Southern District of Iowa

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Cedar Rapids man, Matthew Patrick Langenberg, was sentenced on December 23, 2021 by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 60 months in prison for Receiving Child Pornography. Langenberg was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Langenberg, age 52, was identified by law enforcement after an iPhone associated with him was turned over to the Coralville Police Department following the discovery of child pornography on the device. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a forensic examination of the device and located 56 images depicting child pornography and one video depicting anime child pornography. Langenberg also used Bit Torrent software to obtain the child pornography and utilized web searches consistent with child pornography. Langenberg pleaded guilty to the charge on August 24, 2021.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Coralville 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 – Earl Jonell Jackson, age 40, of Omaha, NE was sentenced on December 20, 2021 by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 120 months in prison for Transportation and Sex Trafficking of a Child. His prison term will be followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Jackson pleaded guilty to the charge on August 5, 2021.

On September 8, 2020, the mother of the minor victim reported her daughter missing to the Council Bluffs Police Department. Law enforcement began their investigation and based on phone number information, they were able to locate numerous ads for prostitution posted by Jackson on skipthegames.com, an online website where ads are posted for prostitution purposes. Prostitution ads of the minor victim were posted in the Omaha and Council Bluffs area, specifically in the Council Bluffs area in August and September of 2020.

Law enforcement further found on September 5, 2020, Jackson and the minor victim drove from Omaha to Chicago. Jackson supplied the minor victim with drugs and posted prostitution ads on skipthegames.com in the Chicago and Highland Park, IL area numerous times in September of 2020. The minor victim was located in Chicago, Illinois.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Lucas Michael McNulty-Snodgrass, was sentenced on December 22, 2021 by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 210 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and a Mixture and Substance Containing Fentanyl and Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. McNulty-Snodgrass was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

McNulty-Snodgrass, age 29, was identified by law enforcement as a distributor of methamphetamine and prescription pills in the Davenport area. After buying methamphetamine and fentanyl directly from McNulty-Snodgrass on multiple occasions, law enforcement obtained a search warrant of McNulty-Snodgrass’s residence in Davenport on December 2, 2020. Officers found over 200 grams of ice methamphetamine, over 110 grams of fentanyl in the form of pills, scales, and drug packaging material. Furthermore, a shotgun, two pistols, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition were discovered during the search. As a convicted felon out of Clinton County, Iowa, McNulty-Snodgrass was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition.

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, originally from Chicago, Chovontae Martise Farmer, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey on December 22, 2021 to 228 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Heroin and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Farmer was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Farmer, age 30, was identified by law enforcement as a participant in an active drug conspiracy that was responsible for the large scale distribution of heroin, fentanyl purported to be heroin, and methamphetamine in the Quad Cities. Farmer is the seventh member of the conspiracy who has been prosecuted to-date. Between October 2020 and December 2020, Farmer worked with other members of the conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl purported to be heroin. On December 10, 2020, law enforcement arrested Farmer and executed a search warrant on his hotel room. During the search, officers located distribution quantities of a heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl-fentanyl mixture; ice methamphetamine; drug packaging materials; a digital scale; $5,370 in drug proceeds; and both a loaded and stolen Sig Sauer Model P230 firearm. Farmer later admitted in a post-Miranda interview to working with other conspirators to distribute significant quantities of drugs in the Quad Cities. Farmer further admitted to obtaining the firearm found in his hotel room for protection.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bettendorf Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Bettendorf man, Joshua Andrew Dewilfond, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey on December 23, 2021 to 200 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Dewilfond was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Dewilfond, age 32, was identified by law enforcement when an anonymous tip was submitted to Crime Stoppers that alleged Dewilfond was selling drugs out of his vehicle. On September 27, 2020, law enforcement located Dewilfond driving and stopped him; he attempted to flee and was not cooperative with law enforcement. Officers noted the smell of burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was completed and 988 grams of methamphetamine, ammunition, and other various prescription medication were located. The following day, agents located a vehicle registered to Dewilfond. A canine alerted on the vehicle and it was searched. More ammunition and loaded magazines were found in the vehicle. Additional ammunition, drugs, and drug paraphernalia were also located during a search of Dewilfond’s residence. As a convicted felon, Dewilfond was prohibited from owning or possessing ammunition. Dewilfond pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him on August 24, 2021.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Drug Taskforce, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bettendorf, Iowa, Police Department.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Aiken, South Carolina man, Travis Lee McKie, age 41, was sentenced on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 325 months in prison for Production of Child Pornography. McKie was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

McKie was incarcerated at the Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina when he obtained a cellular phone and communicated with a minor victim located in the Southern District of Iowa. McKie persuaded and induced the victim to send sexually explicit images of themselves to McKie—oftentimes with derogatory remarks.

McKie came to law enforcement’s attention after receiving a Cybertip from Facebook regarding uploaded sexually explicit material depicting minors. Law enforcement obtained several search warrants that ultimately identified McKie as the suspect. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for McKie’s Google account, which revealed stored images depicting child pornography produced by the victim. McKie pleaded guilty to the offense on August 11, 2021.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Secret Service 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, Iowa – A Burlington man, Terrell Nicholas Wilson, age 28, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey on December 22, 2021 to 70 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Wilson was on federal supervised release at the time of the offense. The 70-month sentence was ordered to be served consecutively to an 18-month sentence imposed for a supervised release violation. Wilson will be placed on three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and was ordered to immediately pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Wilson was identified by law enforcement on February 2, 2021 as the passenger of a vehicle stopped for an expired registration. Wilson ran from the scene as the vehicle stopped for law enforcement. The following day, Burlington Police responded to a call regarding a .22 caliber pistol found in the area where Wilson had fled the day before. Wilson admitted he possessed and dropped the firearm when he fled the traffic stop. Additionally, at Wilson’s sentencing hearing, the District Court found Wilson used the firearm the day before the traffic stop during an aggravated assault. As a convicted felon out of the Illinois Circuit Court for Henderson County, Illinois; the Iowa District Court for Lee County, Iowa; and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Wilson was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Burlington Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

DES MOINES, IA – On Thursday, December 16, 2021, Tonia Sue White, age 41, of Des Moines, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 188 months in prison for distributing a controlled substance which resulted in death. White previously pleaded guilty to the charge.

On June 17, 2020, members of the Des Moines Police Department were dispatched to a Walgreens in Des Moines for a drug overdose. The victim was rushed to the hospital and was later pronounced dead. Members of the Des Moines Police Department Vice-Narcotics Unit made contact with the victim’s associate, who was with the victim at the time of the overdose, who provided information that led detectives to White. In a post-Miranda interview, White admitted to distributing a quantity of heroin to the victim’s associate, which was shared with the victim. Lab results indicated the substance White distributed was a heroin and fentanyl mixture.

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. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man, Jaime Antonio Hernandez, Jr., age 28, was sentenced on December 14, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 84 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. His term of imprisonment is to be followed by three years of supervised release.

In June of 2020 law enforcement located Hernandez in an apartment in Council Bluffs. Hernandez was found to be in possession of a firearm, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Hernandez pleaded guilty to Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm in February of 2021.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Council Bluffs Police Department, and Omaha Police Department investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Hershel James Ratliff, age 71, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced Thursday December 16, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 360 months in prison for six counts of Human Trafficking and one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance to a Minor. His prison term will be followed by ten years of supervised release. A jury found Ratliff guilty of the offenses on July 23, 2021.

The Council Bluffs Police Department began investigating Ratliff in August 2019 after a mandatory reporter made a report to the Iowa Department of Human Services about information reported by a fourteen-year-old child that involved inappropriate sexual conversations and advances by Ratliff. As the investigation continued, numerous other young adults were identified as being victimized by Ratliff while they were in high school. Ratliff provided drugs, alcohol, and a place to party for teenagers. Ratliff groomed teenagers and after cultivating a trusting relationship with them, convinced them to engage in various sex acts with him and his friends for money, alcohol, or drugs. Ratliff also used his business, Jimmy’s All-American Diner and his rental properties to groom and recruit victims. This illegal activity spanned from 2012-2019.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa – As the holiday travel season continues, local, state and federal agencies within the Southern District of Iowa are working together to ensure the safety of commercial airline passengers, flight crews and flight attendants.

Federal law prohibits assaults, intimidation and threats of violence that interfere with flight crews and flight attendants, as well as other enumerated criminal acts that occur during flight. Passengers who commit assaults against other passengers are also subject to federal prosecution.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland directed United States Attorneys to prioritize the prosecution of federal crimes occurring on commercial aircraft. To assist in the investigation and prosecution of in-air crimes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Justice have created an information-sharing protocol, resulting nationally in the referral of numerous incidents by the FAA to the FBI for investigation.

A statement from the Des Moines Police Department indicated that officers from the Des Moines Police Department’s Community Outreach and Protective Services Airport Section will be available throughout the holiday season to support and collaborate with federal partners to provide for the safest travel experience for all.

“Holiday travel should be accomplished in the same spirit as celebration of the holiday itself. We support our federal, state, city and airport security partners in assuring safety for passengers, flight crews, and flight attendants, in the air and on the ground. In assistance to these partners, and for those crimes that have singular federal jurisdiction, we are committed to hold accountable those who engage in criminal behavior during air travel,” stated United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel stated, “The FBI continues to work with the FAA and other partners to combat violence aboard commercial flights and ensure the safety of all passengers. We remain committed to investigating all incidents that meet the threshold of a federal crime and fall within FBI jurisdiction.”

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Joshua Matthew St. John, age 42, of Glenwood, was sentenced on December 16, 2021, by United States Chief District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 132 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. His term of imprisonment will be followed by five years of supervised release. According to court documents, St. John pleaded guilty to the methamphetamine offense in May of 2021. His co-defendant, Sarah Diane Adams, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2022.

On April 2, 2020, a confidential source arranged with St. John to purchase a quarter pound of methamphetamine. The confidential source traveled to St. John’s residence in Glenwood and was instructed by Adams to follow them to a stash location. The quarter pound of methamphetamine was measured from a larger amount and delivered by Adams to the confidential source. On April 24, 2020, the confidential source met St. John at his residence to purchase methamphetamine and reported seeing a large quantity of methamphetamine. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on St. John’s residence and recovered approximately a half pound of methamphetamine and distribution paraphernalia.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Council Bluffs Police Department, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, and Glenwood Police Department investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA – On November 16, 2021, United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced Matthew Eric Mason, age 26, formerly of Ottumwa and Des Moines, to 188 months in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography announced United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Mason pleaded guilty to the offense on August 25, 2021. Following completion of his prison term, Mason will be required to register as a sex offender and will be on supervised release for ten additional years.

According to court documents, Mason began communicating with multiple minor boys in 2019 while playing online video games. Multiple times in early February 2019, Mason knowingly persuaded and enticed a 13-year-old boy, who resided in New Hampshire, to take “selfie” photographs of that boy’s genitals and send the photos to Mason via an online application. The boy did so. Mason knew that the boy was 13-years old when Mason used the boy to create and send the photographs. In the summer of 2019, Mason knowingly persuaded and enticed a 12-year-old boy, who resided in Maryland, to take a photo of the boy’s genitals and send the photo to Mason via text message. The boy did so. Mason knew the child was in middle school when Mason used the boy to create the photograph. Police searched Mason’s Des Moines apartment in November 2019 and discovered several electronic devices that contained dozens of videos of child pornography depicting adolescent boys.

This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Nashua (New Hampshire) Police Department, Ottumwa Police Department, Wapello County Attorney’s Office, and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. 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 sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced Tuesday, December 14, 2021, by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 180 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. According to court documents, Matthew Michael Loth, age 42, pleaded guilty to the methamphetamine and firearm offenses in July of 2021.

On March 4, 2021, Loth was parked at a gas station and law enforcement stopped to talk to him after noticing the car did not have a front license plate. Communications advised the officers Loth had a warrant for his arrest for a violation of supervised release. A trained and certified narcotics-sniffing dog alerted and indicated to the odor of a controlled substance in Loth’s vehicle and police searched the car. A firearm with a loaded magazine and 109 grams of methamphetamine were located.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced Tuesday, December 14, 2021, by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 120 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. According to court documents, Clarence L. Woolsoncroft, age 58, pleaded guilty to the firearm offense in August of 2021. Woolsoncroft will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

In April of 2021, the Council Bluffs Police Department received an anonymous telephone call reporting Woolsoncroft, who was a convicted felon, used drugs and had firearms. The caller also reported Woolsoncroft threatened them. Council Bluffs Police Department began an investigation which led to a search warrant being served on Woolsoncroft’s residence and the subsequent recovery of two handguns and three shotguns with a large amount of assorted ammunition. The investigation also developed Woolsoncroft regularly used methamphetamine, and an incident in which after Woolsoncroft had used methamphetamine, he pointed an unloaded handgun at a person and pulled the trigger, before telling the person the firearm was not loaded.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Two Davenport men, Donnie Spencer, age 70, and Rafiel Lee Owens, age 35, were sentenced on Monday, December 13, 2021 by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose. Spencer was sentenced to 300 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Crack Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Crack Cocaine, and Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Spencer was ordered to serve four years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $300 to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Owens was sentenced to 212 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Crack Cocaine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Owens was ordered to serve four years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Spencer and Owens were identified by law enforcement as participants in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine in June 2019 after a female suffered an opioid overdose at a hotel room where Owens was selling heroin. The investigation revealed Spencer was supplying his nephew Owens with drugs. Between June 2019 and December 2019, law enforcement executed several search warrants and recovered various controlled substances at Spencer and Owens’s residences, including heroin, heroin and fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Spencer traveled to Chicago on a weekly basis to obtain heroin and crack cocaine and transported the drugs back to the Quad Cities. Spencer then supplied Owens, who then sold the drugs on Spencer’s behalf. Spencer also sold the drugs to his own customers. Over the course of approximately four years, Spencer was responsible for transporting and distributing approximately two kilograms of heroin and five kilograms of crack cocaine from Chicago to the Quad Cities.

In May of 2018, a 30-year-old female died from a drug overdose in Davenport after ingesting heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine provided to her by Owens. Testimony at the sentencing hearing revealed the night before she passed away, Spencer provided heroin to Owens who provided it to the female. She was found deceased the following morning.

In August of 2019, a 28-year-old female died in Rock Island, Illinois after ingesting a mixture of heroin and fentanyl provided to her by Owens. Testimony at the sentencing hearing revealed that Spencer tricked the female, who was not a heroin user, into consuming the heroin by telling her it was cocaine. Owens had obtained the heroin from Spencer earlier that day. The female was found dead the following morning.

Donnie Spencer was found guilty after a bench trial, presided by Judge Rose, on August 10, 2021. Rafiel Owens pleaded guilty to the charges on February 19, 2021.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

An Iowa man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge related to the sale of misbranded vitamin B12 injectable drugs, the Department of Justice announced.

Brady Tomlinson, 46, of Des Moines, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa to one count of introducing a misbranded drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. According to court documents, Tomlinson sold injectable vitamin B12 solutions online beginning in May 2015. Tomlinson marketed the injections as weight loss drugs. According to court documents, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed Tomlinson during a December 2016 inspection that dispensing the drugs without valid prescriptions violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Tomlinson closed his business for a week following the inspection, but then created a new website and continued selling the same kinds of misbranded B12 injections from December 2016 until April 2019.

“Dispensing drugs such as these without a prescription or the involvement of a medical professional endangers consumers and violates the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work hand-in-hand with the FDA to investigate and prosecute the illegal dispensing of prescription drugs.”

“Selling prescription drugs online – with no medical supervision – can cause serious harm and put consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize U.S. consumers’ health and safety.” 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen H. Locher set sentencing for Tomlinson for April 15, 2022.

The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam J. Kerndt of the Southern District of Iowa and Trial Attorneys Ross Goldstein and Marcus P. Smith of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.

An Iowa man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge related to the sale of misbranded vitamin B12 injectable drugs, the Department of Justice announced.

Brady Tomlinson, 46, of Des Moines, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa to one count of introducing a misbranded drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. According to court documents, Tomlinson sold injectable vitamin B12 solutions online beginning in May 2015. Tomlinson marketed the injections as weight loss drugs. According to court documents, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed Tomlinson during a December 2016 inspection that dispensing the drugs without valid prescriptions violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Tomlinson closed his business for a week following the inspection, but then created a new website and continued selling the same kinds of misbranded B12 injections from December 2016 until April 2019.

“Dispensing drugs such as these without a prescription or the involvement of a medical professional endangers consumers and violates the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work hand-in-hand with the FDA to investigate and prosecute the illegal dispensing of prescription drugs.”

“Selling prescription drugs online – with no medical supervision – can cause serious harm and put consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize U.S. consumers’ health and safety.” 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen H. Locher set sentencing for Tomlinson for April 15, 2022.

The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam J. Kerndt of the Southern District of Iowa and Trial Attorneys Ross Goldstein and Marcus P. Smith of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.

Three former executives of Valley Bank, a defunct financial institution based in Moline, Illinois, and the President of Vital Financial Services (Vital Financial), a lending service provider, have pleaded guilty to scheming to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with its programs to guarantee loans made to small businesses. 

According to court document, the defendants — Michael Slater, 65, of Clive, Iowa, former President and Founder of Vital Financial; Larry Henson, 70, of Davenport, Iowa, former President and Chairman of Valley Bank; Andrew Erpelding, 43, also of Davenport, Iowa, former Vice President and Regional Manager of Valley Bank; and Susan McLaughlin, 68, of Bettendorf, Iowa, former Vice President for Credit Administration of Valley Bank — conspired to and did fraudulently obtain loan guarantees from the SBA on behalf of Valley Bank borrowers, knowing that the loans did not meet SBA’s guidelines and requirements for the guarantees. They did so by, among other things, altering loan payment histories, renaming businesses, and hiding the fact that borrowers had previously defaulted on loans. When the fraudulently guaranteed loans defaulted, the defendants caused the submission of reimbursement requests to the SBA to purchase the defaulted loans from investors and lending institutions, thereby shifting the majority of losses on the ineligible loans to the SBA. In all, the defendants attempted to obtain guarantees on over $14 million in loans, were successful in obtaining guarantees on over $9 million in loans, and caused the SBA losses of over $4.5 million. 

All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. McLaughlin pleaded guilty on Sept. 20; Erpelding on Sept. 21; Henson on Nov. 9; and Slater on Nov. 18. The defendants each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal for the Southern District of Iowa; Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Inspector General Mark Bialek of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB/CFPB-OIG); Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) made the announcement.

The FDIC-OIG, FRB/CFPB-OIG, SBA-OIG, FBI, and FHFA-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Kerndt of the Southern District of Iowa are prosecuting the case.  

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Michael Leon Wyche, Jr., age 28, was sentenced on Wednesday, November 23, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 36 months in prison for Drug User in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition and False Statements During Purchase of Firearms. Wyche was ordered to serve two years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $300 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Wyche purchased fourteen firearms between April and August 2020. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Wyche’s residence after recovering a firearm box that traced back to him in the residence of a suspected drug dealer. During the execution of the warrant, law enforcement located one firearm, ammunition, and evidence of drug use. In a post-Miranda statement, Wyche admitted purchasing more than ten firearms, but could not provide the location of any of them other than the gun located in his residence. Wyche admitted being a marijuana user. Wyche’s social media accounts also contained evidence of his firearms trafficking. Wyche pleaded guilty to the charges on July 21, 2021.

United States Attorney Richard Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Moline, Illinois man, Devon Allen McConnell, age 36, was sentenced on Thursday, November 18, 2021 by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 200 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. McConnell was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $300 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, McConnell was identified by law enforcement when officers intercepted McConnell with 1.31 grams of ice methamphetamine and a loaded Taurus nine-millimeter firearm. In a post-Miranda interview, McConnell admitted he was on his way to meet with another person to the sell the methamphetamine in his possession. Further, McConnell admitted he possessed the firearm and carried it with him during drug deals. As a convicted felon, McConnell was unable to legally possess firearms and ammunition. McConnell pleaded guilty to these offenses on July 21, 2021.

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

DES MOINES, IA – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment on November 17, 2021, charging a Des Moines man with attempting to produce child pornography, attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activities and other related charges.

According to court documents, Dennis Eugene Kimball, age 57, of Des Moines, communicated online with an undercover officer posing as a minor female and arranged to meet her for sex in an area motel. Kimball also asked who he believed to be the minor female to send him sexually explicit images of herself and sent her videos of himself masturbating. Through online communication, Kimball also asked for her phone number to arrange a meeting for sex.

Kimball is charged with attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement and attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activities, transfer and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, use and attempted use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor, and commission of a felony offense involving a minor by a registered sex offender. The defendant was arraigned on November 19, 2021, and was detained pending trial. If convicted of all charges, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case is being investigated by the Altoona Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation The following agencies have assisted in the investigation: Iowa Division of Intelligence, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Polk County Attorney’s Office.

The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 17, 2021, Kerry Bernard Morgan Jr., age 31, of Davenport was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 25 years in prison for Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl Purported to be Heroin Resulting in Death and Serious Bodily Injury. Morgan Jr. was ordered to serve five years of supervised release upon release from prison, immediately pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and pay $15,969.75 in restitution with his codefendants.

According to evidence at trial, on September 11, 2019, members of the Davenport Police Department were dispatched to Genesis West Hospital for a drug overdose. The victim was quickly pronounced dead after being dropped off at the hospital by one of Morgan Jr.’s co-defendants. Members of the Bettendorf Police Department made contact with this individual, who later provided information in a post-Miranda interview that led detectives to a third co-defendant. Later in the day on September 11, 2019, this third co-defendant purchased a heroin/fentanyl mixture from Morgan Jr. Morgan Jr. was taken into custody after the sale and was found in possession of additional distribution quantities of a heroin/fentanyl mixture and ice methamphetamine. In a post-Miranda interview, Morgan Jr. admitted to distributing more than fifty grams of ice methamphetamine and selling distribution quantities of heroin and fentanyl purported to be heroin. At trial, it was learned that Morgan Jr. had provided the fentanyl later ingested by the victim to co-defendant Amber Maxwell, who then provided it to co-defendant Jarad Postell, who then gave it to the victim. The evidence showed that Morgan Jr. knew prior to September 11, 2019, he was distributing fentanyl purported to be heroin. Morgan Jr. was found guilty by a federal jury.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bettendorf Police Department investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Jarad Paul Postell, age 40, was sentenced on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 25 years in prison for Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Purported to be Heroin Resulting in Death and Serious Bodily Injury. Following his imprisonment Postell was ordered to serve five years of supervised release, immediately pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and pay $15,969.75 in restitution with his codefendants.

According to evidence at trial, Postell was identified after Davenport Police Department officers responded to Genesis West Hospital in reference to a drug overdose in September 2019. The victim was pronounced deceased upon arrival, and officers received the description of the individual and vehicle that had dropped the victim off. Members of the Bettendorf Police Department made contact with Postell and another individual shortly after the events at the hospital at a casino in Bettendorf. In a post-Miranda interview with law enforcement, Postell admitted to meeting the victim and conspiring with one of his co-defendants to obtain fentanyl purported to be heroin. In Postell’s presence, the victim used the purported heroin and began to drift in and out of consciousness. After a failed attempt at administering Narcan, Postell drove the victim to the hospital and dropped the victim off, where they were quickly pronounced deceased. On June 11, 2021, Postell was found guilty as charged after a jury trial.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bettendorf Police Department (BPD) investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Moline, Illinois man, Luis Alberto Hernandez-Barajas, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on Thursday, November 18, 2021 to 188 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. Hernandez-Barajas was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Hernandez-Barajas, age 42, supplied co-defendant, Christopher Hicks, with six pounds of methamphetamine and a half-pound of black tar heroin for distribution in the Quad Cities. In the summer and fall of 2019, Hernandez-Barajas supplied Hicks with hollowed out candles each filled with one pound of methamphetamine. In January 2020, Hernandez-Barajas supplied Hicks with black tar heroin for distribution. Hernandez-Barajas was incarcerated in the federal prison on a prior drug trafficking conviction at the time of this offense. Despite his incarceration, Hernandez-Barajas acquired a cell phone and communicated with Hicks and arranged for the shipments of these controlled substances. Hernandez-Barajas pleaded guilty to the charge on July 14, 2021.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man, Lashaun Calvin Lacy, age 44, was sentenced on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to three months in federal prison for providing false declarations before a grand jury. Lacy was ordered to serve one year of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, on or about July 8, 2020, Lacy was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury in the Southern District of Iowa about another individual regarding a health care fraud and false statements investigation. The subject of Lacy’s testimony was where he was living from 2010-2019. During his testimony he provided false information to the grand jury.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Department of House and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General investigated the case along with the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals.

$375,000 Awarded to Norwalk Police Department

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the Southern District of Iowa, the City of Norwalk was awarded funding totaling $375,000.

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

United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa Richard D. Westphal stated, “Our highest priority is keeping the people of the Southern District of Iowa safe, and our local and state law enforcement partners are on the front line of community safety. Attorney General Garland’s announcement of this grant to the City of Norwalk supports that mission. Additional law enforcement officers will allow for increased engagement with the community and much needed resources to effectively target law enforcement priorities.”

“We are excited and thankful to the Department of Justice for considering our application and awarding our police department,” stated Norwalk Police Chief Greg Staples. “This grant will fund the hiring of additional officers in Norwalk, allowing our department to grow, along with the growth in population and diversity in Norwalk. Our department is deeply committed to engaging our citizens in community policing activities and this grant will allow us to further that commitment to the people of Norwalk.”

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

Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537.0 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.

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

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Deontae Montrice Lott, age 39, was sentenced on Thursday, November 18, 2021 by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 137 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Lott was ordered to serve four years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, Lott was identified when law enforcement obtained .62 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture from Lott at his residence in Davenport in August 2020. On August 13, 2020, a search warrant was conducted at Lott’s residence, and law enforcement found 77.45 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, a digital scale, $2,020.00 in drug proceeds/funds, and a loaded Taurus nine-millimeter handgun. In a post-Miranda interview, Lott admitted to selling heroin. Furthermore, Lott admitted to possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime and possessing the heroin/fentanyl mixture with the intent to distribute. On June 28, 2021, Lott admitted to the facts above and pleaded guilty.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man, Domingo Ace Vasquez, III, age 42, was sentenced on November 19, 2021, by United States District Court Senior Judge Robert W. Pratt to forty-two months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. His term of imprisonment is to be followed by three years of supervised release.

On February 21, 2021, the Council Bluffs Police Department responded to a call at a casino regarding a man with a gun and methamphetamine. Vasquez was located and was in possession of a SIG Sauer, Model P938, 9mm pistol. A drug dog made a positive indication and alert on Vasquez’s vehicle, and a loaded magazine that fit the gun was found inside the vehicle.

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man, Jacob Robert Hogberg, age 32, was sentenced on Thursday, November 18, 2021 by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 148 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Hogberg was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, Hogberg was identified in December 2019 when law enforcement officers were dispatched to the Super 8 Motel in Burlington. Officers made contact with Hogberg and two other individuals. During a search of a vehicle associated with Hogberg, officers located 205.38 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded Mossberg 20-gauge pump shotgun, and Winchester .20 gauge shotgun shells. Hogberg admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute some or all of it to another person. Furthermore, as a convicted felon, Hogberg was prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition. On July 14, 2021, Hogberg pleaded guilty to the two charges brought against him.

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

Three former executives of Valley Bank, a defunct financial institution based in Moline, Illinois, and the President of Vital Financial Services (Vital Financial), a lending service provider, have pleaded guilty to scheming to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with its programs to guarantee loans made to small businesses. 

According to court document, the defendants — Michael Slater, 65, of Clive, Iowa, former President and Founder of Vital Financial; Larry Henson, 70, of Davenport, Iowa, former President and Chairman of Valley Bank; Andrew Erpelding, 43, also of Davenport, Iowa, former Vice President and Regional Manager of Valley Bank; and Susan McLaughlin, 68, of Bettendorf, Iowa, former Vice President for Credit Administration of Valley Bank — conspired to and did fraudulently obtain loan guarantees from the SBA on behalf of Valley Bank borrowers, knowing that the loans did not meet SBA’s guidelines and requirements for the guarantees. They did so by, among other things, altering loan payment histories, renaming businesses, and hiding the fact that borrowers had previously defaulted on loans. When the fraudulently guaranteed loans defaulted, the defendants caused the submission of reimbursement requests to the SBA to purchase the defaulted loans from investors and lending institutions, thereby shifting the majority of losses on the ineligible loans to the SBA. In all, the defendants attempted to obtain guarantees on over $14 million in loans, were successful in obtaining guarantees on over $9 million in loans, and caused the SBA losses of over $4.5 million. 

All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. McLaughlin pleaded guilty on Sept. 20; Erpelding on Sept. 21; Henson on Nov. 9; and Slater on Nov. 18. The defendants each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal for the Southern District of Iowa; Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Inspector General Mark Bialek of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB/CFPB-OIG); Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Acting Assistant Director Jay Greenberg of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) made the announcement.

The FDIC-OIG, FRB/CFPB-OIG, SBA-OIG, FBI, and FHFA-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Kerndt of the Southern District of Iowa are prosecuting the case.  

Marlin Santana Thomas sex trafficked six adult victims and one minor victim

DES MOINES, Iowa – On November 15, 2021, Marlin Santana Thomas, age 46, of Des Moines was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to life in prison for sex trafficking six victims by force, fraud, and coercion announced United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Thomas was ordered to pay $600 to the Crime Victims’ Fund and a restitution hearing was set for February 7, 2022.

Thomas pleaded guilty to sex trafficking six adult victims and admitted to trafficking a 14- year-old victim on May 12, 2021. Thomas admitted in his plea agreement to trafficking victims beginning in 2009, and as recently as February 28, 2018, when he was arrested as part of a separate federal drug investigation, for which he is currently serving a term of federal imprisonment. At sentencing, Des Moines Police Department Sergeant Brady Carney testified that he had interviewed an additional 11 women who Thomas had raped, attempted to sex traffic, and/or physical assaulted.

In the plea agreement, Thomas admitted using physical violence against all six adult victims to coerce them to engage in commercial sex acts, including punching one victim in the face and assaulting another in her home after she told Thomas she was done working for him. Thomas admitted to knowing one victim was a heroin addict and using her addiction to coerce her into engaging in commercial sex acts. Thomas also admitted to arranging for a 14-year-old to engage in commercial sex acts, knowing that she was not yet 18 years old. Thomas admitted to posting online escort advertisements of victims transporting them to hotels and motels in Iowa as well as Illinois, Missouri, and North Dakota, and keeping the proceeds from the commercial sex acts.

At sentencing, Sergeant Carney testified about tactics Thomas used to target vulnerable women, including approaching women living at residential treatment centers, providing drugs to women struggling with addiction, and feigning romantic interest. Sergeant Carney testified that Thomas assaulted, raped, and stalked victims who did not comply. Sergeant Carney located hotel receipts, police reports, phone records, online escort ads, medical records, photographs, and witnesses who verified the victim’s accounts. The United States presented victim impact statements on behalf of six women, recounting the harm inflicted by Thomas and its lasting effects.

When imposing sentence, Chief Judge Jarvey characterized Thomas’s crimes as depraved, stating that Thomas had treated humans like currency. He also found Thomas had engaged in serial rape and was a highly dangerous individual. He further noted that Thomas had not expressed any remorse for his crimes or the victims.

This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Jennings and Former Assistant United States Attorney Virginia Bruner prosecuted the case with the assistance of Victim Witness Specialist Charlotte Kovacs. Additional support for victims was provided by Sara McMillan with Polk County Crisis and Advocacy Services.

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 suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

roles in a multi-year joint federal and state investigation of a large drug trafficking organization that operated out of Burlington. One of the defendants was previously arrested and federally charged with felon in possession of a firearm. Four defendants were arrested today. Those arrested will make their initial appearances in federal court at the United States Courthouse in Davenport on Wednesday, November 3, 2021. All eight defendants have been charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(A) and 846.

The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce; Burlington Police Department; Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office; Henry County Sheriff’s Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The Des Moines County Tactical Response Unit; Des Moines County Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lee County Narcotics Task Force; Muscatine County Tactical Team; Muscatine County Narcotics Task Force; Washington County Tactical Team; Iowa State Patrol Tactical Teams; West Burlington Police Department; and the Johnson County Municipal Drug Task Force also assisted in the investigation.

“This long-term joint investigation shows our continued resolve to stand with and support the hard work of our state and local partners and hold accountable those that seek to obtain and distribute a highly addictive and lethal drug, methamphetamine, into the Southeast Iowa community,” stated Acting United States Attorney Richard Westphal.

“I want to thank all of the participating agencies for their hard work and dedication that has resulted in the service and execution of the multitude of search and arrest warrants, which will significantly impact the crime within the City of Burlington and Southeast Iowa,” stated Marc Denney, Chief of Burlington Police, “as we know, drug trafficking has no boundaries and has a detrimental effect, on our community and those near and far. Our commitment is to continue to work diligently to rid our society of the criminal syndicates that rob our children of their youth and young adults of a promising life.”

“This was a long-term collaborative investigation involving numerous investigators from many different agencies. The excellent work and tireless efforts of these investigators are a testament to their dedication to making our communities a safe place to live, work, and play. The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office is proud to have worked together with all the law enforcement professionals involved in this investigation, and to get these dangerous narcotic distributors out of our communities,” stated Des Moines County Sheriff Kevin Glendening.

Those arrested include Clyde Macks Stewart, Jr.; Rudolph Sinclair Allen; Brian Keith Davis, Jr.; Gregory Jermain Johnson; and Marcus Allen Johnson. The identities of those not yet arrested remain sealed at this time. They all face mandatory minimum sentences of at least ten years of imprisonment and a maximum term of life imprisonment. A federal district judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal court system.

The investigation culminated in the execution of federal search warrants at the following locations on November 2, 2021. Law enforcement officers seized four guns, over $13,000 cash, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia at six locations.

• 400 block of Franklin Street, Burlington
• 100 block of South Marshall Street, Burlington
• 1300 block of Jefferson Street, Burlington
• 1500 block of Ashmun Street, Burlington
• 1300 block of Washington Street, Burlington
• 1400 block of Hillary Avenue, Burlington
• 1200 block of Aetna Street, Burlington

The public is reminded that charges contain only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- On Tuesday, October 26, 2021, twelve federal search warrants were executed at various locations in the Des Moines metropolitan area.

The searches at these locations were an official law enforcement action involving officers, agents, and investigators from the Des Moines Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force; Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force East; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Iowa State Patrol; Iowa State Patrol SWAT; West Des Moines Police Department; METRO Star; and SERT.

There is no known danger to the public and there will be no further comment on these actions at this time.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Christopher M. Jespersen, age 38, of Atlantic, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 120 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. His prison term will be followed by five of supervised release. According to court documents, Jespersen pleaded guilty to the offense in June of 2021. Additionally, Jespersen was sentenced to 15 months to be served after his 120- month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release from a prior conviction.

In March of 2021, Jespersen was stopped for a traffic violation while driving in Dallas County, Iowa. A lawful search of Jespersen’s vehicle recovered over 100 grams of methamphetamine along with digital scales and other drug distribution paraphernalia.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Kenneth Howard Crum, Jr., age 33, of Sidney, Iowa, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 210 months in prison for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. His prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. According to court documents, Crum pleaded guilty to the offenses in June of 2021.

In November 2020, law enforcement investigated Crum for harassing his ex-wife through postings on the internet. The investigation revealed Crum also took pictures of children and posted the images on various internet websites. A search warrant was obtained to seize Crum’s cellular telephone and a forensic examination of the cell phone located images and videos of child pornography, most involving children less than 12 years of age.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation - Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case.

DES MOINES, IA – On October 19, 2021, United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced Abraham Christopher Smith, age 39, formerly of Pleasant Hill, to 288 months in prison for Enticement of a Minor announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. Smith pleaded guilty to the offense on June 10, 2021. Following completion of his prison term, Smith is required to register as a sex offender and will be on supervised release for ten additional years. Under federal law, Enticement of a Minor carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison.

According to court documents, Smith was a full-time teacher at Southeast Polk High School for several years. Beginning by at least early October 2020 and continuing to on or about October 28, 2020, Smith used a cell phone and the internet to persuade, induce, and entice Minor Victim #1—a minor student at the school—to engage in sexual activity with Smith. Additionally, Smith used his own iPhone to record Minor Victim #1 engaging in sexual activity with Smith.

“A teacher sexually exploiting a student is a very serious crime. Students must be safe at school. Parents deserve to have confidence that educators to whom they entrust their children are not preying on them. This prosecution and sentence should send a message to any school staff member contemplating exploiting a minor that the consequences may be decades in prison,” said Acting United States Attorney Westphal.

This case was investigated by the Iowa DCI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Altoona Police Department, Polk County Attorney’s Office, and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

The 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 sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

DAVENPORT, IA- On Tuesday, October 11, 2021, Bradley Shane McCorkle, age 51, formerly of Moline, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 41 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to alter and rollback odometer mileage on used cars purchased by his Moline car dealership, 4th Avenue Auto Sales, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. McCorkle and his co-conspirators tampered with the mileage readings on more than 150 vehicles that were later sold to unsuspecting buyers. The defendants used “straw buyers” to purchase vehicles in their names to “wash” the titles and insulate McCorkle and 4th Avenue from the criminal conduct.

McCorkle was also ordered to pay $85,204 in restitution, serve three years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Department of Transportation, United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An East Moline, Illinois man, Christopher Ray Hicks, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 180 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. Hicks was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

In October 2019, Hicks, age 39, was identified as a methamphetamine distributor in the Quad Cities. Following several controlled buys of methamphetamine, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Hicks’s residence and located methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and evidence suggestive of drug trafficking. In November 2019, Hicks had an active warrant for his arrest and law enforcement located him in Davenport. After arresting him, officers searched Hicks’s vehicle and located, among other things, a large, plastic-wrapped candle stuffed with a pound of methamphetamine. In a post-Miranda statement, Hicks admitted conspiring with Luis Hernandez-Barajas and others to distribute methamphetamine. On October 31, 2020, Hicks pleaded guilty to the offense.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, IA- On Tuesday, October 11, 2021, Isaac Bell, age 34, of East Moline, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 37 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to alter and rollback odometer mileage on used cars purchased by his Moline car dealership, 4th Avenue Auto Sales, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal. McCorkle and his co-conspirators tampered with the mileage readings on more than 150 vehicles that were later sold to unsuspecting buyers. The defendants used “straw buyers” to purchase vehicles in their names to “wash” the titles and insulate Bell and 4th Avenue from the criminal conduct.

Bell was ordered to pay $85,204 in restitution, serve three years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and pay $100 towards the Crime Victims’ Fund.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Department of Transportation, Bureau of Investigation; United States Department of Transportation; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Cedric Cornelius Shivers, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 70 months in prison for Felon in Possession of Firearm. Shivers was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100.00 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

At approximately midnight on September 14, 2020, Shivers, age 26, drove on Interstate 80 in Davenport in a vehicle without state-issued license plates and an expired Illinois temporary registration tag. An Iowa State Trooper conducted a traffic stop and, after the trooper asked for Shivers’ driver’s license, Shivers fled from the traffic stop and traveled in excess of 110 m.p.h., ignoring traffic signals, nearly causing a collision with another vehicle, and, eventually, rolled his own vehicle down an embankment into a ditch. Shivers’ vehicle had two passengers inside, including a two-year-old. After crashing the vehicle, Shivers ran and law enforcement located him hiding in a field, where they placed him under arrest. Upon a search of his vehicle, troopers located a loaded handgun between the driver’s seat and door. As a convicted felon, Shivers was prohibited from possessing firearms. Shivers pleaded guilty to the offense on May 28, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa State Patrol investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Lamark Armond Combs, Jr., was sentenced on Thursday, October 14, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 210 months in prison for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. Combs was ordered to serve ten years of supervised release to follow his prison term and to pay $300.00 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Combs, age 21, was identified by law enforcement after the mother of a 15-year-old girl reported to the Davenport Police Department (DPD) that Combs had requested her daughter send him a sexually explicit video of herself and she had complied. At the time, DPD had two open sexual assault investigations of Combs, one relating to a 13-year-old girl and the other relating to a 15-year-old girl. Through their investigation, law enforcement determined Combs engaged in a pattern of soliciting, enticing, and grooming minor females on social media and had the girls send him nude images and videos of themselves and coerced the girls to have sex with him. In Combs’s electronic devices and accounts, law enforcement located seven images and 23 videos depicting child pornography, in addition to 50-100 images of sexually explicit images that law enforcement was unable to determine if minors were pictured. Combs pleaded guilty to the offenses on June 9, 2021.

Acting 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 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 – Michael Terrell Richardson, of Moline, Illinois, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 180 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base. Richardson was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, Michael Terrell Richardson, age 40, was involved in long-term trafficking of controlled substances in and around Davenport. Richardson knowingly possessed two firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. At the time of these offenses, Richardson was under supervision for a prior controlled substance charge. Richardson also had a prior conviction for attempted first degree murder.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, East Moline Police Department, and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Crucial DNA Evidence Obtained Through Iowa Attorney General’s Sex Assault Kit Initiative

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On Wednesday, October 6, 2021, Myron Lee Brandon, age 43, of Pacific Junction, Iowa, was found guilty in federal court of two counts of kidnapping and two counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The verdict came after a three-day trial before United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner.

According to evidence presented at trial, on June 21, 2003, Brandon was in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, and offered a ride to two teenage girls. One female was fifteen years old and the other fourteen. The girls were expecting to be transported to a location in Omaha, but Brandon drove to a location near Pacific Junction, Iowa. On a rural road outside Pacific Junction, Brandon brandished a knife before sexually assaulting both victims and used a cigarette to burn each of them on the breast area. The victims escaped from Brandon and managed to walk to Interstate 29 where they were picked up by a motorist and taken to safety.

Law enforcement began an investigation on June 22, 2003, that included a medical exam and collection of evidence from each victim. After an extensive investigation failed to identify a suspect, the evidence that had been collected was stored until a suspect was identified.

In 2015, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office created the Sex Assault Kit Initiative, a program that submits old case evidence to a laboratory to determine if DNA evidence is present to help identify suspects. In July of 2018, the sexual assault kits collected from the victims were placed in this program. In February of 2020, Brandon was identified as a suspect, and further DNA evidence collected from Brandon confirmed he was the person who sexually assaulted the victims.

This was the first jury trial in the State of Iowa using DNA evidence processed by the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. The first conviction in a Sexual Assault Kit Initiative case occurred in 2019 in Dallas County, Iowa.

Sentencing has been set for March 2, 2022 in Council Bluffs.

Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Omaha Police Department, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 108 months in prison for Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Lee was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Quashawn Terrell Lee, age 22, was identified when law enforcement was dispatched to Castlewood Apartments in Davenport in response to a shots-fired call. Upon reviewing the apartment complex’s surveillance video, detectives identified the shooter as Lee. Lee fired approximately four rounds at a vehicle leaving the parking lot. Lee’s intended target, a gang rival, was an occupant of that vehicle. In the background were numerous bystanders, including at least eight children under the age of ten years old. One round that Lee fired went through the rear window and windshield of a parked vehicle in the immediate vicinity of that crowd of bystanders. As a convicted felon, Lee is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Lee pleaded guilty on May 17, 2021.

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa– Luis Moreira Bravo, of Ecuador, but resided in Edina, Minnesota, was sentenced on Monday, October 4, 2021, by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 120 months in prison for Transportation of a Minor. Moreira Bravo was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, Luis Moreira Bravo, age 27, left his Minnesota residence on May 5, 2020, and traveled to Iowa to meet with a fourteen-year-old minor. Moreira Bravo met the victim on social media where the two discussed engaging in sexual activity when they met in person. Moreira Bravo arrived at the victim’s residence and he thereafter drove her to a nearby location where the two engaged in sexual intercourse multiple times. After sleeping overnight in the vehicle, Moreira Bravo drove the victim to Minnesota the next day with the intent to further engage in illegal sexual conduct. Once in Minnesota, the minor victim and Moreira Bravo again engaged in sexual intercourse.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Muscatine Police Department, St. Paul Police Department, and Minneapolis Police Department collaborated on this investigation to locate the victim.

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, Iowa – A Coralville man, Dylan Darelle Scott, was sentenced on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 64 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Scott was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison terms and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Law enforcement arrested Scott, age 32, who had an active warrant for his arrest. At the time of his arrest, Scott was smoking a marijuana blunt and was in possession of a loaded, .25 caliber Phoenix Arms Model HP25A pistol and one ounce of marijuana. Scott pleaded guilty to the offense on May 17, 2021.

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man, Joshua Del Chandler, was sentenced on Monday, October 4, 2021 by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 210 months in prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Chandler was ordered to serve seven years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund and $11,000 in restitution.

Chandler, age 38, was identified as a suspect after a cell phone and laptop belonging to Chandler were turned over to the FBI in April 2020. Officers obtained a search warrant for the devices and located 22 images and three videos depicting child pornography. In February 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Chandler’s residence. Multiple electronic devices were seized, revealing an additional 70 images and 131 videos of child pornography. In a post-Miranda statement, Chandler admitted to knowingly possessing, receiving, and distributing child pornography. On May 14, 2021 Chandler pleaded guilty to the charge.

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

This matter 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 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, Iowa – A Burlington man, Valentino Giovanni McCampbell, was sentenced on Monday, October 4, 2021 by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 64 months in prison for Drug User in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. McCampbell was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

Law enforcement began investigating McCampbell, age 22, after he was observed at a shooting range in Des Moines County while on state probation for firearms offenses. Following one of McCampbell’s visits to the range in May 2020, law enforcement seized two firearms from him and continued their investigation. In July 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McCampbell’s residence, where they seized a loaded .45 caliber Glock 30 handgun; a stolen, loaded, Anderson Arms AR-15 rifle; numerous rounds of ammunition; marijuana; and drug paraphernalia. McCampbell provided a urine sample, which was positive for THC. McCampbell admitted being a daily user of marijuana, as well as selling marijuana to friends. On May 24, 2021, McCampbell pleaded guilty to this offense.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

DES MOINES, IA – On September 24, 2021, a federal jury convicted Darrius Decnan Redd, age 33, of Manchester, of sex trafficking an adult victim by force, fraud, and coercion; facilitation of prostitution; and distribution of a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21. Redd faces a sentence of at least fifteen years in prison and up to life. Redd was ordered to remain detained pending his sentencing in federal court.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the four and a half-day trial, Redd used deceptive and coercive tactics as well as physical force to compel a victim to engage in sex acts in exchange for money. Redd kept all of the proceeds from the victim’s sex acts. Redd trafficked the victim in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Clive, and surrounding areas in March 2020. Redd also supplied the victim with a controlled substance and posted advertisements for paid sex acts with the victim and other women on an escort website. Testimony and evidence revealed Redd had distributed controlled substances to other women and had attempted to recruit and/or compel other women to engage in commercial sex acts for his monetary gain.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 28, 2022, in Des Moines, before United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger.

Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.

This investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Clive Police Department, University of Iowa Police Department, Iowa City Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Iowa Department of Corrections, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The Des Moines Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation participated in trial presentation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.