Southern District of Iowa

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Christopher Logan Meadows, age 24, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on January 31, 2023, to 37 months in prison following his plea of guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. After he is released from prison, Meadows will serve three years of supervised release.

On January 17, 2022, law enforcement was called to Harrah’s Casino and encountered Meadows. Meadows ran from officers and threw something on the roof of a car wash, which was later located and identified as a Glock .45 caliber handgun. Meadows was prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a felon and was a drug user.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

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

Davenport, IA – Jacob John Preuschl, age 28, of North Liberty, was sentenced on January 25, 2023, to 300 months in prison for production of child pornography and transfer of obscene material to minors. Preuschol was also ordered to pay a $10,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and a $3,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. Following his prison term, Preuschl was ordered to serve seven years of supervised release.

Law enforcement identified Preuschl after the parent of a minor victim called the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) tipline after finding sexually explicit content between her daughter and an adult male on her cell phone. NCMEC referred the case to law enforcement in Nashville who identified Preuschl and referred the case to Iowa law enforcement. Preuschl met the victim on Snapchat and communicated with the victim for approximately four months and requested nude images and videos. Preuschl also sent the victim images of his genitals. After seizing his cell phone, law enforcement discovered that Preuschl had communicated with several other minor females on Snapchat and had acquired child pornography via the Telegram application.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team and the Nashville, Tennessee Police Department investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

DES MOINES, IA – Jacob Chance Greer, age 27 of Des Moines, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for knowingly receiving child pornography. Greer was also ordered to pay restitution of $12,000 to victims of the child pornography he collected and placed on supervised release for a term of five years after his prison term. He is also required to register as a sex offender.

Greer was originally arrested on federal child pornography charges in 2016 as the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. About a month after he was released pending trial, Greer faked his death, leaving a suicide note by his abandoned car, parked by a lake in Dallas County, and absconded. The U.S. Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force developed information that led to Greer’s arrest in Spanaway, Washington on April 4, 2022.

According to court documents, Greer received, possessed, and distributed child pornography on the internet over several years. He tried to avoid detection by, among other things, storing his collection on internet-platforms, instead of on his own electronic devices, and occasionally deleted files on his devices. Yet child pornography and digital evidence of his seeking out and trading child pornography was found on numerous electronic devices seized from him on February 4, 2015, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence in Des Moines.

“Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners, including the United States Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force, sex offender Jacob Greer failed in his attempt to avoid accountability for these serious charges involving the exploitation of children,” said United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal.

The investigation started in 2014, as part of Project Hydra, a joint task force investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the York, Ottawa Regional Police in Ontario, Canada targeting persons who produce and distribute child pornography on the internet case. Other agencies who assisted with the case include the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the U.S. Forest Service, the Royal Canadian Mounter Police, and the U.S. State Department.

The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa and Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Peyton Gaumer, as part of the United States Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Child” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Robert Sherman Kerber, age 32, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on January 25, 2023, to 60 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. Kerber will be required to register as a sex offender and serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison. Kerber was also ordered to pay restitution.

In May 2020, a social media application sent a cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an account that uploaded images of child pornography. The cybertip was referred to Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children and the Council Bluffs Police Department started an investigation. The investigation led to a search warrant at Kerber’s residence. A forensic analysis identified that Kerber received and possessed numerous images and videos of child pornography.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children, the Council Bluffs Police Department, the United States Secret Service National Computer Forensics Institute who provided training and equipment and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

Davenport, IA – A Davenport man, Juan Dontae Shelton, age 39, was sentenced on Monday, January 23, 2023, to 330 months in federal prison for production of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and felon in possession of a firearm. Shelton was found guilty of these offenses following jury trials on August 8th and August 15th, 2022. Following his prison term, Shelton was ordered to serve a seven-year term of supervised release.

According to trial testimony, multiple witness identified Shelton’s vehicle as involved in a June 1, 2021 hit-and-run accident in Davenport. One witness told law enforcement that Shelton was arguing with passengers in the car when he got out and retrieved a rifle and body armor from the trunk. Shelton then got back into the vehicle and left the scene. Officers soon found Shelton’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Officers searched the vehicle and found three firearms, one of which was stolen, and methamphetamine and marijuana, all belonging to Shelton. Shelton’s fingerprints were found on the rifle and on the magazine of one of the other firearms. Upon further investigation, Shelton was found to be in possession of multiple child pornography videos on his phone in which he had recorded himself and a minor victim engaged in sexual acts.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport, Iowa Police Department’s Tactical Operations Bureau investigated the case.

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

DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man, Derik Ashley Otero, age 35, was sentenced on January 25, 2023, to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Following his prison term, Otero will serve a three-year term of supervised release.

According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in June 2020, the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office responded to a report of a wanted person in possession of a firearm in an Oxford home. Officers found Otero, a convicted felon, in that home in possession of a stolen Smith & Wesson nine-millimeter handgun with an extended magazine. Otero attempted to conceal the firearm in the air vent of the bathroom.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.

Davenport, IA – A Davenport man, Keith Deshon Euring, Sr. (also known as “Sweat”), age 54, was sentenced on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, to 235 months in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor and distribution of marijuana to a person under age 21. Euring was found guilty of these offenses following a jury trial in September 2022. Following his prison term, Euring was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release.

According to trial testimony, on November 6, 2018, a missing persons report was filed at the Bettendorf Police Department regarding a minor victim. The investigation revealed that Euring had taken the minor victim to Chicago, Illinois for the purposes of sex trafficking the victim on multiple weekends in October and November 2018. While in Chicago, Euring supplied marijuana and other drugs to the minor victim while engaging in commercial sex acts.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bettendorf Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

DAVENPORT, IA – A Burlington man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking.

Shawn Henry Lewis, age 37, possessed over 380 grams of cocaine and 2,200 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute them. Lewis has multiple prior felony convictions related to drug trafficking offenses. Following his prison term, Lewis will have to serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

DAVENPORT, IA – An Iowa City man was sentenced on January 24, 2023, to five years in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and making false declarations before a grand jury.

Law enforcement identified Wesley Jovan Carter, age 36, as being involved in a November 2020 burglary of an Iowa City towing company with Jeremiah Duwon Snead, age 32, of Cedar Rapids. Snead was sentenced to ten years in prison in August 2022 after a jury found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence at Snead’s trial showed that Snead committed the November 2020 burglary and left his blood in Carter’s car. Carter’s car was observed on surveillance videos and his geolocation data placed him at the burglary scene. Carter was called to testify before a grand jury and falsely denied being present at the burglary or having any knowledge of it. A review of Carter’s Google account showed videos of Carter in possession of a nine-millimeter handgun and at a shooting range in possession of five firearms. Carter had been previously convicted of a felony and knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department.

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

DAVENPORT, IA –A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of tampering with a witness.

In August 2022, Roylee Richardson, Jr., age 32, went to trial and was found guilty by a federal jury. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, at approximately 11:00 a.m. on February 7, 2021, Davenport Police Department officers were dispatched to an apartment complex at 3348 Heatherton Drive in Davenport, related to shots fired. Officers located spent casings and two bullet fragments. Richardson was identified as the shooter, and officers subsequently located Richardson attempting to scale off a second-story balcony. Officers then located a loaded pistol inside of the apartment that Richardson had fled from. After being arrested, Richardson repeatedly contacted the victim, and attempted to tamper with the witness’s testimony.

This is the third time Richardson has been convicted for charges related to a shooting. In November 2008, Richardson was convicted of Willful Injury Resulting in Bodily Injury and Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, in the Iowa District Court for Scott County. In July 2016, Richardson was convicted of Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent, Possession of a Firearm or Offensive Weapon by a Felon, Willful Injury Resulting in Bodily Injury, and Going Armed with Intent, in the Iowa District Court for Scott County.

Richardson was sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment for each offense, with the sentences to be served concurrently: ten years in prison for the firearm conviction and twenty years in prison for the witness tampering charges. After his prison term, Richardson was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

DAVENPORT, IA – A Clinton man was sentenced yesterday to eight years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, related to his involvement in a January 2022 shooting in Davenport.

According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Timothy Eugene Angel, age 39, fired multiple shots in the area of 13th Street and Washington Street, a residential area, during the early morning hours of January 29, 2022. Evidence presented showed that Angel was involved in an altercation inside the Thunderguard Club, that the other involved party was kicked out of the club, and that Angel then left the club, retrieved a firearm, and fired numerous rounds, striking one person.

Leonard Fisher, age 32, of Davenport, was identified as another shooter involved. In January 2023, Fisher was convicted by a federal jury of possessing a firearm as a felon. Fisher’s sentencing is set for May 31, 2023. Fisher faces up to ten years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

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

Des Moines, IA – A West Des Moines man was sentenced yesterday to eight years in federal prison for transportation of child pornography.

According to court documents, James Dean Gathercole, age 55 of West Des Moines, knowingly uploaded an image of child pornography to a 72-member Internet group chat room in May 2020. Gathercole also knowingly possessed at least five videos and two images of child pornography on his cellular phone in September 2020.

As recently as 2020, Gathercole was employed as a firefighter at departments in the Des Moines metro area.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Gathercole was ordered to serve a term of supervised release of seven years and pay a total of $40,000 in fines and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

DES MOINES, IA – On Thursday, January 12, 2023, a federal jury convicted a Markham, Illinois man of conspiracy to distribute 1,000 grams or more of heroin for his role in a large-scale heroin and fentanyl conspiracy.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, over the course of a 14-month investigation that included the use of wiretaps, law enforcement identified Carl Murphy, age 53, as a heroin/fentanyl supplier for numerous street-level dealers in the Des Moines Metro from 2019 through July 2021. In July 2021, over 20 members of the conspiracy were arrested and federally indicted.

Evidence at trial showed that Murphy is a member of the Black P Stone Nation, a criminal street gang based in Chicago, Illinois. Murphy had a large distribution network consisting of lower ranking gang members, which he helped run and control. The street-level dealers traveled to and from Murphy’s residence in Illinois to purchase large quantities of heroin/fentanyl for redistribution in Des Moines. In 2011, Murphy was previously convicted of distribution of a controlled substance in the Northern District of Illinois. While awaiting trial, Murphy threatened individuals he believed to be cooperating against him.

Murphy’s sentencing is scheduled for May 8, 2023. Murphy faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal court system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE) and the Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF).

This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Davenport, IA – Jayvontae Dashwan Bland Robertson, age 29, of Rock Island, Illinois, was sentenced on January 4, 2023, to 96 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, and felon in possession of a firearm. Following his term of imprisonment, Robertson was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.

According to court records, in 2021, law enforcement investigated Bland Robertson for fentanyl and marijuana trafficking. In July 2021, Bland Robertson was found in possession of over 13 grams of fentanyl during a traffic stop. In August 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bland Robertson’s residence, locating additional evidence of drug trafficking and a loaded firearm. In February 2022, police had contact with Bland Robertson and again he had a loaded firearm, along with fentanyl and marijuana. The investigation determined that Bland Robertson received and trafficked at least 6 kilograms of marijuana and over 240 grams of fentanyl.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department’s Tactical Operations Bureau along with the Iowa State Patrol investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, IA – On January 4, 2023, a federal jury convicted a Davenport man of being a felon in possession of a firearm related to his involvement in a January 29, 2022, shooting in the area of 13th Street and Washington Street in Davenport.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Leonard Fisher, age 32, was involved in a shooting around 13th Street and Washington Street during the early morning hours of Saturday, January 29, 2022. Evidence at trial showed that an altercation started inside the Thunderguard Club, then located at 1314 Washington Street, spilled out onto Washington Street, and resulted in numerous shots being fired. When officers arrived on scene, they located two separate sets of shell casings, and a firearm next to a pool of blood. Fisher’s DNA matched the pool of blood next to the gun, and he was identified as being one of the shooters via surveillance video.

The other shooter, Timothy Eugene Angel, age 39, of Clinton, was federally charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition, as the gun he used was never recovered. Angel pled guilty and is set for sentencing in federal court on January 24, 2023. Fisher’s sentencing date has not yet been set. Both men face up to 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal court system.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – James Matthew Hargens, age 37, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on December 15, 2022, to 121 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. Hargens will be required to register as a sex offender and serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison. Hargens was also ordered to pay restitution.

In November 2021 a social media application sent a cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an account that uploaded several images and videos of child pornography. The cybertip was referred to Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children and the Council Bluffs Police Department initiated an investigation. The investigation led to a search warrant at Hargens residence. A forensic analysis identified that Hargens received, possessed, and downloaded numerous images and videos of child pornography.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department, the United States Secret Service National Computer Forensics Institute who provided training and equipment and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA – On Monday, December 19, 2022, Michael Joseph Wilson, age 34 of Des Moines, was sentenced to a total of 240 months in prison for four crimes: conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and MDMA; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; attempt to possess contraband in prison; and violation of supervised release.

In May 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Wilson’s Des Moines residence. Officers found methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, and a loaded revolver. At the time, Wilson was on federal supervised release for an Indiana firearm conviction. While in the Polk County Jail awaiting sentencing,Wilson worked with others in an attempt to get contraband, specifically K2, into the jail by imitating legal mail.

At sentencing, the Court sentenced Wilson to: 120 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, 12 months for attempting to possess contraband in prison, and 48 months for violating his supervised release. Each sentence must be served consecutively, for a total of term of 240 months in prison.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department, United States Marshals Service, and Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

DAVENPORT, IA – Eight Burlington individuals were charged by criminal complaint in federal court as a result of a joint federal and state investigation of a drug trafficking organization that operated out of Burlington.

Six individuals made their initial appearances in federal court at the United States Courthouse in Davenport on Thursday, December 15, 2022: Gilbert Lee Ellis, Christopher Jerome Ellis, Honesty Knotts, Hardy Pegues, Joshua Adam Townsen, and Michael Demetrius Brown. Theodis Bagby and Larry Keith Knotts were also charged with this offense but have not yet made their initial appearance.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, West Burlington Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Lee County Task Force, Muscatine Task Force, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Johnson County Drug Task Force, Ottumwa Drug Task Force, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team in Illinois.

On December 15, 2022, federal search warrants were executed at the following locations:

• 200 block of Ballard Street, West Burlington;

• 300 block of Locust Street, Burlington;

• 3200 block of Division Street, Burlington;

• 900 block of Locust Street, Burlington;

• 1400 block of Lucas Street, Burlington;

• 1500 block of Gnahn Street, Burlington;

• 1600 block of South 14th Street, Burlington;

• 1300 block of Aetna Street, Burlington.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Burlington Police Department made the announcement.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Quinn Matthew Sorensen, age 23, of Missouri Valley, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, to 168 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Transportation of a Minor and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Sorenson will be required to register as a sex offender. He was ordered to 12 years of supervised release following his release from prison.

In March 2022, a school resource officer at Millard West High School was provided information from other students that a female freshman student was dating Sorenson. Sorensen was corresponding with several teenage girls at the high school through text messages and Snapchat. Sorenson picked up one female student in Omaha, Nebraska and transported her to his apartment in Missouri Valley. Sorenson encouraged high school freshmen to date him and engage in sexual acts. Sorenson also provided students alcohol and marijuana.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case and the Missouri Valley Police Department assisted in the execution of a search warrant.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Hector Javier Torres Tapia, age 32, a Mexican citizen, formerly of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, to 18 months in prison following his plea of guilty to illegally reentering the country.

On May 21, 2022, Torres Tapia came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following on a traffic stop by the Council Bluffs Police Department. ICE Officers arrested Torres Tapia three days later. In 2015, Torres Tapia was convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Nebraska District Court for Douglas County.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.

DES MOINES, IA – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment on December 14, 2022, charging Adair Chief of Police Bradley Wendt with unlawfully obtaining and possessing machine guns.

According to unsealed court documents, Wendt, age 46, exploited his position as the Adair Chief of Police to acquire 10 machine guns purportedly for the official duties and responsibilities of the Adair Police Department, but later resold several of those machine guns at a significant profit.  Wendt also acquired 13 machine guns for his Denison-based gun store, BW Outfitters, through false statements to the ATF that the machine guns were being demonstrated for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Wendt also exploited his position as the Chief of Police to obtain 10 machine guns for Williams Contracting LLC, a federal firearms licensee operated by his friend, Robert Williams, age 46, of Manning. Williams solicited false documentation from Wendt indicating the Adair Police Department wanted a demonstration of each of the machine guns for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Between July 2018 and August 2022, Wendt sought to demonstrate or purchase approximately 90 machine guns for the Adair Police Department, which serves a town of less than 800 people.  Wendt and Williams hosted public machine gun shoots, where they charged patrons money to shoot machine guns registered to their gun stores and the Adair Police Department. Wendt and Williams intended to stockpile machine guns to later sell at a personal profit.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said “Brad Wendt is charged with exploiting his position as chief of police to unlawfully obtain and sell guns for his own personal profit. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who violate their oath of office to enrich themselves.”

“This case demonstrates the importance of ATF’s vigilance in regulating federal firearms licensees and bringing to justice those who willfully circumvent federal law in favor of personal profit and abuse public trust. Today’s indictment is the result of seamless collaboration by ATF and our law enforcement partners,” said Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge, ATF - Kansas City Field Division.

Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to make false statements and defraud the ATF.  Wendt is charged with 18 counts of making a false statement to the ATF and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. Williams is charged with three counts of making a false statement and aiding and abetting a false statement to the ATF. The Indictment is attached below.

If convicted, Wendt faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years. Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation remains ongoing.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikaela Shotwell and Ryan Leemkuil are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Des Moines, IA – An Iowa man was sentenced today to a total of 45 years in prison for conspiring to produce child pornography and child exploitation.

According to court documents, Shane William Butler, age 47, of Des Moines, produced child pornography on at least three occasions in 2021 when he sexually abused a minor victim while his codefendant and wife, Ashley Marie Butler, age 33, of Des Moines, videorecorded the abuse. Videos of the sexual abuse of the minor victim and child pornography were located on Shane Butler and Ashley Butler’s cell phones.

Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie Marie Rose imposed a 30-year sentence on the conspiracy count and a 15-year sentence on the production count, to be served consecutively, for a total sentence of 45 years. Butler was also ordered to serve a total of 10 years of supervised release upon release from custody. In addition, Butler was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution as well as a $200 fine to the Crime Victim’s Assistance Fund.

Codefendant Ashley Butler is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines Police Department, the Polk County Attorney’s Office, the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force investigated the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa prosecuted the case.

Davenport, IA – Susan Jean Stroughmatt, age 33, of Muscatine, was sentenced on December 5, 2022, to 96 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Following her imprisonment, Stroughmatt was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.

Law enforcement investigated Stroughmatt in 2021 for methamphetamine trafficking. Between November 2020 and January 2021, Stroughmatt had received and trafficked at least six pounds of methamphetamine from co-defendant Thomas Iverson, age 52, of Minnesota. In April 2021, Stroughmatt trafficked nearly three pounds of methamphetamine from a source in Cedar Rapids. In September and December 2021, law enforcement conducted two controlled buys of methamphetamine from Stroughmatt at her residence in Muscatine. Following the second controlled buy, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stroughmatt’s residence, locating evidence of drug trafficking.

Iverson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Muscatine County Drug Task Force investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – James Michael Milbourn, age 38 of Omaha, was sentenced on Friday, December 2, 2022, to 144 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

On February 26, 2022, law enforcement encountered Milbourn in his car which was parked in the front yard of a residence in Council Bluffs. Located in plain view on the front passenger seat of the car was a bag that contained methamphetamine, a digital scale, and a loaded firearm. Milbourn intended to distribute the methamphetamine and possessed the firearm for personal protection of his controlled substances. Milbourn has multiple felony convictions which preclude him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man, Darion Daquan Gardner, age 27, was sentenced on November 29, 2022 to 450 months in prison for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering, Causing Death Through Use of a Firearm, and Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering. The sentence was imposed consecutively to two previous federal sentences Gardner is currently serving. Following his imprisonment, Gardner was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. Gardner pleaded guilty in July 2022.

In 2016 and 2017, as a member of Savage Life Boys (SLB), a Davenport-based street gang, Gardner was involved in multiple shootings, including at a dice game in December 2016, and at the Hotel Davenport in February 2017. On December 16, 2016, Gardner and other SLB members robbed and physically assaulted another male, including pistol-whipping him. SLB members also shot at the male’s vehicle as the male and an associate fled the area.

On February 12, 2017, at a concert at the Hotel Davenport, Gardner and several other SLB members started a physical altercation with an individual they believed had disrespected their gang. During the altercation, Gardner fired several shots, striking and killing one male and striking and injuring another.

Gardner committed these acts with the intent to maintain or increase his position in the gang.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal stated “This dedicated and long-term investigation highlights our commitment with local law enforcement to combatting violent crime. The families and friends of the victims in this investigation continue to feel the pain that acts of gun violence can inflict. We will continue to pursue every available law enforcement tool and partnership towards the common goal of community safety.”

Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said “We are incredibly proud of the collaborative efforts and dedication and persistence to bring closure for the victims and justice for those responsible in the 2017 homicide and several other shootings. This case is a great example of the incredible partnership the Davenport Police Department has with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and their commitment to justice for our community and the victims of violent crime.” The Peoria, Illinois Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Davenport, IA – Paul John McNicol, age 30, of LeClaire, was sentenced on November 30, 2022, to 216 months in prison for receiving child pornography. McNicol was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Following his imprisonment, McNicol was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release.

Law enforcement identified McNicol after he uploaded sexually explicit images of minors to the social media program, KIK. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at McNicol’s residence and seized electronic devices, on which they located numerous images and videos depicting child pornography. McNicol was required to register as a sex offender following his 2014 Illinois convictions for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and Criminal Sexual Abuse.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a complaint and a proposed consent decree with the State of Iowa to resolve allegations that conditions at Glenwood Resource Center (Glenwood), an institution for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), violated the Constitution.

Specifically, the proposed consent decree, which must still be approved by the court, would resolve the department’s claims that the State exposes Glenwood residents to unreasonable harm and serious risk of harm by subjecting them to uncontrolled and unsupervised experimentation, inadequate physical and behavioral health care and inadequate protection from harm, including deficient safety and oversight mechanisms.

“People with disabilities should not be subjected to the kind of unconstitutional conditions and ill treatment that too many have experienced at Glenwood,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement makes clear that the basic constitutional rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in state-run facilities must be protected. Our agreement will ensure adequate oversight of and accountability at Glenwood, and requires extensive public reporting to promote transparency and rebuild public trust. For those who are leaving Glenwood, our agreement requires the State to help them transition to services that will meet their needs in the most integrated setting and support them in engaging with the broader community.”

The proposed consent decree prohibits uncontrolled and unsupervised experiments; requires better staffing, training and oversight for clinical care; dramatically limits the use of restraints and seclusion; and requires substantial State oversight over all aspects of Glenwood’s operation. The State must also implement policies and procedures to address the underlying deficiencies that led to the alleged constitutional violations. In addition, the decree requires greater transparency, through public reporting and engagement with stakeholders. The proposed consent decree appoints an independent monitor who will assess the State’s compliance with the decree’s terms. 

Further, if more than one-third of current Glenwood residents move to, and are living at, Woodward Resource Center (the other State-run institution for individuals with IDD) at any point during the decree term, then the consent decree will apply to Woodward as well. The State of Iowa announced in April 2022 that it plans to close Glenwood in approximately two years, and the proposed consent decree requires the State to ensure that Glenwood residents move to the most integrated setting consistent with their informed choice, needs and preferences, with the appropriate services and supports in place.

The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa initiated the investigation in November 2019 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, which authorizes the department to act to correct a pattern or practice of deprivation of federal rights of individuals who reside in institutions, such as Glenwood Resource Center. In December 2020, the department provided the State written notice of the alleged unlawful conditions and remedial measures necessary to address them. Specifically, the department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the State of Iowa violated the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution by harming Glenwood residents and placing them at serious risk of harm. 

The proposed consent decree does not resolve the department’s notice issued in December 2021 regarding unnecessary institutionalization of people with IDD at Glenwood and Woodward Resource Centers, in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Negotiations to resolve the December 202 Notice are ongoing.

Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via email at Iowa.Investigation@usdoj.gov. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.

Davenport, IA – Rayontrez Demar Brown, age 26, of Davenport, was sentenced on November 30, 2022, to 41 months in prison for bank robbery. Brown was also ordered to pay $26,399 in restitution. Following his imprisonment, Brown was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.

In January and February 2022, there were a series of bank robberies in Davenport. With the assistance of surveillance video and thorough investigative techniques, law enforcement identified Brown as the suspect. On January 14, 2022, Brown entered a Great Southern Bank and jumped over the counter, demanding that tellers give him all the money. On January 21, 2022, Brown entered the Family Credit Union on West Kimberly Road, jumped over the counter and demanded the tellers give him all the money. Finally, on February 2, 2022, Brown robbed a third bank, the Family Credit Union on Rockingham Road, again demanding that tellers give him all the money. In total, Brown stole $26,399. Law enforcement recovered $9,315 in Brown’s residence and on his person at the time of his arrest.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Davenport Police Department investigated the case.

Davenport, IA – Brandon Scott Hagedorn, age 26, of Davenport, was sentenced on November 28, 2022, to 57 months in prison for possessing ammunition as a felon. Following his imprisonment, Hagedorn was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.

On April 30, 2021, Davenport police officers responded to Daisy Dooks Gentlemen Club for a shots-fired call. Surveillance video showed a group of males engaged in a physical altercation in the parking lot. As the altercation concluded, Hagedorn shot at a vehicle leaving the parking lot. Law enforcement collected one live round of ammunition and seven spent shell casings. The firearm was never recovered. Law enforcement identified Hagedorn as the shooter through the surveillance video, as well as Hagedorn’s clothing, witness reports, social media, and location data.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.

Davenport, IA – Carlos Bhaiman Wesley, age 28, of Burlington, was sentenced to 21 months of imprisonment for failing to update his sex offender registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). After he is released from prison, Wesley will serve five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Wesley was required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his 2013 Wisconsin conviction for Third-Degree Sexual Assault. Wesley absconded from supervision and moved to Burlington. Wesley did not register as a sex offender in the State of Iowa and did not register his out-of-state move with the Wisconsin sex offender registry, in violation of SORNA.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The U.S. Marshals Service and the West Burlington Police Department investigated the case.

SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

Des Moines, IA – An Iowa man was sentenced on November 22, 2022, to 20 years in  prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in illicit sexual activities.

According to court documents, Dennis Eugene Kimball, age 58 of Des Moines, communicated over the internet with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old female. During the messages, Kimball arranged to meet the person he believed to be a minor female at a hotel to engage in sex acts. Kimball was arrested by law enforcement in October 2021 when he arrived at the hotel expecting to meet the minor female for sex acts. Following his prison term, Kimball will be on supervised release for five years. There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Altoona Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI)’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

Davenport, IA – Gerald Brian Hoard, age 49 of Bettendorf, Iowa, was sentenced today to time-served following his plea of guilty to Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor. Hoard went into custody on March 15, 2022. Hoard will serve three years of supervised release including one year at a residential re-entry center.

According to court documents, Hoard used the social media application Grindr, an online dating app, to communicate with an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old. Hoard sent a picture of his genitals to the purported minor. Hoard agreed to meet the minor at a local store for the purpose of engaging in sexual activities.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

Des Moines, IA – An Iowa man was sentenced on November 22, 2022, to 30 years in prison for Production of Child Pornography.

According to court documents, Kyle Taylor Tremblay, age 30 of Ankeny, interacted with children on an online video-chat forum on multiple dates in early 2021. Tremblay directed the children to perform sexual acts to themselves, including children that Tremblay knew were 10 years old and 11 years old, and make explicit poses for the webcam. Tremblay video-recorded his online interactions with the children. Police located these recordings on Tremblay’s cell phone that was seized during a search warrant at Tremblay’s Ankeny residence in April 2021. Police also located videos and images of other child sexual abuse material stored on Tremblay’s cell phone. Tremblay sent numerous images of child sexual abuse material to multiple other persons via an online messenger application. Following completion of his prison term, Tremblay will be on supervised release for five years. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Ankeny Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI)’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force.

DES MOINES, IOWA – Michael Allen James, age 39, of Des Moines, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for distributing a controlled substance which resulted in death on Friday, November 18, 2022. On August 5, 2022, Gregory Michael Williams, age 38, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for distributing a controlled substance which resulted in death. Both men were sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie Rose after pleading guilty.

On November 8, 2020, Williams purchased two Oxycodone pills from James. Williams then distributed the pills to C.C.. Later, C.C. and his fiancée, K.F., ingested the pills, and both overdosed. C.C. was revived on scene and survived. K.F. was brought to the hospital and later pronounced dead. The Oxycodone pills were counterfeit and contained fentanyl.

Investigators with the Des Moines Police Department Vice-Narcotics Unit reviewed phone records and conducted interviews, including of the victims’ friends and family, which led officers to identify Williams and James. In November 2020, Williams was arrested in possession of a firearm after he held his children at gunpoint. In December 2020, officers executed a search warrant at James’ house and located marijuana, cash, and 100 rounds of ammunition. James was prohibited for possessing ammunition because he is a felon.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory E. Weiser, with assistance from Victim Witness Specialist Charlotte Kovacs.

DES MOINES, IA – John Dale Parmer, age 59, of Osceola, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for Social Security Fraud - Concealment. Parmer pleaded guilty on June 21, 2022. Following completion of his prison term, Parmer will be on supervised release for three years. Parmer was ordered to pay $234,552 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

In 2006, Parmer began to receive Social Security disability benefits due to becoming nearly blind. By at least 2013, Parmer’s vision had markedly improved. Since 2013 Parmer consistently worked for several employers in Central Iowa, including as a mechanic and truck driver. However, Parmer did not inform the SSA that his vision had improved or that he had returned to work. From at least 2013 and continuing until 2020, Parmer knowingly concealed and failed to disclose to the SSA these events, which affected his right to continue to receive benefits. Parmer did so with the intent to fraudulently secure payment of disability benefits. Parmer also lied about these matters in paperwork he submitted to the SSA. As a result of Parmer’s fraud, he received $234,552 in disability benefits to which he was not entitled.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The SSA Office of Inspector General investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt.

Des Moines, Iowa – Brett Michael Dobberke, age 22, of Des Moines, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it.

According to court documents and the facts detailed at the sentencing hearing, on November 7, 2021, Dobberke set up a drug deal, via Snapchat, with an individual unknown to him. Dobberke arrived at the drug deal with a loaded gun. The customer who arrived to buy drugs from Dobberke was a 15-year-old boy. During the drug deal, Dobberke and the 15-year-old boy exchanged gunfire, and Dobberke shot and killed the minor victim. Following the shooting, Dobberke did not call for help or render aid to the victim and instead left the scene.

After Dobberke killed the minor victim, he did two more drug deals that same night. He also hid the shell casing from the discharged round that killed the victim. When police officers located Dobberke, he had another loaded gun in his vehicle. The gun Dobberke used to shoot and kill the victim was located at his residence.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa; and the Des Moines Police Department made the announcement.

The Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikaela J. Shotwell and Kristin M. Herrera prosecuted the case, with assistance from Victim Witness Specialists Charlotte Kovacs and Katie Blanchard.

Des Moines, IA – On Thursday, November 10, 2022, Halston Ray Van Westen, age 22, of Story City, was sentenced to five years in prison following his plea to a charge of Possession of Child Pornography. Van Westen must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on or about October 8, 2021, Van Westen knowingly possessed visual depictions of child pornography, including 390 images and 290 videos. Van Westen knew that the depictions were of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, the depictions included minors who had not attained the age of 12 years of age, and the visual depictions had been shipped in interstate or foreign commerce by any means including by computer. Van Westen used his cellphone to commit the crime.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Story County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the Iowa Crimes Against Children Task Force, investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Richard Joseph Moreno, age 36 of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 28, 2022, to 84 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. After he is released from prison, Moreno will serve three years of supervised release.

On August 17, 2021, a Mills County Sherriff’s Deputy stopped Moreno for traffic violations. The deputy discovered the truck had been reported stolen. The truck smelled of spray paint and appeared as if it had been recently repainted from white to black. When Moreno stepped out of the vehicle, a marijuana pipe fell off his lap. During a search of the truck, officers located a locked bag and later opened it after obtaining a search warrant. Inside the locked bag was ammunition and a loaded firearm that had been reported stolen. Moreno had a prior felony conviction that prevented him from possessing a firearm.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Mills County Sheriff Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Shanna Michelle Jacobsen, age 40 of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on Thursday, November 3, 2022, to 188 months in prison following her plea of guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.

Beginning in June 2020, and up to and including January 2022, Jacobsen purchased controlled substances, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana from a source of supply and sold these controlled substances to others in Nebraska and Iowa. Jacobsen knew that these controlled substances were being unlawfully imported from Mexico to the United States and that the scope of the conspiracy was extensive. She maintained her residence and a storage unit in Council Bluffs for the purpose of distributing these controlled substances.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Andre Alexander Shupe, age 34 of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on November 3, 2022, to 92 months in prison following his pleas of guilty to charges of Possession and Sale of a Stolen Firearm and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. After he is released from prison, Shupe will serve three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution for the stolen firearms and other items.

On November 6, 2021, at approximately 2 am, four firearms and hunting gear were stolen from a truck parked at Harrah’s casino in Council Bluffs. Casino surveillance located footage of a female who burglarized the truck and stole the firearms and hunting gear. Law enforcement received information that Shupe was romantically involved with the female who stole the firearms, and that Shupe was trying to sell or trade the stolen firearms. A home in Omaha, Nebraska was searched and one of the stolen firearms was recovered. The other three firearms were not recovered. Shupe had a previous felony conviction that prevented him from possessing any firearm and was also prohibited from possessing firearms because he was a drug user.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bellevue Police Department, the Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa — On Friday, October 7, 2022, Jason Robert Wesely, age 39 of Salem, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court to Possession of Child Pornography. Wesely is scheduled to be sentenced on February 28, 2023. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

According to court documents, on or about June 4, 2020, Wesely knowingly possessed visual depictions of child pornography. Wesely knew that the visual depictions were of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, the depictions included minors who had not attained 12 years of age, and the visual depictions had been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce by any means including by computer and cellular phone. Wesely used his phone and a DVD to commit the crime. IP addresses connected to a social media account used in the crime were tracked to Wesely’s residence in Salem, as well as his workplace at the National Guard in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the United States Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexual abused are encouraged o call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Omaha, Nebraska man, Ronald Wayne Reed II, age 37, was sentenced on Thursday, November 3, 2022, to 120 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

On March 28, 2021, the Mills County Sheriff’s Department received information that Reed and his co-defendant, Anisha Luna, were planning to deliver an ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential source at a McDonald’s parking lot in Glenwood, Iowa. Deputies surveilled the McDonald’s and saw Luna and Reed arrive in a car. After a probable cause search, deputies found over five grams of methamphetamine in possession of Luna and Reed, which they intended to distribute. Investigation showed that Luna and Reed had distributed over a pound of methamphetamine.

Anisha Luna, age 33 of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 3, 2022 to 96 months in prison.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Mills County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

Des Moines, IA – United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Leemkuil will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Leemkuil has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Iowa, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

United States Attorney Richard Westphal said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Ryan Leemkuil will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 515-473-9300.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 515-223-4278 (Des Moines).

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.

United States Attorney Westphal said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

DAVENPORT, IA – Five people, all from the Quad Cities area, have now been sentenced to federal prison for their role as members of a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organization in Davenport. Those sentenced as part of this drug conspiracy include:

• Theodore Thomas Browne, age 50, was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release; • Karley Ann Smith, age 29, was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release; • Donnie Wayne Robinson, age 36, was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release; • Joshua Steven Ennis, age 40, was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release; and
• Joshua John Paarmann, age 32, was sentenced to 420 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release.

In fall 2020, law enforcement identified eight individuals as members of a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organization in Davenport. Paarmann and Robinson served as the conspiracy’s methamphetamine sources of supply. Robinson was arrested in November 2020 in possession of a firearm and approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine. Ennis was arrested in December 2020 in possession of a firearm and approximately 13 grams of cocaine. Smith was arrested in December 2020 in possession of more than 100 grams of methamphetamine. Paarmann was arrested in December 2020 in possession of more than 1,400 grams of methamphetamine, $5,800 of drug proceeds, a firearm, and numerous rounds of ammunition.

Paarmann, Lira, and Ennis were released from jail in early 2021. Ennis committed a burglary in which he stole two firearms. Law enforcement re-arrested Ennis in March 2021 in possession of three firearms, including the two stolen during the burglary. Browne recruited Paarmann and Lira to sell methamphetamine for him upon their release in February 2021. In March 2021, Paarmann and Nelson also made a trip to Colorado to transport methamphetamine back to Iowa for Browne. They were arrested upon their return to Scott County in possession of more than 400 grams of methamphetamine.

In total, the conspiracy was responsible for trafficking more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to the Quad Cities between July 2020 and March 2021.

Browne pleaded guilty on March 9, 2022; Smith pleaded guilty on March 22, 2022; Nelson pleaded guilty on March 31, 2022; Robinson pleaded guilty on April 12, 2022; Ennis pleaded guilty on May 9, 2022; and Paarmann was found guilty on May 25, 2022, following a jury trial.

In June 2022, co-defendant Chelsey Lira was sentenced to 180 months in prison. In August 2022, co-defendant Taylor Graeber was sentenced to 120 months in prison and Robert Nelson was sentenced to 168 months in prison.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department, Drug Enforcement Agency, Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Iowa State Patrol, and Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, IA – Timothy Allen Smith, age 32, of Joliet, Illinois was sentenced on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, to 144 months in prison following his guilty plea to Conspiracy to Distribute at Least 50 Grams of Actual Methamphetamine and Distribution of 50 grams and more of Methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Smith was identified as a member of a conspiracy trafficking large amounts of “ice” methamphetamine coming from Arizona. Smith distributed methamphetamine to other drug dealers in the Clinton and Davenport, Iowa area. Further investigation revealed that Smith also resided in the same house as one of his methamphetamine suppliers, Mario Moreno, who was also charged as part of this conspiracy investigation. In September 2019, Moreno, age 34, of Savanna, Illinois, received a 168-month sentence. Others sentenced as part of this drug conspiracy include:

• In April 2019, Flemming Lashae Lewis, age 39, of Clinton, was sentenced to 230 months of imprisonment; • In April 2019, Charles Edward Lane III, age 34, of Clinton, was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment, and
• In August 2019, Antonio Gipson, age 48, of Clinton, was sentenced to 210 months imprisonment.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man and Zambia native, Kachimbe Mukanzu, also known as Kash, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, to 264 months in prison for Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Following his imprisonment, Mukanzu was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Kachimbe Mukanzu, age 35, recruited several young women and sexually exploited them by force, fraud and coercion. Mukanzu helped post advertisements through Backpage and various other sites where he would set up profiles for the victims advertising sex acts for money. Mukanzu promised the victims things of value and glamorized the lifestyle to lure them into performing commercial sex acts and in return he profited. Mukanzu provided the victims drugs so that they could work around the clock. On multiple occasions in 2018, Mukanzu drove the victims to different states for the purpose of sex trafficking. On February 4, 2022, Mukanzu pleaded guilty to the charges.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa City Police Department investigated the case.

Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Individuals who purchase sex from minors or from those who are otherwise exploited for commercial sex are also subject to prosecution for sex trafficking under federal law, if they knew or were in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18, or that force, fraud, or coercion was used.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man and India native, Sameer Chandulal Patel, age 30, was sentenced on Friday, October 28, 2022, to 210 months in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography. Following his imprisonment, Patel was ordered to serve five years of supervised release, unless he is deported from the United States.

According to court documents, a Cybertip was received from a social media application indicating that child pornography had been uploaded to their site. Further investigation revealed that Patel, while living in Iowa City, had distributed, received, and possessed over 18,000 images and 14,000 videos containing child pornography from 2016 to 2021. On June 17, 2022, Patel plead guilty to the charge.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Davenport man, George Winston Taylor, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, to 260 months in prison for Receiving Child Pornography. Taylor was also ordered to pay $48,000 in restitution. Following his imprisonment, Taylor was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, George Winston Taylor, age 65, was identified by law enforcement through a cyber-tip from a social media platform stating that an image containing child pornography had been uploaded. The email associated with the cyber-tip was registered to Taylor. Following further investigation, officers executed a search warrant on Taylor’s residence in Davenport. Multiple electronic devices were seized. Forensic examination of the devices revealed approximately 3,000 images and over 400 videos containing child pornography. Taylor was previously convicted of Possession of Child Pornography in the Central District of Illinois in 1998.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Theodore L. Snow, III, age 39 of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on Friday, October 28, 2022, to 130 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Snow will be on supervised release for five years after his release from imprisonment.

On March 3, 2021, a Council Bluffs Police Officer stopped Snow’s car for numerous traffic violations. Snow consented to a search of the car. During the search, the officer located drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine, and shotgun shells, and located a loaded pistol in the waist band of Snow’s pants. Snow is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction. Between the fall 2020 and spring 2021, Snow was distributing a large amount of methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs area.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

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

DAVENPORT, IA – Donald Wayne Fulscher Jr., age 36, of Rock Island, was sentenced yesterday to eight years in prison following his plea to a charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

According to court documents, on October 30, 2021, officers attempted a traffic stop of Fulscher for minor traffic violations in Muscatine. Rather than stopping, Fulscher attempted to elude law enforcement by driving in excess of 100 mph in a marked 25 mph construction zone, running stop signs and lights, driving into oncoming traffic, and running over construction cones. Fulscher eventually drove into Illinois where he crashed in a cornfield. Officers located a loaded, nine-millimeter handgun in the vehicle and ammunition on Fulscher’s person.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office.

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