Southern District of Iowa

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On December 17, 2015, Craig A. Tripp, 62, of Avoca, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to three months imprisonment and fined $15,000 for filing a false 2009 tax return, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. In addition, Tripp was ordered to serve one year of supervised release following his prison term. According to the plea agreement, Tripp agreed to pay his tax liability, in an amount to be determined by the Internal Revenue Service.

At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Jarvey found Tripp failed to provide for an accurate accounting of his profits derived from the sale of beer and other items from his business, the Blue Moon Bar and Grill in Avoca, Iowa. Chief Judge Jarvey also found Tripp had failed to report business profits on his 2007, 2008, and 2010 federal tax returns.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On December 17, 2015, Brock Daniel Knapp, 27, of Exira, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 12 months and a day in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Knapp was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

According to the plea agreement, beginning in June of 2014, Knapp assisted in the distribution of methamphetamine by delivering money from the sale of methamphetamine to methamphetamine suppliers involved in the conspiracy.

This matter was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA – On December 14, 2015, Michael Dekota McRae, 28, appeared

before the Honorable John A. Jarvey and pled guilty to conveying false information concerning a

biological weapon, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel.

 

According to the plea agreement, McRae, a former legislative clerk to Iowa State

Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, admitted to writing a threatening letter addressed to

Representative Abdul-Samad. The letter contained racial slurs and threats to kill both McRae

and Representative Abdul-Samad. McRae subsequently inserted the letter, along with a white

powdery substance, into an envelope which he placed into a legislative mail receptacle. On

April 3, 2012, McRae opened the threatening letter on the chamber floor during an active session

of the Iowa Legislature. When McRae opened the letter, the white powder was released and

came into contact with McRae and Representative Abdul-Samad.

 

McRae also admitted in the plea agreement that he intended the white powder simulate a

biological agent or toxin, and he perpetrated the hoax for the purpose of creating fear in others.

 

McRae is scheduled to be sentenced before Chief Judge Jarvey on March 25, 2016, at

9:00 a.m. in Des Moines, Iowa. Conveying false information concerning a biological weapon is

a felony that carries up to five years imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine. McRae may also

be required to reimburse the state for costs associated with the commission and investigation of

this crime.

DAVENPORT, IA - On December 4, 2015, Sandra Lagos Neda, age 51, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 12 months and one day in prison after pleading guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Lagos Neda was also ordered to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund. After serving her sentence, Lagos Neda will be turned over to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.

This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA - On December 4, 2015, Gerald W. Ledford, age 57, of Clinton, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to four years’ probation, with the first six months in home confinement, after pleading guilty to transmitting a threatening communication, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Ledford was also ordered to pay $100 to the Crime Victims Fund, to have no contact with the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center or any of its employees, to allow a search of his residence under certain conditions, and to restrict his possession of a computer or access to the Internet without prior approval by the United States Probation Office.

On October 20, 2014, an employee of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC) discovered two messages posted to the ISBCC’s Facebook page. The ISBCC is located in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and is a member of the New England Muslim community. According to its website, the ISBCC is not just a mosque, but a dynamic cultural center that is designed to serve the entire community by offering a variety of educational, spiritual, and social services. The first post made derogatory statements about "Mohamed," and made threats to harm Muslims. The second post also made a threat of violence toward Muslims.

The Facebook page posting these two messages displayed the name "Gerry Ledford" and was identified with a unique account identification number. This account was deactivated on November 14, 2014. A "friend" of this account was another Facebook publically viewable page under the name of "Gerry.ledford.3," also with a unique account identification number. Search warrants were obtained for both of these Facebook accounts. Based on information obtained from these search warrants these accounts had certain personal identifiers, such as date of birth, hometown, current city of residence, educational history and digital photographs that were consistent with the same personally identifiable information about Gerald Ledford. Both accounts logged in from an identified Internet Protocol (IP) address identified to a known family member of Ledford’s. Information obtained from the search warrants showed that one of these identified Facebook accounts conducted a search for the ISBCC on October 19, 2014. A day before the posted messages, one of these Facebook accounts was used to search for information about the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" and two minutes later a search for information on the "Islamic Society of Boson Cultural Center (ISBCC)." Additional searches were conducted on similar topics both before and after October 19, 2014.

Gerald Ledford admitted in his plea proceeding that he was the individual user registered to these Facebook accounts, that on or about October 19, 2014, he knowingly posted these two threatening messages, and that he individually selected this victim because of the religious affiliation of ISBCC. Gerald Ledford further admitted that he knew that these two messages would be viewed as a threat.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Clinton, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

DES MOINES, IA – Julilath Kouangvan, 46, of Des Moines, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief Judge John A. Jarvey on November 23, 2015, to 14 months’ in federal prison for filing a false tax return, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Kouangvan also was ordered to serve one year of supervised release following her term of incarceration.

According to the Indictment, from approximately 2006 until at least 2009, Kouangvan solicited investment funds from individuals by promising a high rate of return. Unbeknownst to the individuals, the money was not invested by Kouangvan. Kouangvan admitted in her plea agreement that she failed to account in her 2009 tax return for the funds provided to Kouangvan. As part of her sentence, Kouangvan was also ordered to pay restitution in the amounts of $522,233.34 to the victims and $199,042 to the Internal Revenue Service.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa

DAVENPORT, IA - On November 19, 2015, Jose Manuel Dominguez-Anguiano a/k/a Manuel Francisco Zuniga, age 44, of Mexico, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 46 months in prison on the charges of conspiracy to distribute a mixture or substance containing cocaine, and distribution of a mixture or substance containing cocaine, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin VanderSchel. Dominguez-Anguiano was also ordered to pay $200 towards the Crime Victims Fund. Dominguez-Anguiano will be turned over to the Immigration officials upon release from prison.

Between November 2007 and May 2008, Dominguez-Anguiano participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine which involved the sale of more than 1,000 grams of cocaine in the Iowa City, Iowa, area.

This matter was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Johnson County, Iowa, Drug Task Force, and Iowa City, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.

DAVENPORT, IA - On November 19, 2015, Darion Daquan Gardner, age 19, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 30 months in prison on the charge of fugitive in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin VanderSchel. Gardner was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

In May 2014, the United States Marshal’s Service began attempting to locate Gardner, a fugitive from Mississippi, in the Davenport area. On August 13, 2014, officers received information that Gardner was at a certain Davenport residence and was armed with a firearm. When officers went to the residence, Gardner barricaded himself in a bedroom for approximately 20 minutes, but then surrendered without incident. A stolen and loaded Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol was recovered in the residence. Under federal law, fugitives are prohibited from possessing a firearm.

This matter was investigated by the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department, United States Marshal’s Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.

DAVENPORT, IA - On November 19, 2015, Chazz Dominic Kimble, age 19, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 20 months in prison on the charge of possession and transfer of a weapon made from a shotgun, and another consecutive 60 months in prison on the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin VanderSchel. Kimble was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and to pay $200 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On June 14, 2014, an investigation by Davenport, Iowa, police officers revealed that Kimble discharged a 12-guage JC Higgins sawed-off shotgun into the air during an altercation with rival gang members. The sawed-off shotgun was eventually recovered by police in a nearby residence. The sawed-off shotgun was modified to have a barrel of less than 18 inches, and the shotgun was not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Records, making the shotgun illegal to possess.2

Kimble was indicted on October 22, 2014, on a federal charge of possession and transfer of a weapon made from a shotgun. Later that day, Kimble was stopped by police while driving in Davenport, and Davenport police executed the arrest warrant on Kimble. Subsequent to the arrest, officers found a backpack containing a loaded Accu-Tek .380 pistol and marijuana that Kimball intended to distribute. A Superseding Indictment was thereafter filed which added a charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Kimble pleaded guilty to the charges on April 21, 2015.

This matter was investigated by the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.

 

DAVENPORT, IA – On November 19, 2015, James Everett Faler, 49, formerly of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge John A. Jarvey to five life sentences for five counts of Production of Child Pornography, and five consecutive ten-year sentences for committing the offenses while being required to register as a sex offender, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Faler also was ordered to serve life on supervised release if he is ever released from prison, and to pay $1,000 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On May 31, 2013, police in Louisville, Kentucky, encountered Faler at an apartment complex after receiving a call from a concerned citizen. During the encounter, the police learned that Faler was a registered sex offender from Davenport who had not complied with sex offender registration requirements, and they arrested him. After the arrest, the police found Faler’s backpack which contained a thumbdrive with pornographic images of children, including five different minor boys, some of them engaging in sexual activity with Faler at a trailer park in Davenport. These images became the basis for federal charges in Iowa.

On July 13, 2015, Faler plead guilty to all charges. Because Faler has multiple prior convictions for sexual abuse of children, the mandatory federal sentence for each charge of production of child pornography is life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Louisville, Kentucky, Police Department and the Scott County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA - On November 20, 2015, Kinsman Bruce Wolfe, 63, of Semmes, Alabama, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge John A. Jarvey to sixty days imprisonment for his role in illegal, guided deer hunts in Southern Iowa, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin VanderSchel. Wolfe was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution to the Iowa Division of Natural Resources, pay a $3,000 fine, and pay for the costs associated with having court-appointed counsel. A term of three years of supervised release was imposed following Wolfe’s release from imprisonment, a condition of which will be the prohibition against Wolfe engaging in hunting and fishing activities. Wolfe was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund.

Wolfe was convicted at trial on July 23, 2015, on two felony counts of violation of the Lacey Act for the unlawful sale of wildlife, and one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. From around 2009 to January 2014, Steven Miller leased land in rural Lucas County, Iowa, to Robert Jerome Wilkins of Alabama in order for Wilkins to hunt white-tail deer. Wilkins, with the assistance of Wolfe, guided out-of-state hunters during paid hunts for trophy white-tail buck deer on Miller's land. None of these out-of-state hunters possessed hunting license or tags as required by the laws and regulations of the State of Iowa. Some of the hunters were successful in illegally killing white-tail buck deer, and the capes and antlers of those deer were transported from Iowa to Alabama.2

Wilkins previously pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, a felony. He was sentenced on July 17, 2015, to four years of probation, with a special condition of six months home confinement. Wilkins was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution, and pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund. Miller previously pled guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the Lacey Act and on October 21, 2015, he was sentenced to four years of probation. Miller was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine, a $2,500 money judgment in lieu of forfeiture of equipment used during the illegal hunts, and a $25 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund.

This investigation was conducted by the United State Fish and Wildlife Service, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Alabama Game and Fish Division. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA - On November 18, 2015, Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel announced the return of an indictment stemming from an investigation into the misappropriation of city funds and burning of a community building in Casey, Iowa. The indictment charges Dorothy L. Dillinger, the former Casey City Clerk, with five counts of mail fraud for her role in a scheme to defraud by using the City's credit card to purchase items for personal use. The indictment also charges Dillinger with one count of malicious use of fire for the fire that destroyed the Casey Community Building, which housed the City Clerk's Office. The Community Building fire was set just prior to midnight of August 19-20, 2014. Personnel from the State Auditor's Office were scheduled to arrive at the Clerk's Office on the morning of August 20, 2014, to conduct an audit of the City's records following a successful petition drive by citizens of Casey seeking an audit.

The joint investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, State Fire Marshal Division of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Guthrie County Sheriff's Office, Guthrie County Attorney's Office, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

An initial appearance and arraignment have been scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on November 30, 2015, at the United States Courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA  - On November 13, 2015, Stephen Thomas, age 49, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced by Chief District Judge John A. Jarvey to 80 months in prison for his role in leading a sophisticated counterfeit credit and debit card scheme in Iowa in February 2015, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Thomas was also ordered to pay restitution, to serve 3 years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and to pay a $300 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund. Thomas previously pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy, access device fraud, and false statements to a federal official.

The investigation of this matter began as a result of a suspicious package that was delivered to a hotel in Des Moines. Law enforcement determined that the package contained counterfeit debit and credit cards that had been mailed from California to Thomas and others. Thomas and three co-defendants—Ronald Barre, Jr., Nakika Carter, and Richard Foust—left California together to execute the scheme across the Midwest. The group used counterfeit debit and credit cards to withdraw money from casinos in Minnesota and Iowa, and to purchase items at retailers. The counterfeit cards contained legitimate debit and credit card information encoded onto the strips of the back of the cards, but were embossed with the names of the defendants. 2

Thomas traveled with a California driver’s license in another person’s name, and provided a false name, date of birth, and social security number to law enforcement. At the time of his arrest, Thomas had an active arrest warrant for having escaped from federal custody.

Thomas’s co-defendants were previously sentenced for their roles in the scheme. Foust, age 58, received 24 months imprisonment; Carter, age 39, received 20 months’ imprisonment; and Barre, age 50, received 32 months’ imprisonment. All co-defendants are jointly and severally liable for restitution.

This investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the Des Moines Police Department, the Bloomington, Minnesota, Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA- On November 10, 2015, Randy Mark Heinrichs, age 50, of Exira, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 70 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Heinrichs also will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from imprisonment.

On August 6, 2015, Heinrichs pleaded guilty to this charge and admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of Iowa beginning as early as June 2004 and continuing through August 2004. The charge was the result of an investigation by law enforcement of drug trafficking that occurred in both Omaha, Nebraska, and Exira, Iowa.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA – On October 29, 2015, Hassam Fayiz Abusharkh, age 36, of Urbandale, Iowa, appeared in federal court before Senior United States District Judge Robert W. Pratt and was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Abusharkh previously pleaded guilty to the offense, admitting that he robbed the Farmers and Merchants State Bank in St. Charles, Iowa, on March 25, 2015. Abusharkh will be required to serve a five-year period of supervised release after his release from prison and also was ordered to pay restitution.

This case was investigated by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA – On October 5, 2015, Monte A. Cox, age 55, appeared before the Honorable Stephen B. Jackson, Jr., and pled guilty to filing a false tax return for the year 2009, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.

According to the plea agreement, Cox underreported income on his personal tax returns for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. During this period Cox resided in Bettendorf, Iowa, and earned income as a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promoter and fighter manager. He operated his business under the name Ultimate Productions, Inc. For each of these years, Cox knew that he had received income from his MMA-related activities and ownership of Ultimate Productions, Inc. that exceeded the income he reported on his tax return. Cox underreported his income by an estimated $255,036 for 2007, $295,854 for 2008, $405,778 for 2009, and $152,509 for 2010.

Cox is scheduled to be sentenced before United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey on February 24, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., in Davenport, Iowa. Filing a false tax return is a felony that carries a maximum term of three years imprisonment, up to $100,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA—Nicholas A. Klinefeldt announced today that he will step

down as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, effective November

15, 2015. After leaving office, Mr. Klinefeldt will become a partner in the Des Moines

office of an international law firm.

 

“Serving as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa has been the

greatest honor and privilege of my career,” United States Attorney Klinefeldt said today.

“I am grateful for the trust placed in me by President Obama and appreciate the

opportunity I have had to work with Attorneys General Holder and Lynch and the other

dedicated professionals across the Department of Justice. I have been inspired by the

ongoing commitment to justice displayed by the lawyers and staff in the Southern District

of Iowa. They work hard every day to protect the communities across Iowa, and

vigorously represent the United States.”

 

On September 25, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Mr. Klinefeldt to be

the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa. The United States Senate

unanimously confirmed his nomination on November 21, 2009, and he was sworn into

office on November 25, 2009. Prior to his appointment as United States Attorney, Mr.

Klinefeldt practiced white collar criminal defense in Boston, Massachusetts, and then

both civil and criminal law in Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. Klinefeldt received his B.A. with

honors and his J.D. with distinction from the University of Iowa. He clerked for U.S.

District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt of the Southern District of Iowa and Chief Justice

Christopher J. Armstrong and Justice Benjamin Kaplan of the Massachusetts Appeals

Court.

 

As United States Attorney, Mr. Klinefeldt has been a member of the Attorney

General’s Advisory Subcommittee on White Collar Crime and co-chair of the Attorney

General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Criminal Practice. As co-chair of the

Subcommittee on Criminal Practice, United States Attorney Klinefeldt worked with other

leaders in the Department of Justice, on a national basis, to update and expand discovery

policies to ensure defendants receive all of the information they need to adequately

defend themselves, and revamp sentencing practices to ensure the end result of a

prosecution is fair.

 

Locally, United States Attorney Klinefeldt developed a comprehensive discovery

policy for the Southern District of Iowa that ensures criminal defendants receive even

more information about the case against them than is required by the rules and that they

receive it quickly. This policy included the development of a Stipulated Discovery and

Protective Order that is now universally used in all criminal cases across the district.

United States Attorney Klinefeldt also changed the way the office utilized mandatory

minimum sentences, to ensure that they were only used when absolutely necessary.

 

As United States Attorney, Mr. Klinefeldt has served as the chief federal law

enforcement officer for the Southern District of Iowa. He has taken great pride in the

relationships he and the office have developed with their federal, state, and local law

enforcement partners. United States Attorney Klinefeldt emphasized and expanded white

collar crime enforcement in the Southern District of Iowa. Under United States Attorney

Klinefeldt’s leadership, the office also brought two major civil rights cases against Des

Moines Police Officers for excessive force.

 

Mr. Klinefeldt’s leadership of the United States Attorney’s Office included not

only being extensively involved in each of the cases brought by his office, but also

personally handling and trying to juries several prosecutions himself.

 

The Southern District of Iowa covers 47 of Iowa’s 99 counties, and includes

Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Ames, Iowa City, Davenport, and Burlington. The United

States Attorney’s Office, with staffed offices in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and

Davenport, has 26 Assistant United States Attorneys and is responsible for conducting all

criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government.

DES MOINES, IA - On October 21, 2015, Steven C. Miller, 63, of Russell, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge John A. Jarvey to 4 years of probation for his role in leasing land that was used in illegal guided deer hunts in Iowa, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. As a condition of his probation, Miller must pay a $3,000 fine, and cannot engage in hunting activities or allow any form of hunting or trapping to occur on his property. Miller was also ordered to pay a $2,500 money judgment in lieu of forfeiture of his equipment used during the illegal guided hunts, and pay a $25 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund.

Iowa is a renowned destination for hunting white-tail, buck deer. The state is routinely ranked as one of the top states in the nation for producing trophy white-tail, buck deer. These deer serve as an important natural resource, which is carefully managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Part of this process involves the restriction on the number of out-of-state hunters who are allowed to hunt white-tail deer in Iowa each year. On average, out-of-state hunters can obtain a license once every three-to-four years to hunt white-tail, buck deer in Iowa.

People who hunt illegally for Iowa trophy deer undermine the State's management efforts, and deprive those who hunt ethically and follow the laws and regulations of opportunities to take trophy deer.

From around 2009 to January 2014, Miller leased land in rural Lucas County to Robert Jerome Wilkins of Alabama, for Wilkins to hunt for white-tail deer. Wilkins guided out-of-state hunters during paid hunts for trophy white-tail, buck deer on Miller's land. None of these out-of-state hunters possessed hunting license or tags as required by the laws and regulations of the State of Iowa. Some of the hunters were successful in illegally killing white-tail, buck deer, and the capes and antlers of those deer were transported from Iowa to Alabama.

Miller pled guilty on July 14, 2015, to a misdemeanor violation of the Lacey Act for the unlawful sale of wildlife in violation of 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(2). Miller acknowledged that in the exercise of due care, he should have known that the hunters were hunting for and killing the deer in violation of Iowa's hunting laws and regulations.

In the related cases, Robert Jerome Wilkins previously pled guilty to felony conspiracy to commit the unlawful sale of wildlife, was sentenced on July 17, 2015, by Senior United States District Judge James E. Gritzner to 4 years of probation, which included 6 months of home confinement. Wilkins was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund, and forfeit firearms and a scope used in the illegal hunts.

Wilkins was assisted during the guided hunts by Kinsman Bruce Wolfe of Montgomery, Alabama. On July 23, 2015, Wolfe was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to commit the unlawful sale of wildlife, as well as two counts of unlawful sale of wildlife, all felony offenses. Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Jarvey on November 20, 2015.

"These types of cases show a complete disregard for Iowa's hunting laws and regulations, and this criminal conduct will not be tolerated. Individuals engaging in such conduct, including landowners who allow their land to be used for unlawful hunting, will be held accountable," said United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.

This investigation was conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Alabama Game and Fish Division, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA - On October 1, 2015, Richard Tommy Williams, age 28, of Fort Madison, Iowa, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 77 months in prison on the charge of possession of a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Williams was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On March 14, 2015, Keokuk, Iowa, Police Department officers responded to a traffic accident and identified Richard Tommy Williams as the involved driver. After an investigation at the scene, Williams was advised he was under arrest on the charge of Operating While under the Influence (OWI). Williams attempted to flee the scene, and physically resisted arrest. During the struggle, Williams grabbed the handgun grip of one of the officer’s guns, and began pulling the gun towards him. After several officers were able to gain control of Williams, officers found a loaded Taurus .380 caliber handgun in Williams’ sweatshirt pocket. Williams has two prior felony convictions in Wisconsin.

Williams pleaded to the charge of possession of a firearm as a felon on July 8, 2015.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Keokuk Police Department, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.

DES MOINES, IA – Kathy Joan Cullen, 67, of Cumberland, Iowa, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for filing a false tax return on October 1, 2015, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Sentence was imposed by Chief Judge John A. Jarvey. Cullen also was ordered to serve one year of supervised release following her term of incarceration and was ordered to pay restitution in the amounts of $1,384,374.24 to 21st Century Cooperative; $422,411.35 to the Internal Revenue Service; and $131,040.64 to the State of Iowa.

Cullen had previously pleaded guilty to the charge. According to the plea agreement, Cullen embezzled money from her employer, 21st Century Cooperative. Cullen wrote over $1.3 million in checks to herself over a period of six years and deposited the proceeds into a personal bank account. Cullen admitted that she failed to account for the embezzled funds in her 2009 tax return.

This case was investigated by the Cass County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

 

Council Bluffs, IA- On September 23, 2015, James Jayson Davis, 41, of Shenandoah, Iowa, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 183 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt. Davis’ term of imprisonment is to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Davis entered a guilty plea on February 5, 2015, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from September 2013 up to July of 2014. The plea of guilty resulted from a year-long investigation into drug trafficking in Southwestern Iowa by a group that included Davis and his cousin, James Paul Davis. James Paul Davis was sentenced to 192 months in prison on July 27, 2015, by Judge Gritzner. The investigation showed that methamphetamine was being transported to Southwestern Iowa from the border region in Texas in pound quantities for distribution from Page County, across Southwestern Iowa and into Eastern Nebraska.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Page County Sheriff’s Office, Shenandoah, Iowa Police Department, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Omaha, Nebraska Police Department, Metro Area Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Marshal’s Service for the Southern District of Iowa.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - On September 14, 2015, Tyler Lewis Gunderson, a 25 year-old resident of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge Robert Pratt, to 60 months in prison on the charge of interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a juvenile, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Gunderson was also ordered to serve ten years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment.

Gunderson entered a guilty plea to the charge on July 2, 2015. The guilty plea proceeding established that Gunderson travelled from Iowa to Omaha, Nebraska, to pick-up a juvenile he had met in Omaha, and that Gunderson then drove the juvenile to various locations in and around Council Bluffs, Iowa, for the purposes of engaging in sexual intercourse.

The investigation of this matter was conducted by the Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department, the Omaha, Nebraska, Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA - On September 14, 2015, Adam Lamar Ammons, age 42, formerly of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 88 months in prison, after pleading guilty to the charge of felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Ammons was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On or about August 14, 2014, as part of a narcotics investigation, Davenport Police Department (DPD) officers obtained a search warrant to seize and search a safe from a bedroom at a residence on 15th Street in Davenport, Iowa. A Ruger SR22 handgun and associated handgun magazines were seized out of this safe. A witness knew Ammons had placed this safe at the residence, and knew that only Ammons had a key. Ammons admitted that he knew the Ruger SR22 handgun was in the safe, and that he knowingly possessed this handgun. Ammons has a prior 2012 state felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Davenport Police Department, and this case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

DAVENPORT, IA - On September 14, 2015, Jeffrey David Rogers, age 49, of Burlington, Iowa, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 210 months in prison on the charge of production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Rogers was also ordered to serve ten years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, to comply with sex offender registry requirements, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

Burlington, Iowa, police officers seized Rogers’ cell phone in August of 2014 after receiving information that it contained child pornography. Rogers’ cell phone was forensically examined, and the forensic examiner concluded that the phone contained several pornographic photographs of a child, later determined to be a 4 year-old female. Rogers admitted taking these pictures while he was babysitting the victim.

Rogers pleaded guilty to the charge of production of child pornography on May 26, 2015.

This matter was investigated by the Burlington, Iowa, Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative.

DAVENPORT, IA – On September 14, 2015, Adrian Romal Lomas (Lomas), 43, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge James E. Gritzner to 240 months in prison on the charge of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Lomas was also ordered to serve three years supervised release following the imprisonment, to pay $3,375 in restitution, and to pay $100 to the Crime Victims Fund.

On Friday, June 6, 2014, Adrian Romal Lomas and a 15-year-old boy entered the federally insured Family Credit Union on Jersey Ridge Road in Davenport at about 2:45 p.m. and robbed it. Lomas was a wearing a dark T-shirt, gloves, sunglasses, a baseball-type cap, and a bandana over his face. He had placed an authentic-looking, imitation firearm in his waistband which he showed the teller before demanding all of the money she had. Lomas made contact with the teller as he reached across the teller’s counter to withdraw some of the money. Lomas placed the money in a backpack that was carried, at first, by the juvenile and then by Lomas. Lomas and the juvenile fled the bank and ran to an awaiting vehicle driven by a third person. Lomas got away with $4,075.00.

Lomas was arrested on June 11, 2014, at a motel in Moline, Illinois.

Trial of the matter commenced on May 19, 2015 in the United States Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa, and the jury returned a guilty verdict on May 22, 2015.

This matter was investigated by the Davenport Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - On September 14, 2015, Daniel Eugene Hannan, a 40 year-old resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge Robert Pratt to 120 months in prison on the charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Hannan was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment.

The investigation of this matter began as a result of Hannan fleeing from law enforcement. When located, Hannan was found to have a large amount of methamphetamine which Hannan intended to distribute. A subsequent search warrant located additional methamphetamine and a shotgun which had been stolen from a burglary in Red Oak, Iowa. Hannan entered a guilty plea to the charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a stolen firearm on June 4, 2015.

The investigation of this matter was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, the Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department, and the Red Oak, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA- On August 26, 2015, Pedro Cabrera Lopez, Jr. aka Pedro Lopez Cabrera, Jr., age 39, of Muscatine, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 120 months in prison on a charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Cabrera Lopez was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

Beginning about June 2006 and continuing to about July 2007, Cabrera Lopez and his co-conspirators distributed large amounts of cocaine to individuals in Muscatine. The quantity of cocaine distributed in the conspiracy exceeded 2 kilograms.

After he was indicted, Cabrera Lopez went to Mexico for approximately seven years until he was arrested in Texas in November of 2014, and extradited back to Iowa. Cabrera Lopez pleaded guilty on April 22, 2015, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing cocaine.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Muscatine County Drug Task Force, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.

DAVENPORT, IA – On August 26, 2015, Jenifer Tran, age 41, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to time-served and three years of supervised release, with six months of home confinement, on a charge of making false statements during the purchase of firearms, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Tran was also ordered to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On August 14, 2014, the Davenport Police responded to a 911 call at the residence of Charles Bryan Ewert in Davenport, Iowa, in reference to a domestic disturbance. The caller related she had been physically and emotionally abused by Ewert, he had threatened to kill her, and he had multiple firearms at the residence. Davenport Police surrounded the residence and attempted to make contact with Ewert. He was uncooperative and the situation was handled as a barricaded suspect who was possibly armed. Ewert was observed by officers entering and leaving the garage during the stand-off. After about an hour, Ewert was arrested.

A search warrant was obtained for the residence and a search was conducted. Eight firearms were recovered in the garage along with a large amount of ammunition for various types and calibers of firearms including a Springfield Armory M1A, 7.62 caliber rifle, a Ruger P95, 9mm semiautomatic pistol, and a Remington 870, 12 gauge shotgun. These firearms were traced to Tran, and it was determined that the firearms were purchased by Tran for Ewert, at Ewert’s request.

When purchasing the firearms on December 11, 2011, Tran completed a federal firearm transaction form required by law. In so doing, Tran falsely answered "yes" to the question: "Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms(s) listed on this form? Warning: You are not the actual buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person. If you are not the actual buyer, the dealer cannot transfer the firearm(s) to you.", when in fact Tran purchased the firearms for Charles Bryan Ewert.

This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA – On August 26, 2015, Charles Bryan Ewert, age 36, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 84 months in prison for being a felon in possession of eight firearms and for making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Ewert was also ordered to serve three years supervised release following the imprisonment and to pay $200 towards the Crime Victims Fund. Ewert agreed to forfeit his interest in the firearms and ammunition he illegally possessed.

On August 14, 2014, the Davenport Police responded to a 911 call at the residence of Charles Bryan Ewer in Davenport, Iowa, in reference to a domestic disturbance. The caller related she had been physically and emotionally abused by Ewert, he had threatened to kill her, and he had multiple firearms at the residence. Davenport Police surrounded the residence and attempted to make contact with Ewert. He was uncooperative and the situation was handled as a barricaded suspect who was possibly armed. Ewert was observed by officers entering and leaving the garage during the stand-off. After about an hour, Ewert was arrested. A search warrant was obtained for the residence, and a search was conducted. Eight firearms were recovered in the garage along with a large amount of ammunition for various types and calibers of firearms. The firearms include: (1) a Bushmaster Carbon 15 (AR15) .223 caliber semiautomatic rifle, (2) a Springfield 87A, .22 caliber rifle, (3) a Glock Model 22 .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, (4) a Springfield Armory M1A, 7.62 caliber rifle, (5) a Winchester 50, 12 gauge shotgun, (6) a Winchester 12, 12 gauge shotgun, (7) a Ruger P95, 9mm semiautomatic pistol, and (8) a Remington 870, 12 gauge shotgun. Ewert was convicted in 2002 of felony eluding, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

The Glock pistol was traced to a federal firearms licensee, who produced copies of a gun permit, driver’s license, and Form 4473 for a person with the name of a Davenport businessman. The police interviewed the Davenport businessman, who said he provided a copy of his driver’s license and copy of his gun permit to Ewert as they were jointly purchasing the firearm. He said it was Ewert who purchased the firearm using these copies. The businessman sold the Bushmaster Carbon 15 to Ewert in a separate transaction. The police re-interviewed the federal firearms licensee, who admitted that he sold the Glock pistol to Ewert after being provided the identification documents in the name of the businessman.

This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA – On August 21, 2015, Brian Curtis Henton, 38, of Olathe, Kansas, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 12 months and one day in federal prison based on his earlier guilty pleas to two counts of mail fraud, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Judge Gritzner also ordered Henton to pay $23,300.15 in restitution to Equitable and Cigna insurance companies, and to serve three years of supervised release following his release from federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, from in or about April 2013 until October of 2013, Henton used his Iowa Insurance Producer License and fraudulent applications to sell approximately 120 Equitable and Cigna Supplemental Medicare insurance policies to Kansas residents. Henton admitted that he sold the insurance policies to Kansas residents, but entered false Iowa addresses, false Iowa telephone numbers, and forged applicants’ signatures on the applications when submitted to the insurance companies. As a result of the fraud, Henton received commission payments that he was not entitled to from Equitable and Cigna.

This matter was investigated by the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA- On August 24, 2015, David Allen Brensel, a 60 year-old resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John Jarvey to serve 60 months in prison on the charge of possessing a firearm after a felony conviction, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Judge Jarvey also ordered Brensel to serve a term of three years of supervised release after he completes his term of imprisonment.

Brensel pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on January 8, 2015. When pleading guilty, Brensel admitted being responsible for the theft of four firearms from a residence in Red Oak, Iowa, and then transporting them to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he sold them.

The investigation was conducted by the Red Oak, Iowa, Police Department, the Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA- On August 6, 2015, David Leon Breneman, a 49 year-old resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 30 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Judge Rose also ordered that Breneman serve 10 years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment. During the period of supervised release, Breneman will be monitored by the United States Probation Office for compliance with conditions of release set by the Court at the time of sentencing.

An investigation by law enforcement revealed that from May to December of 2012, Breneman had obtained images from the internet of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Breneman pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of child pornography on April 2, 2015.

The investigation was conducted by the Cyber Crime Unit of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA- On August 6, 2015, Jesse Craig Wilkinson, a 33 year-old resident of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt to 84 months in prison, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Judge Pratt also ordered Wilkinson to serve two years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment.

The investigation by law enforcement began with a report of suspicious activity occurring in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Wilkinson initially fled police officers, and when apprehended, was found to be in possession of a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Wilkinson was prohibited from possessing a firearm after he was convicted in 2003 in the District of Nebraska on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wilkinson pleaded guilty on April 2, 2015, to the current charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA- On August 6, 2015, Jimmy Joe Misner, a 54 year-old resident of Atlantic, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt to 5 years in prison for the charge of receipt of child pornography. Judge Pratt also ordered that Misner serve 10 years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment. During the period of supervised release, Misner will be monitored by the United States Probation Office for compliance with conditions of release set by the Court at the time of sentencing.

An investigation by law enforcement revealed that from September to December of 2013, Misner had obtained from the internet over 1,700 images and 97 videos of prepubescent and adolescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Misner pleaded guilty on May 1, 2015, to the charge of receipt of child pornography.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Council Bluffs, IA - On August 6, 2015, Timothy Andrew Frieze, a 50 year old resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge Robert Pratt to seventy-five months in prison for possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. Senior Judge Pratt also ordered Frieze to serve a term of three years of supervised release when he completes his imprisonment. On August 14, 2014, Frieze pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a convicted felon. The charge was the result of an investigation being done by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force into drug trafficking in Council Bluffs, Iowa. On October 11, 2013, Frieze was seen leaving a residence that was under law enforcement surveillance for suspicion of narcotics trafficking. Frieze was stopped by law enforcement and found to be carrying a Raven .25 caliber handgun. Frieze was prohibited from possession of the firearm based on several prior convictions for felony offenses.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, the Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

DAVENPORT, IA - On July 29, 2015, Keelyn Stokes, age 21, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 85 months in prison, after Stokes pleaded guilty to the charge of felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Stokes was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following the period of incarceration, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On April 16, 2014, Davenport Police officers responded to a disturbance and saw several individuals exiting and running from a stolen vehicle. As officers gave chase, Stokes was seen throwing down a gun while running. The firearm, which was later recovered by the officers, was identified as a Bryco .25 caliber handgun with a loaded magazine. Stokes had been convicted of a felony prior to April 2014.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Davenport Police Department, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.

DAVENPORT, IA – On August 3, 2015, William W. Peugh (Peugh), 62, of West Burlington, Iowa, entered guilty pleas to three counts of failure to file tax returns before United States Magistrate Judge Stephen B. Jackson, Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. On each count Peugh faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a maximum fine of $25,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than one year following any period of incarceration. A mandatory special assessment of $25 per count must be imposed by the sentencing court.

The charges arose due to Peugh’s failure to file income tax returns for calendar years 2008, 2009, and 2010. Peugh, who owned and operated WWPeugh Sales, received income through the sale of machinery for other companies. Peugh’s income is from commissions paid by these companies. In calendar year/tax year 2008, Peugh received approximately $400,000 in commissions resulting in a tax due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service. The due date for the 2008 Form 1040 was April 15, 2009. Peugh filed for an extension to October 15, 2009 but did not file a return. In calendar year/tax year 2009, Peugh received approximately $400,000 in commissions resulting in a tax due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service. No return was filed. In calendar year/tax year 2010, Peugh received approximately $360,000 resulting in a tax due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service. Again no return was filed.

Magistrate Judge Jackson accepted Peugh’s guilty pleas, and the Court has scheduled the sentencing hearing for December 16, 2015.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA- On July 24, 2015, James Paul Davis, a 31 year-old resident of Shenandoah, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 192 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt. Davis was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment.

Davis entered a guilty plea on March 11, 2015, to the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The plea of guilty resulted from a year-long investigation that showed large quantities of methamphetamine were transported to Southwestern Iowa from the border region in Texas for distribution across Southwestern Iowa and into Eastern Nebraska from September of 2013 to June of 2014.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Page County Sheriff’s Office, Shenandoah, Iowa, Police Department, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Omaha, Nebraska, Police Department, Metro Area Fugitive Task Force, and the United States Marshal’s Service for the Southern District of Iowa.

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

DES MOINES, IA - On July 23, 2015, a jury in the Southern District of Iowa convicted Kinsman Bruce Wolfe, age 63, of Montgomery, Alabama, of two counts of unlawful sale of wildlife, and one count of conspiracy to commit the unlawful sale of wildlife. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 21, 2015 before the Honorable John A. Jarvey.

From around October 2013 to December 2013, Wolfe assisted Robert Wilkins, age 53, of Semmes, Alabama, in guiding hunts for trophy white-tail buck deer in rural Lucas County, Iowa. Non-resident hunters were allowed to hunt on the property during the paid hunts, despite not having paid for Iowa hunting licenses, fees and transportation tags. The capes and antlers of illegally taken deer were then transported from Iowa to Alabama.

This investigation was conducted by the United State Fish and Wildlife Service, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Alabama Division of Game and Natural Resources, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA - On July 17, 2015, Robert J. Wilkins, 53, of Semmes, Alabama, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 4 years of probation for Wilkins’ role in guiding illegal deer hunts in Iowa, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. As conditions of his probation, Wilkins must serve 6 months of home confinement and pay $12,000 in restitution to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Wilkins was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund.

Beginning in at least 2010, Wilkins guided out-of-state hunters, who did not have Iowa hunting license or tags, during illegal white-tail buck deer hunts on land in rural Lucas County. Wilkins arranged for the hunts, provided hunting equipment, collected guide fees, provided instructions to hunters for avoiding detection by game wardens and law enforcement, helped process illegally taken deer, and transported the meat, capes and antlers of illegally taken deer from Iowa to Alabama.

This investigation was conducted by the United State Fish and Wildlife Service, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Alabama Game and Fish Division, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA – On July 15, 2015, Travis Diontrae Harris, also known as Travis Taggart Harris, age 28, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge James E. Gritzner to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Harris was also ordered to serve two years supervised release following the imprisonment, to forfeit of the firearm and ammunition he possessed, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On June 14, 2014, Harris fired multiple shots from a .22 caliber handgun into the side of a residence in Rock Island, IL, and into a vehicle parked near the residence. Multiple adults were in the residence at the time of the shooting.

On July 17, 2014, Davenport, Iowa, police searched Harris’ Davenport residence pursuant to a search warrant. In the kitchen of the residence police seized slightly over an ounce of marijuana, two digital scales, and a .22 caliber handgun which was loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition, all of which belonged to Harris. Harris intended to distribute at least a portion of the seized marijuana to others. Prior to July 17, 2014, Harris had been convicted of three felony crimes.

This case was investigated by the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department, Rock Island, IL, Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA - On July 14, 2015, Juan De Dios Mendez Ayala, age 35, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 51 months in prison after Mendez Ayala stipulated to a violation of his supervised release from a prior 2011 conviction and pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States as an aggravated felon, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Mendez Ayala was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

After serving his prison sentence, Mendez Ayala will be turned over to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings. Mendez Ayala was sentenced as an aggravated felon based on a 1997 conviction for burglary second degree and a 2008 conviction for possession of stolen property. Mendez Ayala was deported on three prior occasions, most recently in 2012.

This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA - On July 15, 2015, Stephen Allen Brooks, age 39, formerly of Davenport, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 168 months in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Brooks was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following the imprisonment, to pay $3,000 in restitution to a victim, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund. Brooks was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

In 2013, the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information from an ongoing Nebraska child exploitation investigation. Further investigation showed that an email account later identified to Brooks was distributing and receiving child pornography with a Nebraska subject. Through email chats and exchanges in September 2013, approximately 26 images of child pornography were distributed from Brooks from an email account which belonged to Brooks. Brooks later admitted that he had sent images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to a person in Nebraska.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DAVENPORT, IA – On July 15, 2015, Charlie D. Pitchford, age 34, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge James E. Gritzner to 33 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Pitchford was also ordered to serve four years supervised release following the imprisonment, to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On March 10, 2012, Coralville, Iowa, police stopped a vehicle in which Pitchford was the front seat passenger. Upon searching the vehicle, police found a loaded .45 caliber pistol under the front passenger seat. Next to the pistol was a plastic bag that contained 19 individually packaged bags of marijuana - each bag containing approximately 1 gram of marijuana. The pistol and the marijuana belonged to Pitchford and he intended to distribute some or all of the marijuana to other persons.

This case was investigated by the Coralville, Iowa, Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA – On July 1, 2015, Corey Lee Steffen, 37, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, was

sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge James Gritzner to a 240 month term of imprisonment on

federal child pornography charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Judge

Gritzner also sentenced Steffen to 10 years of supervised release after completion of the term of

imprisonment, and Judge Gritzner ordered Steffen to forfeit the computer equipment he used to

commit the crime.

 

Steffen was caught in 2012 at the Pleasant Hill Public Library using its internet

connection to collect and distribute child pornography on his laptop computer. A forensic

analysis of his computer by law enforcement revealed he had illegally engaged in numerous sex

acts with a 14 year old Minnesota girl in 2010, and video recorded it. He also distributed some

of the videos to a friend in Nevada.

 

“Our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is a partnership of local, state, and

federal authorities who work together to take child abusers like Mr. Steffen out of commission,”

explained U.S. Attorney Nick Klinefeldt. “Protection of children is of critical importance to

national and Iowa law enforcement authorities, and our partnership with law enforcement

agencies like the Pleasant Hill Police Department is invaluable.”

 

The case was investigated by the Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Police Department, the Iowa

Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the

Faribault, Minnesota, Police Department.

 

The 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.

Dr. Dong Pyou Han Sentenced to 57 Months Imprisonment for  Falsifying HIV/AIDS Research.

DES MOINES, IA – On July 1, 2015, Dr. Dong Pyou Han, age 58, appeared in United States District Court and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison based on his earlier guilty pleas to two counts of making false statements to the National Institutes of Health. Sentence was imposed by United States Senior District Court Judge James E. Gritzner, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Judge Gritzner also ordered that Dr. Han serve three years of supervised release following his release from federal prison. Dr. Han will be required to pay $7,216,890.12 in restitution to the National Institutes of Health.

United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt stated, "It is important that we stand up not just for punishing the fraud committed against the United States government, but for the research that should be legitimately taking place on this devastating disease."

According to the Indictment, while conducting research on behalf of Iowa State University, Dr. Han falsified scientific data to make it appear an experimental HIV/AIDS vaccine, gp41, neutralized, or controlled, the HIV/AIDS virus in rabbits, when in fact the vaccine did not. The Indictment further alleges that Dr. Han spiked sera samples from gp41-immunized rabbits with human sera containing HIV antibodies. The spiking of the rabbit samples made it appear that gp41 produced neutralizing antibodies against the HIV/AIDS virus. The false data was reported to the National Institutes of Health in a research grant application and funded grant progress reports.

In his plea agreement, Dr. Han admitted he provided false data reported in National Institutes of Health Grant Application, "Enhancing B cell immunity against HIV-1 using novel vaccine delivery platforms" and National Institutes of Health Progress Report, "Characterization of immunogenic and structural properties of HIV-1 envelope." Dr. Han also admitted that data derived from his spiking rabbit sera samples with human antibodies was reported to the National Institutes of Health.

"Taxpayers fund medical research with the hope that promising scientific breakthroughs will result in much-needed treatments and cures for patients. Because the money for medical research is limited and the need for scientific advances is great, funding decisions must be based on the best information available. When Dr. Han faked lab results -- collecting scarce government medical research funding under false presentences -- he recklessly betrayed the public’s trust," said Special Agent in Charge Gerald T. Roy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. "Researchers who lie about their work will face the consequences."

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

 

DAVENPORT, IA - On June 18, 2015, Jonathon Adam Lamb, age 36, formerly of Bettendorf, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 180 months in prison, after pleading guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and being found an armed career criminal, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Lamb was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On May 8, 2014, Lamb knowingly possessed a stolen Colt .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. As a result of two prior Michigan convictions for unarmed robbery in 2000 and a Wisconsin conviction for burglary of a building in 2006, Lamb qualified as an armed career criminal under federal law. On May 8, 2014, Lamb knowingly possessed this same .45 caliber pistol and fired a shot breaking the front window of the Expo Mart Liquor Store on State Street in Bettendorf, Iowa. Later that morning, Lamb was found in possession of the firearm as he sat in a Dodge mini-van in Le Claire, Iowa and was arrested.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department, the Bettendorf, Iowa, Police Department, and the Le Claire, Iowa, Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

DAVENPORT, IA - On June 18, 2015, George Peter Podes, age 44, formerly of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 96 months in prison, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least 100 kilograms of marijuana, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Podes was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after the imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

From approximately May 2011 to March 6, 2013, Podes agreed with several individuals, including Jared Fromknecht, Morgan Hermiston, Charles Williams, Harrison Summers, Jacob Aldrich, Michael Wood and Austin Iossi to manufacture and distribute marijuana. Podes was involved in the growing and manufacturing of multiple pounds of marijuana in Colorado that were provided to Jared Fromknecht for distribution in Iowa. Podes also acted as a middleman for marijuana transactions involving 20 to 40 pounds of marijuana at a time. In furtherance of this conspiracy, Podes obtained equipment and plant materials to manufacture multiple marijuana grows, for a total of in excess of 500 plants, at his Colorado residence. Podes admitted that he was responsible for at least 100 kilograms of marijuana and/or 100 marijuana plants.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the United States Postal Inspections Service, and the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

 

Kathy Cullen admitted to failing to report funds to the IRS that she embezzled from her employer.

DES MOINES, IA – On June 17, 2015, Kathy Joan Cullen appeared in United States District Court, before the Honorable Celeste F. Bremer, and pled guilty to filing a false 2009 tax return, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.

According to the plea agreement, Cullen embezzled money from her employer, 21st Century Cooperative. Over a period of six years, Cullen wrote over $1.3 million in checks to herself and deposited the proceeds into a personal bank account. Cullen admitted that she failed to account for the embezzled funds in her 2009 tax return.

Cullen is scheduled to be sentenced before the Honorable John A. Jarvey on October 1, 2015, at 3:30 p.m., in Des Moines, IA. Filing a false tax return carries a maximum term of three years imprisonment, up to a $100,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release. Cullen is also required to pay restitution, in an amount ordered by the Court.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - On June 12, 2015, Ruben Toledo Jr., a 20 year-old resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 84 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Toledo was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victim Fund.

On January 8, 2015, Toledo pled guilty to this charge, which was the result of an investigation by law enforcement of drug trafficking that occurred in and around the Southern District of Iowa and the District of Nebraska. Beginning as early as February of 2014, continuing through September of 2014, Toledo conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of Iowa.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.