Southern District of Iowa

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Altoona man was sentenced on Friday, October 18, 2024, to 117 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography.

According to public court documents, Eduardo Ibarra Mora, 34, a Mexican national, possessed 45 images and more than 60 videos containing child sexual abuse material on his phone and a social media account. After completing his term of imprisonment, Ibarra Mora will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Altoona Police Department.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a firearm.

In June 2024, a federal jury convicted Dylan Pettyjohn, 33, of possessing distribution quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possessing a firearm as a felon and carrying it in relation to his drug trafficking.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, on May 5, 2023, Pettyjohn led Des Moines police on a vehicle chase. When his car was disabled, he continued running on foot with a loaded firearm and a fanny pack containing cash and drugs. As an officer pursued him, Pettyjohn reached into his waistband and grabbed his loaded firearm, which he threw over his head. When the officer caught up to him, Pettyjohn resisted arrest and grappled with the officer, putting his hand on the officer’s gun. In his fanny pack, Pettyjohn had over 85 grams of methamphetamine and 54 fentanyl pills.

At sentencing, the Court emphasized Pettyjohn’s long and aggravating criminal history. After completing his term of imprisonment, Pettyjohn will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a three-count indictment yesterday charging Shawnna Marie Cunningham, 47, with offenses related to her possession of a firearm as a drug user and her aiding and abetting the possession and disposal of a firearm to a person she knew was a felon.

According to public court documents, on September 16, 2024, Cunningham was a passenger in a vehicle that refused to stop when law enforcement attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver, Joshua Dean Green, a convicted felon, produced a nine-millimeter pistol and fired at Des Moines Police officers. One officer was struck in the head and another officer was struck in the arm. Officers returned fire and Green ultimately died from his injuries. Cunningham was searched immediately following the traffic stop. A methamphetamine pipe was located on Cunningham’s person. In addition, Cunningham admitted to using methamphetamine. It is a crime under federal law to possess a firearm as a drug user.

In May 2020, Cunningham purchased the nine-millimeter pistol Green used to shoot the police officers. In September 2021, Green was arrested with the same pistol and later convicted of unlawfully possessing it as a felon. In March 2022, the gun was returned to Cunningham at her request. After Green was released from prison in January 2024, Cunningham again knowingly allowed Green to access, possess, and use her firearm.

If convicted, Cunningham faces a sentence of up to fifteen years in prison on each count.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, with assistance from the Des Moines Police Department.

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 – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Richard James Murphy, 42, sold an ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential source in August 2023. Four days later, law enforcement executed a state search warrant at Murphy’s Davenport residence and found approximately one-half pound of meth, which Murphy intended to distribute, and ten rounds of ammunition. Murphy is a felon and was on probation at the time he committed this offense.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Murphy will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man was sentenced on October 11, 2024, to nine years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, William Jack Berg, 52, defrauded approximately 17 victims by purporting to be a financial advisor in central Iowa, St. Louis, Missouri, and elsewhere. Over an eight-year period, Berg deceived victims to invest in companies he created and controlled: W. Holdings of Iowa and Excel Performance Management. To further his fraud, Berg provided his victims with fictitious investment agreements, account statements, and created a website for one of the purported investment companies. Berg spent the victim’s money for his own personal expenses. Once alerted to his federal indictment, Berg attempted to destroy documents and left the state.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Berg will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Berg was also ordered to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Kerndt prosecuted the case.

This investigation was part of the Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources, and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).

This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Exira, Iowa woman was sentenced on October 10, 2024 for a federal felony charge of straw purchasing a firearm.

According to public court documents, Leslie Nicole Moton, also known as Leslie Caniglia, 24, purchased a firearm in August 2023 for her significant other, Rey Moton, 23, of Elk Horn. Leslie Moton knew Rey Moton was a felon at the time she purchased the handgun for him and falsely represented at the time of the purchase that she was acquiring the firearm for herself. Less than a week later, Rey Moton possessed the handgun in Atlantic, Iowa and used it during a burglary.

Rey Moton was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. In March 2024, Rey Moton was sentenced to a 63-month prison term, followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

Leslie Moton received a five-year term of probation.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and the Atlantic Police Department.

This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Rock Island man was sentenced September 24, 2024, to 84 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents, in July 2023, Daryel Deanthony Shears, 20, was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by officers with the Davenport Police Department. Shears was arrested on his outstanding state warrant for not returning to a residential facility in October 2021. In the vehicle, law enforcement located a loaded, stolen handgun. The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Criminalistics Laboratory located Shears DNA profile on the handgun. Shears was convicted for previous felony state crimes in Iowa and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Shears will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Coralville man was sentenced September 24, 2024, to 78 months in federal prison for assault on person assisting federal officer. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Jorey Daniel Karl Butterbaugh, 33, was convicted in November 2023 of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Following his sentencing, and while awaiting transport to a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility, Butterbaugh was temporarily held at the Muscatine County (Iowa) Jail. On November 13, 2023, Butterbaugh assaulted a Muscatine County correctional officer, who was conducting an internal investigation of contraband within the jail.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two Council Bluffs men were sentenced for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area:

• Douglas Marqueis Louis, 45, was sentenced on August 28, 2024, to a 210-month prison term; and
• Nikolas Alan Koebel, 27, was sentenced on September 20, 2024, to a 100-month prison term.

According to public court documents, in December 2023 during a search warrant a Louis’s Council Bluffs residence, law enforcement located more than three pounds of methamphetamine, more than one pound of marijuana, more than an ounce and a half of cocaine, and more than $13,000 cash. Some of the cash at Louis’s residence came from a controlled purchase of fentanyl that law enforcement made from Koebel. In total, law enforcement arranged six controlled purchases of fentanyl from Koebel.

After completing their terms of imprisonment, Louis and Koebel will each be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement, Council Bluffs Police Department, and Omaha Police Department.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Shenandoah man was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.

According to public court documents, Evaristo Hernandez Flores Carnes, 34, uploaded images and videos containing child sex abuse material to a social media application. Law enforcement executed search warrant at Carnes’s residence and seized a cell phone that was later found to contain images and videos of child sex abuse material.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Carnes will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), DCI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Shenandoah Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigations.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Rock Island, Illinois man was sentenced on September 18, 2024, to 210 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.

According to public court documents, in early 2021, Jesus Alfonso Ruiz, 37, along with co-conspirators, distributed meth and marijuana in the Quad Cities area. Surveillance footage showed Ruiz obtaining meth in Illinois. On May 28, 2021, Ruiz was stopped in Eldridge, on his way back from Illinois, and law enforcement officers found approximately one pound of meth in the trunk of the car. In November 2021, Ruiz was arrested at his residence due to an outstanding parole violation warrant in a state drug trafficking case. In Ruiz’s residence, law enforcement located distribution quantities of marijuana and cocaine, and a firearm.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Ruiz will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Dubuque Drug Task Force.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Carol Stream, Illinois man was sentenced on September 17, 2024, to 264 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, in early 2022, Milford Rogers, 33, conspired to distribute methamphetamine with co-conspirators in the Quad Cities area. Rogers received pound quantities of methamphetamine through the mail, including one package containing three pounds of methamphetamine. Rogers distributed multiple kilograms of methamphetamine throughout the Quad Cities. 

After completing his term of imprisonment, Rogers will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to 8 years (96 months) in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents, Marshon Lamarr Johanson, 30, shot his dog after it reportedly bit him. In August 2024, Council Bluffs Animal Control went to Johanson’s house to check on the welfare of the dog. Johanson was uncooperative. The Council Bluffs Police Department returned a few days later with a search warrant. The dog was found dead in the basement. A Ruger handgun and loaded magazine were found in the bedroom of the residence. Johanson was convicted of animal torture in the Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County and sentenced to a 75-day suspended prison term.

In 2015, Johanson was convicted of burglary and aggravated robbery in Texas, and, in 2022, Johanson was convicted of two felony assault charges in the Nebraska District Court for Douglas County. As a result, Johanson is prohibited from possessing firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Johanson will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Atlantic, Iowa man was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Derek Allen McDermott, 38, was found in possession of distribution quantities of meth during two traffic stops in October 2023 and December 2023. McDermott has two state convictions for possession with intent to deliver meth.

After completing his term of imprisonment, McDermott will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Patrol.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two Council Bluffs men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine:

• Michael Guy Given, 36, was sentenced on August 14, 2024, to a 120‑month prison term; and
• Brian Michael Hogan, 50, was sentenced on September 17, 2024, to a 120‑month prison term.

According to public court documents, between March and April 2023, Given and Hogan conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area. During a search warrant, law enforcement located methamphetamine, a digital scale, and drug packaging materials.

After completing their terms of imprisonment, Given and Hogan will each be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years (300 months) in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine and a possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

According to public court documents, law enforcement witnessed Roy Albert Phillips, 35, recklessly driving and attempted a traffic stop. Phillips did not stop, ran multiple stop signs, and drove more than 50 miles per hour in a 25 mile-per-hour-zone. Phillips eventually struck a pole and fled on foot. Officers observed Phillips drop a backpack while fleeing, which was later found to contain a loaded handgun and approximately one pound of methamphetamine. Officers searched Phillips’ phone and located messages indicative of Phillips trafficking pound quantities of methamphetamine and carrying the gun related to his drug trafficking activities.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Phillips will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Davenport Police Department, and Scott County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today to 220 months in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Philip Duane Sales, 54, in fall 2023. On December 20, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sales’ residence and seized approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine and currency, some of which was utilized during a controlled buy in October 2023.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Sales will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, and Iowa State Patrol.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Michigan man was sentenced yesterday to five years (60 months) in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents, Michael Anthony McBride, 30, was stopped for speeding by the Iowa State Patrol in Adair County on July 21, 2023. A search of McBride’s vehicle led to the discovery of user quantities of marijuana and cocaine, a digital scale, and two firearms: a loaded nine-millimeter pistol and a semi-automatic “ghost gun.” McBride admitted to purchasing the firearms for protection. The nine-millimeter pistol had been reported stolen from a residence in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan in June 2023. McBride had been convicted of a felony drug crime in Michigan and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, McBride will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa will host a public outreach event focused on identifying and reporting hate crimes on Thursday, September 12 at 1:00 p.m. at the Marshalltown Public Library, located at 105 West Boone Street, Marshalltown, Iowa.

United Against Hate is a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating unlawful acts of hate by educating the public about federal hate crimes and anti-discrimination statutes. The program encourages the reporting of hate crimes, hate incidents, and unlawful discrimination to a local, county, and/or state law enforcement agency and the Department of Justice.

“Hate crimes and hate incidents are traumatic for not only victims and their families, but also for the communities in which they occur. These crimes are a high priority for our office. Hate can divide us. But a community that unites behind the goals of holding these individuals accountable, and providing support, understanding and active listening, can lessen both the risk and the impact of these crimes,” said United States Attorney Rich Westphal. “We are looking forward to hearing from the panel about the importance of reporting hate crimes and from the audience about how these issues impact them personally and impact their entire community.”

The United Against Hate event will include an interactive panel discussion with representatives from the Marshalltown Police Department, the Marshall County Attorney’s office, and Child Adolescent and Parent Support, a Marshalltown-based nonprofit.

To report a hate crime to the FBI, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip at https://tips.fbi.gov/home or contact your local field office.

Civil rights violations occurring in the Southern District of Iowa can be report to the U.S. Attorney’s Office using the complaint form located at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/civil-rights or the U.S. Department of Justice at https://civilrights.justice.gov.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Neola man was sentenced today to a total term of 292 months in federal prison for transporting a minor for the purpose of engaging in sex acts and possessing firearms as a felon.

According to public court documents, Steven Earl Adkins, 56, communicated with a minor on Craigslist. He drove to a truck stop in Nebraska, picked up the minor, and brought the minor to his home. Adkins provided necessities to the minor in exchange for sex acts. During a search warrant at Adkins’s residence, law enforcement located 16 firearms and ammunition. In 2011, Adkins was convicted in Nebraska of the felony offense of strangulation, which prohibits Adkins from possessing firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Adkins will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Adkins will be required to register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Omaha Police Department, and Colorado Springs Police Department.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 110 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents, Antonio Dontez Hoffman, Jr., 21, burglarized a deceased woman’s house during her funeral and stole a large number of guns and ammunition. Hoffman’s phone contained messages with his co-conspirator about his desire to sell most of the guns he thought they would find at the house and those he desired to keep for himself. At the time, Hoffman was on state probation following his conviction for possession of a stolen firearm.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Hoffman will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today to 134 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Lawrence Allen Peterson, II, also known as “Toro,” 48, conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine within the Council Bluffs metropolitan area between March and October 2023. In 2005, Peterson was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Peterson will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Audubon man was sentenced today to 25 years (300 months) in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to public court documents, William Roland Brubaker, 27, initiated a sexual relationship with a minor and produced videos of child sexual abuse material of the minor. The videos were recorded on a cell phone and shared with Brubaker through a social media application.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Brubaker will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Brubaker will be required to register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Audubon County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation’s Cyber Crime Bureau, Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa – An Ottumwa man was sentenced on September 6, 2024, to 40 years in federal prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion of two victims, sex trafficking of one child, enticement and attempted enticement of two minors, and using the internet to facilitate prostitution after pleading guilty to all six charges in April 2024, roughly a week before his trial was scheduled to begin.

According to public court documents, from 2018 to 2023, Darnell Keith Jones, 32, victimized at least five individuals—two children and three adults—throughout parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, including in the areas of Ottumwa, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Chicago. Jones successfully sex trafficked one adult and one child. To cause his victims to engage in sex acts in exchange for money, Jones used physical assaults, harassment, and threats. He also acted like a boyfriend to his victims, attempting to convince victims that they could demonstrate their loyalty and love by completing sex acts for money. Among other things, Jones threatened a victim with a knife, hit a victim with a brick, and choked and strangled victims with such force that his victims lost consciousness or even urinated. Jones raped one victim and attempted to rape another. Jones admitted that he drove his victims to locations where they completed sex acts for money and that he used various internet websites to advertise the adult victims.

Jones coerced and attempted to coerce two female children to engage in illegal sexual conduct, including prostitution. One child was just fourteen years old, and Jones used text-message communications to persuade the child to engage in prostitution and to engage in sex acts with him.

“This case and many similar cases have a lifelong impact on the victims, which is not something the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office takes lightly,” said Wapello County Sheriff Don Phillips. “Local, state, and federal agencies worked together towards the common goal of ensuring justice for the victims and protecting the community. I will always make sure the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office does our part in combating human trafficking in the State of Iowa.”

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This criminal case was investigated jointly by the Ottumwa Police Department, Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Wapello County Sheriff's Office Detective Aaron McConnell, Ottumwa Police Department Investigator Jeremy Tosh, and Ottumwa Police Department Investigator Caleb Mitchell served as case agents, with assistance from Special Agent Hai Tran, of Homeland Security Investigations and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Essley and Laura Roan prosecuted the case.

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

Anyone who 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.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 15 years (180 months) in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

According to public court documents, Brian Eugene Harvey, III, also known as “Bino,” 22, was identified by law enforcement as a large-scale fentanyl pill distributor in the Des Moines area. In the fall of 2023, law enforcement conducted several controlled buys of fentanyl pills from Harvey. During one controlled buy, Harvey sold a gun. Law enforcement located over 4,000 fentanyl pills, three firearms, ammunition, and cash in Harvey’s vehicles during search warrants in November 2023.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Harvey will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines businessman pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.

According to public court documents, Jeffrey Walter Gray, 61, created and possessed child sexual abuse material. Gray, from as early as approximately 2005 to at least approximately 2016, used minors to produce child sexual abuse material. Some of the material was created at the photography business Gray owned and operated in the Des Moines area—Wicked Imagery. The material included images from hidden cameras placed in the changing rooms at Wicked Imagery to capture videos and/or images of minor children undressing. In November 2023, investigators recovered a hard drive which was later determined to contain child sexual abuse material, including at least fifteen minor victims, from Gray’s residence. 

Gray is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and maximum sentence of 30 years for the sexual exploitation charge. Gray also faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the possession of child pornography charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with the assistance of the Des Moines Police Department.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today to seven years (84 months) in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

According to public court documents, Reginald Juan Harris, Jr., 32, came to the attention of law enforcement in November 2023 for distributing cocaine and marijuana from his Council Bluffs residence. During a subsequent search warrant at his residence, law enforcement located approximately 12 grams of cocaine, approximately 950 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .45 caliber pistol.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Harris will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today to 40 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents, T.J. LeBaugh, 37, dropped a bag with a loaded nine-millimeter firearm and an extended firearm magazine while fleeing from law enforcement. Prior to fleeing on foot, LeBaugh was speeding and caused a car accident. In 2015, LeBaugh was convicted of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

After completing his term of imprisonment, LeBaugh will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Council Bluffs Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Three individuals from Council Bluffs were sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine:

• George Ormond Rolle, Jr., 51, was sentenced on August 28, 2024, to 210 months in federal prison;

• Joseph Robert Winger, 34, was sentenced on February 23, 2024, to 140 months in federal prison; and

• Linda Clover Winger, 41, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, to 78 months in federal prison.

According to public court documents, Rolle, Joseph Winger, and Linda Winger conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs metro area in 2023. In July 2023, law enforcement officers received information on a package, containing methamphetamine, that was addressed to a residence in Council Bluffs. Law enforcement officers seized the package and conducted a controlled delivery of the seized package. Rolle and Linda Winger attempted to retrieve the package from the residence and were subsequently taken into custody. Their vehicle was searched and had approximately 76 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, drug ledgers, and more than $4700. Phone messages confirmed the group was working together to pool their money to buy the methamphetamine for distribution in the Council Bluffs metro area.

After completing their term of imprisonment, each individual will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment charging 18 individuals with offenses related to bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.

As alleged in the Indictment, Defendants orchestrated a nationwide scheme to defraud financial institutions and draw funds from stolen business checks. Defendants, located across the country, first obtained the stolen checks from uncharged co-conspirators. They then registered sham entities with the IRS and state government agencies—including the Iowa Secretary of State—with names which were identical or similar to the legitimate recipients of the checks. After obtaining registration documents and IRS employer identification numbers, Defendants opened or attempted to open accounts at banks and credit unions in the names of the sham entities, intending to deposit the stolen checks. While attempting to open the accounts, Defendants made material misrepresentations to or concealed material facts from the banks and credit unions.

The Indictment alleges that once Defendants were able to open the accounts for the sham entities, they deposited or attempted to deposit the stolen checks in the accounts. If the deposit was successful, Defendants withdrew large amounts of cash from the accounts and/or obtained cashier’s or official checks from the accounts. Defendants distributed the proceeds among their co-conspirators. Oftentimes, Defendants obtained cashier’s or official checks written to sham entities that were created for the purpose of laundering stolen check proceeds. Defendants used the money obtained from the stolen business checks for their personal benefit and purposes.

The Indictment alleges the Defendants’ conduct affected at least twelve business victims and at least fourteen financial institution victims. Defendants and their co-conspirators attempted to deposit at least $10 million worth of stolen checks into fraudulent accounts and were able to obtain at least $2.1 million in proceeds from their criminal conduct.

If convicted, Defendants face a maximum penalty of thirty years in prison on counts alleging bank fraud or bank fraud conspiracy and ten years in prison on counts alleging money laundering or money laundering conspiracy. The Indictment may be viewed at the link below.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case with assistance from the Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and Secret Service, as well as with assistance from numerous state and local agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Essley, Kristin Herrera, and Joseph Lubben are prosecuting the case.

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

Here is the link for the Grand Jury Indictment 

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced August 23, 2024, to 35 years in federal prison for producing and receiving child pornography.

According to public court documents and information presented at sentencing, Brett Michael Bailey, 36, sexually abused a minor and created child pornography of the minor on multiple occasions, including when the minor was twelve years old. In addition, Bailey downloaded tens of thousands of videos and pictures of child pornography from the internet on multiple electronic devices belonging to Bailey. The electronic devices were seized when police executed a search warrant at Bailey’s Des Moines residence in October 2023.   

After completing his term of imprisonment, Bailey will be required to serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Bailey was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $145,500 to 34 different victims portrayed in the images collected by Bailey.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Iowa DCI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs woman was sentenced on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, to 122 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Demi Lynn Jahn, 33, conspired with other individuals to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs metro area between March and June 2023. Jahn conspired with others including Leonires Perez, also known as “Flaco,” who was sentenced in May 2024 in the District of Nebraska to 248 months for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and Virgil McIntosh, who was sentenced in April 2024 to 240 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm.

After completing her term of imprisonment, Jahn will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, to 48 months in federal prison for two counts of possessing a firearm as a drug user.

According to public court documents, Nicholas Paul Gilmore, 33, was found in possession of two firearms between August and September 2023. One of the firearms was stolen. During a search of Gilmore’s residence in August 2023, officers located methamphetamine, ammunition, and extended firearms magazines.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Gilmore will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, to 136 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Michael Martin Meehan, 53, distributed methamphetamine to a confidential informant on two occasions in January 2023, totaling more than 150 grams.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Meehan will be required to serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, and Carter Lake Police Department.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A businessman, formerly of Adel, was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in federal prison for filing a false income tax return.

According to public court documents, Mark Francis Davidson, 66, is the majority shareholder of a company called Collegiate Concepts, Inc., which rents dorm minifridges to colleges and college students across the United States. Beginning in 2015 and continuing until 2021, Davidson diverted over $3.8 million from the corporation to himself and failed to report this income to the Internal Revenue Service. Davidson concealed these payments from the corporation’s accountant and tax preparer by providing falsified check ledgers that falsely identified checks from the corporation to Davidson as seemingly legitimate business expenses.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Davison will be on supervised release for one year. There is no parole in the federal system. Davidson was also ordered to pay $1,449,620 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and a fine of $20,000.

“A prison sentence should send a message to anyone who consistently underreports their income each year that it’s just a matter of time before they land on the radar of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of CI’s St. Louis Field Office. “We strive to ensure the integrity and fairness of the nation’s tax code, so all taxpayers pay their fair share.”

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer participated in the 41st Annual National Night Out (NNO). Their participation in NNO events highlights the Justice Department’s partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement that have played key roles in its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, which focuses federal resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime.

Established in 1984 from a Justice Department Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant, NNO aims to build relationships with and between communities and law enforcement, promote police-community partnerships, and enhance neighborhood camaraderie. The community-building campaign provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

This year, NNO takes place as violent crime continues to decline nationwide, following an uptick during the pandemic in 2020. FBI data shows a decrease in violent crime in communities across the country in 2023 compared to the previous year, including an over 13% reduction in homicides. That is the steepest yearly decline in homicides in over 50 years. Early data from 2024 indicates that this trend is continuing.

“Each year, National Night Out gives communities across the country the chance to celebrate and strengthen their partnerships with law enforcement,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This was a particularly meaningful National Night Out because it came after our country experienced one of the lowest nationwide violent crime rates in 50 years this past year. The Justice Department will never stop working to build on this progress because every person, in every neighborhood, in every community deserves to be safe from violent crime.”

The Attorney General participated in National Night Out events in Des Moines, Iowa. He was joined by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kahl for the Southern District of Iowa at an event hosted by the Urbandale, Iowa, Police Department, where they had an opportunity to engage with local law enforcement and community members.

This week, Attorney General Garland met with prosecutors and law enforcement partners from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Nevada, Eastern District of Wisconsin, Northern District of Iowa, and Southern District of Iowa. The Attorney General met with U.S. Attorney Jason Frierson for the District of Nevada and discussed his office’s work as part of the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces program (OCDETF), which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle high-level criminal and drug trafficking organizations. In Wisconsin, he spoke with federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders, including Milwaukee Sheriff Denita Ball and Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, about efforts to continue to decrease violent crime and reduce fentanyl on streets in the Milwaukee area. Attorney General Garland also touted the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northen District of Iowa to secure sentences for multiple gun and drug crime offenders.

Deputy Attorney General Monaco attended two National Night Out events in Cincinnati with U.S. Attorney of Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio and Chief Teresa Theetge of the Cincinnati Police. She visited the Westwood and Roselawn neighborhoods, where she spoke with local community leaders and law enforcement officials about how they are partnering together to keep Cincinnati safe. Prior to her NNO stops, the Deputy Attorney General attended roll-call at the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD)’s Third District to thank the women and men of the force for their commitment to public safety.

While in Cincinnati, the Deputy Attorney General visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio to hear from the dedicated prosecutors and professional staff of the office about their work to carry out the Justice Department’s mission, especially tackling violent crime. The Deputy Attorney General also toured the Cincinnati Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC), which imbeds ATF special agents and analysts with local law enforcement and prosecutors to swiftly identify unlawfully used firearms and their sources. Like the many other crime gun intelligence centers nationwide, the Cincinnati CGIC harnesses cutting-edge technologies — including the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and eTrace systems — to rapidly develop and pursue investigative leads in order to drive case clearance rates up, which in turn can help drive violent crime rates down.

Prior to traveling to Cincinnati, the Deputy Attorney General delivered the keynote address at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Women in Federal Law Enforcement Foundation, where she emphasized the crucial role women in law enforcement play in protecting communities nationwide.

Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer joined U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley Jr. for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Special Agent in Charge Benny Mims of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Charlotte Field Division, and U.S. Marshal Glenn McNeill Jr. for the Eastern District of North Carolina to attend two National Night Out events in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Acting Associate Attorney General visited Tarboro Road Community Center and The Village at Washington Terrace, where he met with law enforcement partners and community members and discussed issues of importance in Raleigh.

In addition to the federal, state, local, and Tribal partners, the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country are invaluable partners in the Department’s work to combat violent crime. All of the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices visited this week by the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, and Acting Associate Attorney General maintain ongoing participation in the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which builds on existing programs in each district to reduce gun violence, gun crime, and sustain those reductions.

DAVENPORT, Iowa –A California man was sentenced on July 30, 2024, to 188 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, between October 2020 and July 2022, Jose Antonio Reyes, 35, conspired with others to send large amounts of methamphetamine from California to Muscatine, Iowa for distribution. Reyes mailed two packages containing pound quantities of methamphetamine to co-conspirators in Muscatine.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Reyes will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Muscatine County Drug Task Force.

DAVENPORT, Iowa –A Burlington man was sentenced on July 30, 2024, to 150 months in federal prison for Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, between October 2022 and October 2023, Michael Bernard Hicks Jr., 27, distributed over three kilograms of methamphetamine in the southeast Iowa area to confidential informants and undercover officers. All of Hicks’ distributions of methamphetamine were carried out while he was on probation for a state of Iowa conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Hicks will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force and Iowa Department of Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced on Thursday, July 25, 2024, to 72 months in federal prison for attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.

According to public court documents, Carl Edward Gentry, 38, engaged in a Facebook conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old female for approximately ten months. Gentry then began a separate Facebook conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old female. During each of the conversations, Gentry graphically described the sex acts he wished to perform upon the females if they met him in person. Gentry also sent graphic images of his exposed genital area to the 13-year-old female using a texting application.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Gentry will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Altoona Police Department, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced on Friday, July 26, 2024, to 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.

According to public court documents, Jon-Richard Stamatelos, 63, possessed four internet capable computer devices in October 2023. Three of those devices—two cell phones and a tablet computer—contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. At the time of his offense, Stamatelos was a registered sex offender due to a 2023 state conviction for possession of child pornography in the Iowa District Court for Polk County. Stamatelos was found in possession of child pornography approximately seven months after he was sentenced in state court.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Stamatelos will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Stamatelos was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, and Iowa’s Fifth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Kansas man was sentenced yesterday to 235 months in federal prison for transportation of child pornography.

According to public documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Derek Levi Hendrickson, 33, transported three internet capable computer devices across state lines in September 2022 when he moved to Waukee, Iowa. Those devices – two cell phones and a laptop computer – contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography. At the time of his offense, Hendrickson was a registered sex offender due to a 2015 Kansas state conviction for possession of child pornography.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Hendrickson will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Hendrickson was also ordered to pay $38,000 in restitution.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Nebraska State Patrol.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Missouri man was sentenced today to 405 months in federal prison for production of child pornography.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, John Daniel Kopp Jr., 65, requested Abigail Margarete Knight produce child pornography with two minor victims and send it to him for a period of several years, between at least July 2020 through May 2023. Knight would produce such images and send them to Kopp via text message. Kopp continued to ask for more images, even paying Knight to produce some of the images.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Kopp will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Kopp was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution.

In June 2024, Knight, 36 of Riverside, was sentenced to 600 months in federal prison, following her plea to two counts of production of child pornography.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Washington County Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on July 16, 2024, to eight years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Elijah Wires, 20, was found in possession of a firearm with an extended magazine during the early morning hours of January 1, 2022. Wires, a Savage Life gang member who had multiple outstanding arrest warrants, was a passenger in a car that drove recklessly through Davenport, including driving through red lights and down one-way roads. Once the car stopped, Wires attempted to flee from officers on foot but was apprehended and arrested. At sentencing, the Court ordered Wires’s federal sentence to run consecutively to his undischarged state sentences.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Wires will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Davenport, Iowa – A man was sentenced on July 17, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

According to public court documents, Dale Ganaway Lucas, Jr., 39, was responsible for buying and selling large quantities of cocaine in the Quad Cities area. Law enforcement officers conducted a series of controlled buys from Lucas, which eventually led to the execution of a search warrant at Lucas’s home. Within Lucas’s home, law enforcement found approximately 80 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine) in a vacuum cleaner, approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine in Lucas’s vehicle, and evidence of drug distribution. Lucas has a prior federal conviction for possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and a prior conviction for delivery of cocaine, in the Illinois Circuit Court for Rock Island County.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Lucas will be required to serve eight years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced July 16, 2024 to 120 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Lawaun Maurice Webster, 44 distributed approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine to another person from his residence in Council Bluffs, Iowa. During a search warrant at the residence, law enforcement recovered a loaded firearm near where other drugs and drug paraphernalia were found.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Webster will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Davenport, Iowa – A Burlington man was sentenced on Thursday, July 11, 2024, to 120 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Corey Lee Ritz, 48, engaged in a Facebook conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old female. Ritz proceeded to graphically describe the kinds of sex acts he would like to perform on the 15-year-old if they met in person. Ritz made plans to meet with the 15-year-old. Ritz then suggested that the 15-year-old bring another underage female to their planned meeting. Ritz then began communicating with a second undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old female. Ritz arranged to meet with the two minor females in person in Burlington, Iowa.

Ritz arrived at the pre-planned in-person meeting and was arrested by the Des Moines County Sherriff’s Department. He had a Samsung cell phone and three condoms in his possession. Ritz admitted to law enforcement that he was meeting a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl for the purpose of sex.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Ritz will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Des Moines County Sheriff Department.

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Washington County man was sentenced on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, to 240 months in federal prison for producing child pornography.

According to public court documents, witnesses notified the Washington County Sheriff’s Office that Trevor Devon Miller, 23, produced a video of himself with a minor female engaged in sexual activity. That video was sent by Miller via Snapchat to other minors. Investigators recovered a copy of the video and confronted Miller who admitted he produced and distributed the video. Investigators also discovered that Miller had produced a similar video with another minor female.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Miller will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Miller will be required to register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Davenport, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 162 months in federal prison for selling cocaine while under federal supervision.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Dedrick Montez Jones, 44, during 2023, while Jones was under federal supervised release on a prior federal drug case, officers received information that Jones was selling cocaine. In December 2023, officers searched Jones’ residence and located approximately 45 grams of cocaine. Jones eventually admitted to selling cocaine.

At sentencing, the Court also found Jones had violated the terms of his federal supervised release for a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and imposed a 42-month term of imprisonment, for a total of 162 months in federal prison.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Jones will be required to serve eight years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced Thursday, July 11, 2024 to 222 months in federal prison for Transportation of Child Pornography and revocation of his federal supervised release.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, David Ponce, 53, a registered sex offender, was found to have a prohibited cell phone while under federal supervised release, had not formally registered with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry, and admitted to using the prohibited cell phone to access child pornography. During the investigation, Ponce was found accountable for more than 600 visual depictions of child pornography.

At sentencing, the Court also found Ponce had violated the terms of his federal supervised release for a prior conviction for attempted enticement of a minor and he was ordered to serve a 30-month term of imprisonment, for a total of 222 months in federal prison.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Ponce will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on Thursday, July 11, 2024 to 216 months in federal prison, for receipt of child pornography.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Zane Michael McBride, 48, was identified by law enforcement as a suspect through a series of cyber tip notifications from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During the course of that investigation, it was revealed that McBride was downloading, viewing, chatting online about, and trading child sexual assault material with other people. In total, McBride was attributed with receiving over 10,000 visual depictions of child sexual assault material. As part of his sentence, McBride was ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution.

After completing his term of imprisonment, McBride will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.