girl, who lived outside the state of Iowa, to send him nude photos and videos of herself.  She sent the pictures and videos via Facebook.  Some images contained the young girl engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which Curtis had asked her to engage in.  Curtis knew the girl was a minor.  At one point, the girl told Curtis that she was studying to get her learner’s permit, to which Curtis replied he wished she was older.  In total, investigators found approximately 44 files containing images sent between the girl and Curtis. 

Curtis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Curtis was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make a payment of $200 to the special assessment fund.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Dubuque 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 19-CR-1047.                            

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Dalyn Jamil Culp, age 18, from Waterloo, Iowa, has been charged with theft of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of a firearm by a drug user.­  The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on August 18, 2020,  in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids. 

The Indictment alleges that, on or about February 27, 2020, Culp knowingly stole a Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol from a federal firearms licensee.  The Indictment also alleges that Culp was an unlawful user of marijuana at the time he possessed the firearm. 

If convicted on all charges, Culp faces a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, and up to six years of supervised release following any imprisonment.­

Culp appeared on August 24, 2020, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond.  Culp’s trial is scheduled for October 26, 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 Liz Dupuich and was investigated by the Waterloo 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-2041.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

A Sioux City man who distributed approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine from his residence was sentenced, Thursday, August 20, 2020, to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Carlos Jose Gomez, age 37, from Sioux City, Iowa was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. 

On March 4, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Gomez’s property where they seized approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded handgun, and $1,000 in cash belonging to Gomez.  In a plea agreement, Gomez admitted to selling nearly 4 pounds of “ice” methamphetamine from December of 2019 through March 4, 2020.  Gomez also admitted to knowingly possessing a gun in furtherance of selling methamphetamine. 

Gomez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gomez was sentenced for Count 1 to 123 months’ imprisonment, and for Count 2 to 60 months’ imprisonment.  Gomez must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Gomez 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 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-CR-4024.

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.