Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Woman who Straw Purchased Multiple Firearms for Her Boyfriend Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who illegally purchased multiple guns for her boyfriend, a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, to 18 months’ imprisonment.
Daniella Maldonado-Paraday, age 29, from Palos Hills, Illinois, received the prison term after a December 4, 2024 guilty plea to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
From 2021 through 2024, Maldonado purchased multiple firearms for her boyfriend, who was a felon. Maldonado was also a drug user, but represented when purchasing firearms that she was not an unlawful user of marijuana.
Maldonado was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Maldonado was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR- 00030-002.
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Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
A man who entered the United States illegally from Mexico was sentenced on April 16, 2025, to 20 months in prison.
Rafael Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez, age 39, from Mexico, received the sentence after a December 9, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the guilty plea hearing, Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez admitted he had illegally entered the United States from Guatemala after being deported in 2019 from the United States District Court from the Western District of Texas.
On February 2, 2024, Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez was arrested in Buena Vista County for a controlled substance violation and failure to affix drug stamp for being in possession of distribution quantities of cocaine. On September 30, 2024, Iowa Probation contacted Sioux City, Iowa, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requesting information about Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez, who was recently placed on probation after being convicted of possession with intent to deliver cocaine. The investigation conducted by ICE revealed defendant is a citizen of Mexico and had previously been removed from the United States on three previous occasions.
Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-04073. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Cedar Rapids Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
In recent days, two men who conspired to distribute controlled substances pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Isaiah Pirtle, also known as “Pudge,” age 33, from Cedar Rapids was convicted today of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Daxxton Cook, age 36, from Cedar Rapids was convicted on April 10, 2025, of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Cook admitted that he agreed with other people to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. On February 7, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 16 fentanyl pills. On February 8, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 1.93 grams of cocaine and 5.37 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl. On May 28, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 12.55 grams of cocaine and 20.75 grams of fentanyl. Cook was previously convicted of a felony drug offense.
In a plea agreement, Pirtle admitted that he agreed with other people to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, as well as a detectable amount of cocaine.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Pirtle and Cook remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Pirtle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Cook faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-4.
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Convicted Felon Who Possessed a Firearm and Fled from Police Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed a handgun and fled from Cedar Rapids police officers was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Brent Robinson, age 23, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 25, 2024, guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, on March 19, 2025, at approximately 2:15 a.m., officers with the Cedar Rapids Police Department attempted to stop a red car that they suspected was involved in a theft earlier that morning. Robinson was driving the red car. Rather than stopping, Robinson drove away at a high rate of speed, reaching 55 mph, ran multiple stop signs, and eventually crashed into a parked car.
After the crash, Robinson, who was the lone occupant, got out and ran from officers. Despite repeat commands to stop, Robinson did not do so. An officer eventually tackled Robinson and fell into a ditch, sustaining injuries to his knee. Officers determined that Robinson was intoxicated.
Officers also searched the car Robinson had been driving. Officers found items from the earlier theft in the glovebox. They also found a loaded .380 caliber handgun. Robinson later admitted that the gun belonged to a friend, but that Robinson had handled it, and his fingerprints would be on it.
At the time he possessed the handgun, Robinson was a convicted felon. He had previously been convicted of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and robbery. In addition to the federal conviction for possessing the handgun, Robinson was convicted in the Iowa District Court for Linn County of first-degree theft in relation to the stolen items found in the glovebox.
Robinson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Robinson was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Robinson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-cr-54.
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Drug User who Bought Firearms for His Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who bought seven firearms for his drug dealer was sentenced on April 10, 2025, to more than one year in federal prison.
Desmond Staggers, age 26, from Iowa City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 10, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substance.
Information from Staggers’s plea and sentencing hearings showed that over a period of months in 2023 and 2024, Staggers purchased seven firearms. At the time he bought the firearms, Staggers was a user of and addicted to heroin and fentanyl. Staggers bought the firearms at the direction of his drug dealer, and after buying them, gave them directly to the dealer.
Staggers was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Staggers was sentenced to 23 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Staggers was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-0084.
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Humboldt County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Lawrence Moore, 37, from Bode, Iowa, pled guilty April 10, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Moore was previously convicted of Armed Robbery and Aggravated Battery (three times) in Cook County, Illinois. These convictions prohibit Moore from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that Moore was involved in negotiations for buying and selling of firearms to other people. During the fall of 2024, Moore communicated with an undercover agent, attempting to buy or trade a firearm with the agent. On November 18, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Moore’s residence. Law enforcement located and seized a Smith & Wesson Model 59 semi-automatic pistol, which Moore had referenced previously. The fully loaded firearm was located inside a void cut into the mattress in the bedroom shared by Moore and his wife. Law enforcement also located and seized marijuana and drug use paraphernalia in the residence, including in the bedroom.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Moore remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Moore faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3050. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Convicted Felon Who Possessed a Gun Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a handgun was sentenced April 8, 2025, to more than three years in federal prison.
Torion Tamaz Byrd, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 1, 2024, bench trial where he was found guilty of one count of felon in possession of a firearm
Evidence at trial showed that Byrd was found in possession of a handgun when Waterloo police officers stopped a car Byrd was driving. During the traffic stop, officers arrested the passenger in the car who was wanted for failing to appear for a state court hearing. Officers saw a loaded handgun with an extended magazine in the glove box. Byrd’s DNA was eventually found in three places on the handgun.
Byrd was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byrd was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Byrd is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2016.
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Convicted Felon Who Possessed a Gun Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a handgun was sentenced April 8, 2025, to more than three years in federal prison.
Torion Tamaz Byrd, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 1, 2024, bench trial where he was found guilty of one count of felon in possession of a firearm
Evidence at trial showed that Byrd was found in possession of a handgun when Waterloo police officers stopped a car Byrd was driving. During the traffic stop, officers arrested the passenger in the car who was wanted for failing to appear for a state court hearing. Officers saw a loaded handgun with an extended magazine in the glove box. Byrd’s DNA was eventually found in three places on the handgun.
Byrd was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byrd was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Byrd is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2016.
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65-Year Old Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Second Federal Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
Timothy Koons, 65, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty April 10, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to distribution of methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Koons admitted that on two separate occasions in March 2024, he distributed over 130 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. Koons had previously been federally convicted of felony possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in October of 2010.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Koons remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Koons faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $8,000,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4034. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Two Time Federal Felon Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A male who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl pills after previously being convicted of a federal firearms crime was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison.
Ian Michael Bonnette, age 45, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 30, 2024 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence at the sentencing hearing demonstrated that in addition to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, defendant had many woman over to his home and provided them free methamphetamine in exchange for sex. Many of these women were homeless and with limited resources and defendant took advantage of them due to his financial position. The evidence also showed that defendant threatened a female with a knife over drugs he believes were stolen from him.
Bonnette was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bonnette was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bonnette is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-01012.
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Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Discharging a Firearm in Neighborhood in DubuqueRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who discharged a firearm in a residential neighborhood in Dubuque, Iowa, in April 2024 was sentenced on April 8, 2025, to three years in federal prison.
Datreon Adams, age 30, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 19, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Adams admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm. Information at those hearings showed that Adams drove through a Dubuque neighborhood discharging the firearm before returning to his motel. Officers subsequently located the firearm in Adams’ motel room and determined he was a felon. Adams did not strike anyone or anything while discharging the firearm.
Adams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Adams was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Adams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1023.
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Boscobel Man Sentenced to More than Ten years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who possessed ice methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced on April 8, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Hunter Newberry, age 23, from Boscobel, Wisconsin, pled guilty on October 31, 2024, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on January 27, 2024, law enforcement officers stopped the car Newberry was driving. During the traffic stop, officers searched Newberry’s car and located a bag containing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. Subsequently, Newberry admitted to officers that he had acquired the methamphetamine in Madison, Wisconsin, and brought it to the Dubuque area to distribute. Newberry admitted that between December 2023 and January 2024, he acquired at least ten pounds of methamphetamine and distributed it in the Dubuque area.
Newberry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Newberry was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Newberry remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1026.
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Charles City Man Sent to Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon and domestic abuser was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison.
Dashaune Terrell Burns-Johnson, age 32, from Charles City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 23, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on May 22, 2024, Burns‑Johnson brought drugs and a loaded firearm to his neighbor’s house in Charles City. Burns-Johnson pulled the firearm out of his backpack and pointed it at someone in the house. Burns-Johnson had previously been convicted of felony and misdemeanor crimes related to domestic abuse assault.
Burns-Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Burns-Johnson was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Burns-Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Charles City Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-2033.
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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Large-Scale COVID-19 Pandemic Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man who organized a large scheme to defraud the federal government out of COVID-19 pandemic loan moneys in 2021 was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison. Alhaji Kundu Aly, age 35, from Chester, Pennsylvania, formerly of Liberia, received the prison term after a June 14, 2024, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
In a plea agreement, and at the sentencing hearing, Aly admitted that, in 2021, he and others recruited and assisted various individuals in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans for which they did not actually qualify, in exchange for a fee. False, fraudulent, and fictitious documents and statements were submitted to various lending institutions in support of the PPP loans for the PPP applicants. After the PPP applicants received the fraudulent PPP loans, it was part of the scheme to demand a portion of the PPP moneys from the PPP applicants and, if necessary, Aly traveled to demand payment in person. Aly traveled to Iowa and demanded payment in person from a PPP applicant. Aly admitted at his sentencing hearing that he was responsible for approximately $3.5 million in loss based on more than 170 fraudulent PPP loans as a result of the scheme to defraud.
Aly was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Aly was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $3,478,781 in restitution the Small Business Administration and two PPP lenders. Aly must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Aly was released on a bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on April 28, 2025, at 10 a.m., in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration assisted the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-9.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to more than nine years in federal prison.
Trajuan Laroy West, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
On January 3, 2024, Iowa State Patrol Troopers stopped a vehicle that West was driving for speeding. During the traffic stop, a Trooper located marijuana and a gun in the vehicle. The slide of the gun had been reported stolen out of Arkansas. West was prohibited from possessing firearms based on three prior felony drug-related convictions as well as a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence.
West was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. West was sentenced to 112 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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
West is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Waterloo Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2029.
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Nurse Anesthetist Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl Diversion at Dubuque HospitalRead the Press Release
A nurse anesthetist who diverted fentanyl for his own use was sentenced on April 2, 2025, to three months in federal prison. Ian Lindsey, age 42, from Mineral Point, Wisconsin, received the prison term after November 13, 2024, guilty pleas to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, and one count of false statement relating to health care matters.
In a plea agreement, and at his sentencing hearing, Lindsey admitted, and the evidence showed that, no later than 2017, he was diverting significant amounts of fentanyl and other drugs from a hospital in Platteville, Wisconsin. The hospital was purchasing fentanyl above monthly limits, yet its supply was still consistently out. Lindsey also illegally accessed patient records and made false statements in patient records at the Platteville hospital. Lindsey was “shaky” and “falling asleep at surgery bedside.” The Platteville hospital fired Lindsey in 2017.
Lindsey’s criminal conduct later resumed at a hospital in Dubuque, Iowa. From October 2022 to at least January 25, 2023, Lindsey diverted fentanyl from nearly 50 patients at the Dubuque hospital. Lindsey also again illegally accessed the medical records of six patients and made false statements in the medical records of another, making it appear that he had given that patient fentanyl for her pain when he had not done so.
Lindsey has a serious criminal history dating back to 2004. Most significantly, Lindsey has four convictions in Wisconsin for drunk driving, including a 2024 conviction for fourth offense operating with prohibited alcohol content. In three of the convictions, Lindsey’s blood alcohol content was .240% or higher.
Lindsey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Lindsey was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, 6 months of home confinement, and fined $5,000. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lindsey maintains valid nursing licenses in multiple states despite his criminal history and conduct. At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Williams found Lindsey had committed a “gross abuse of trust,” encouraged Lindsey to stay out of the medical profession, and indicated the relevant licensing boards had done a disservice to the public and Lindsey by not taking any action against his nursing licenses over the years.
Lindsey was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1035-CJW.
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Former First Judicial District Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison Defrauding the DistrictRead the Press Release
A former employee of the First Judicial District of the State of Iowa who misused credit cards to steal money intended to be used for children in the Juvenile Court System was sentenced today to two months in federal prison.
Nicole Foelske, age 41, from Jesup, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2024, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
In information contained in a plea agreement and disclosed at the sentencing hearing, Foelske admitted she worked in the Juvenile Court Services section of the First Judicial District of the State of Iowa located in Waterloo. In that position, she was provided with a credit card to purchase items and gift cards for juveniles in the Court system, including juveniles in Child in Need of Assistance cases. Foelske, however, used the credit card to purchase household items for herself and gift cards from stores and then used the gift cards to either purchase items for herself or to transfer the value of the cards to her bank account. All told, Foelske made over 200 improper purchases on the credit card totaling more than $100,000.
Foelske was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Foelske was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment and fined $2,000. Foelske was also sentenced to serve six months of home confinement following her imprisonment. She was ordered to make $107,745.46 in restitution to the Iowa Judicial Branch, which Foelske has already paid. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Foelske was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2026.
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Man Who Mailed Fentanyl from Arizona to Iowa Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who mailed fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and “ice” methamphetamine from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Shawn Javier Lopez-Johnson, age 29, from Phoenix, Arizona, received the prison term after a November 1, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
From March 2023 through December 2023, Lopez-Johnson mailed re‑distribution quantities of controlled substances, including hundreds of fentanyl pills, from Arizona, to Dubuque, Iowa, to his co-conspirator, Alexander John Chapman who was previously sentenced for his role in the conspiracy. During this time, Lopez-Johnson mailed Chapman approximately $5,400 worth of fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Lopez-Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Lopez-Johnson was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Lopez-Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-01003.
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Department of Justice and United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Honors Crime Victims and Survivors During 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.Read the Press Release
Cedar Rapids, Iowa — The United States Attorney from the Northern District of Iowa will commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) from April 6 through 12, 2025.
This year’s NCVRW theme—Connecting <KINSHIP> Healing—recognizes that shared humanity drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.
This annual observance challenges us to build a world where every connection built through KINSHIP — between survivors, advocates, and communities — holds the potential to heal. It asks us to ensure that resources are available to all survivors and that we show up for one another with empathy and intention.
NCVRW 2025 will be commemorated in Iowa with many events across the state, including the following:
- Friday April 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: The 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Commemoration, Polk County River Place, 2309 Euclid Ave., Des Moines, Iowa
- Saturday April 5 at 9:00 a.m.: Go the Distance for Crime Victims 5K Run/Walk at Thomas Park in Marion, Iowa
- Tuesday April 8 at 1:00 p.m and Thursday April 10 at 11:15 a.m.: From War to Wellness: A Journey of Resilience and Transformation on the Ankeny and Urban campuses of the Des Moines Area Community College.
In the Northern District of Iowa, United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax announced winners for the following awards based on their service to victims in Iowa:
- The Law Enforcement Victim Services Award is presented to Investigator Tracy Johnson from the Cedar Rapids Police Department. This award is presented to law enforcement officers in Iowa who go beyond the call of duty to help crime victims. It is the highest federal honor in Iowa for victim services by a law enforcement officer. Investigator Johnson is recognized for her excellent work investigating human trafficking and her work with a minor victim of trafficking.
- The Law Enforcement Victim Services Award is also presented to Detective Chris Thomas of the Sioux City Police Department. Detective Thomas was nominated for his outstanding investigative and advocacy work that led to the successful prosecution of Bobby Ray Rhoden.
Investigator Johnson was the lead investigator in a human trafficking case involving a minor victim, two individuals who were eventually charged and convicted, and numerous other men who paid to participate in abusing the victim. Investigator Johnson took a victim-centered approach to the investigation, developing a rapport with the minor victim and utilizing a trauma-informed interview style that gave the minor victim confidence that she was safe with Investigator Johnson. Investigator Johnson’s outstanding and compassionate work with the victim was crucial to the case. One of the charged defendants, Jarod Anderson, went to trial. The victim testified during the trial and was able to tell the jury what had been done to her. Investigator Johnson’s hard work during the investigation and prior to trial helped prepare the victim to face the difficult task of testifying in open court. As a result of the victim’s brave testimony and Investigator Johnson’s outstanding work, Anderson was found guilty and is awaiting sentencing. The second charged defendant, Tana Torres, pled guilty and was sentenced to up to eight years in prison.
Rhoden victimized multiple individuals, including a former girlfriend. Roden initially manipulated his victim into believing that she was responsible for the abuse he inflicted upon her, including torturing her, threatening her with a gun, and recording his abuse. The victim eventually broke free, but Rhoden kidnapped her. He used threats to get his victim into his car to help him recover a phone she had taken. Over the next 36 hours, he brutalized her and drove her to at least two locations in an effort to find his phone. The victim escaped Rhoden by running away from him to a neighbor’s house. As she ran, Rhoden fired his gun at or near her. A subsequent investigation of the kidnapping revealed live ammunition and a spent casing in the garage where Rhoden lived, and one of the locations where he held his victim.
Detective Thomas demonstrated outstanding investigatory skills and compassion for the victim while he was investigating the kidnapping. The victim was initially reluctant to trust or cooperate with law enforcement. But Detective Thomas persisted in working with the victim until the victim came to trust him and the criminal justice system. Thanks to Detective Thomas’s patience, the victim agreed to and was able to testify in very difficult circumstances during Rhoden’s trial. Without her strength in doing so, Rhoden may have remained free to victimize others. Detective Thomas’s compassion and care for the victim led directly to the victim having the strength to free herself from Rhoden’s hold and protect others from him by testifying. As a result, Rhoden was found guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2025.
“These awards recognize the exceptional efforts of two law enforcement officers to provide assistance to federal and state victims in the Northern District of Iowa,” said United States Attorney Duax. “Ensuring victims feel safe while going through the difficult process of an investigation and trial is crucial to securing justice for the victims. The service of these officers, and other state and federal law enforcement officers and victim advocates, is a vital component of our criminal justice system.”
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor victims and survivors of crime, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services and recognize the dedication of those who work with crime victims.
For additional information about this year’s NCVRW activities and more ideas on supporting crime victims, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov.
- Friday April 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: The 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Commemoration, Polk County River Place, 2309 Euclid Ave., Des Moines, Iowa
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm with an Extended MagazineRead the Press Release
Mycal Davis, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced on April 1, 2025, to two years in federal prison. Davis received the prison term after a November 7, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle that Davis was a passenger in on December 21, 2023. During the traffic stop, officers conducted a search of the vehicle and ordered the occupants out of the vehicle. Davis exited the vehicle, and officers conducted a safety pat down for weapons and immediately noticed that Davis was armed with a firearm in his waistband. Davis admitted what officers felt was a firearm and admitted he was a felon. The firearm was equipped with a magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition. Officers continued to search Davis’s property and located various pills, some which tested positive as methamphetamine, and over 50 grams of marijuana.
Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Davis was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Jones was released on bond conditions previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on April 28, 2025.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-61.
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Sioux City Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on March 28, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Blake Putnam, 39, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on December 3, 2024, to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2021 through March 2024, Putnam and others conspired to distribute 4500 grams (nearly 10 pounds) of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. On February 5, 2024, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle Putnam was driving. Putnam attempted to elude law enforcement at high speeds and was apprehended when his vehicle blew a tire and stopped after hitting a curb. During the eluding attempt, Putnam was observed by a concerned citizen throwing packages out of his vehicle attempting to discard drug evidence. In the area identified, agents located and seized nearly one pound of methamphetamine in two packages. Agents also seized an eight-ball of methamphetamine, and 50 Adderall pills from defendant’s person. On March 5, 2024, after obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement seized approximately one pound of meth in one bag and about one ounce of meth in another bag from a backpack in a rental storage unit leased by Putnam in Sioux City, Iowa. Putnam brought this backpack to the storage unit on or about March 5, 2024, as evidenced by video recordings at the storage unit business.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Putnam was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Putnam remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, with assistance of Iowa State Patrol.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4009.
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Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Charges After AbscondingRead the Press Release
Nathan Nickless, 40, from Dakota City, Iowa, pled guilty on April 1, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. Nickless was convicted of two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and one count of failure to appear. Nickless had multiple prior felony convictions which prohibit a person from possessing a firearm, including a prior 2008 drug felony for possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 12, 2023, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on a truck Nickless was driving. Nickless ignored and attempted to evade law enforcement onto a river road. After ramming his truck into a non-law enforcement vehicle, Nickless stopped his truck and fled on foot but was apprehended while trying to climb a river embankment. During the flight, Nickless was in possession of a backpack. In the backpack, law enforcement found a loaded 9mm pistol, multiple bags of narcotics including approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, pills, THC gummies, ammunition in sanitizing wipes, a scale, and multiple small baggies.
Nickless was federally charged but was allowed to remain released pending his July 8, 2024, federal trial. Nickless failed to appear as required for trial and absconded from law enforcement over the next several months.
On September 28, 2024, in Humboldt County, Iowa, law enforcement became aware Nickless was in the area. Law enforcement located Nickless and attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving. He refused to stop and began a vehicle pursuit with law enforcement where he again abandoned the vehicle he was driving in a field by a river. Law enforcement lost sight of Nickless when he went on foot along the river. The abandoned vehicle was seized, and a search warrant was granted. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found methamphetamine, multiple baggies of marijuana, pills, a scale, empty baggies for distribution, a methamphetamine pipe, and a marijuana pipe. On October 2, 2024, Nickless was found hiding inside a residence in Humboldt County and was arrested.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Nickless remains in custody of the United States Marshals Service and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Nickless faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick T. Greenwood, and was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3040.
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Spencer Man Pleads Guilty to Meth PossessionRead the Press Release
Dylan Halbur, 32, from Spencer, Iowa, pled guilty March 28, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 26, 2024, law enforcement searched a camper in Spencer, Iowa, where Halbur was known to reside and store items. Inside, law enforcement located 45 grams of pure methamphetamine, $2,900 in cash, marijuana, a digital scale and other indicia of drug use and distribution. Halbur admitted the methamphetamine was his and that he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Halbur remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. The penalties for this offense are a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4077.
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Former Forest City Man Sent to Federal Prison on Multiple Counts of Firearm Possession by a Drug User and Making False Statements to Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
A former Forest City man who possessed firearms as a drug user and made false statements during the purchase of firearms was sentenced to 45 months in Federal Prison.
Brian Lee Byers, age 39, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2024, guilty plea to 4 counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user and 4 counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Evidence showed Byers admitted that between July of 2019 and February of 2020, in Cero Gordo County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, Winnebago County, Iowa, Grundy County, Iowa and Hancock County, Iowa he possessed multiple firearms while using marijuana and methamphetamine. He admitted that on July 25, 2019, November 9, 2019, February 22, 2020, and February 24, 2020, he stated on federal forms he was not a drug user while he purchased multiple firearms
Byers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byers was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Byers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
This case was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Jack Lammers.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-3018.
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Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Near SchoolRead the Press Release
A man who distributed fentanyl near a school pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
D’quon Morrow, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location.
In a plea agreement, Morrow admitted that between February 2024 and July 2024, in Cedar Rapids, he agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl to another person. In April 2024, he sold a firearm to another person. At the time, Morrow had a felony conviction for eluding. In May 2024, he distributed 20.75 grams of fentanyl to another person. In June 2024, he distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl to another person near Madison Elementary School in Cedar Rapids. In July 2024, law enforcement searched Morrow’s residence and recovered two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morrow remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Morrow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.
This case is also 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.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-4.
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Woman Who Mailed Fentanyl from Arizona to Dubuque Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who mailed fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and “ice” methamphetamine from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for her involvement in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Tiffani Katrina Bradley, age 42, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, received the prison term after an October 30, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
From March 2023 through December 2023, Bradley mailed re-distribution quantities of controlled substances from Arizona to Dubuque to her co-conspirator, Alexander John Chapman. During this time, Bradley mailed Chapman over $4,000 worth of fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Bradley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Bradley was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Bradley is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-01003.
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Fort Dodge, Iowa, Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Christopher Lee Caquelin age 41, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty March 26, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that from January 1, 2023, and continuing to on or about October 31, 2024, Caquelin was part of an ongoing drug conspiracy based in Fort Dodge, Iowa to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. Caquelin and others sold methamphetamine to people in the Fort Dodge area as well as sources working with law enforcement.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Caquelin remains in custody of the United States Marshal, pending sentencing. Caquelin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and Jack Lammers and was investigated by Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03049. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Terrance Payne Hayes, age 40, from Sioux City, sentenced March 25, 2025, to more than seven years in federal prison. Hayes received the prison term after an October 16, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon, drug user and person convicted of domestic violence.
Hayes’ unlawful possession of a firearm and drug use were discovered by law enforcement during an investigation into a July 2023 home invasion and homicide. The investigation revealed an individual entered Hayes’ residence, armed with knives, to steal back a stolen firearm Hayes possessed. Hayes was repeatedly stabbed and repeatedly shot the invader with the stolen firearm, ultimately killing the invading individual.
Hayes has a history of violence that the sentencing court described as “stunning.” He has repeatedly been convicted of domestic abuse assault and assault. He has repeatedly been convicted of a myriad of other crimes involving violent, dangerous, and freighting behavior. For example, confronting his one-time girlfriend’s father and breaking the family’s gate; throwing a brick through the window of a home; threatening people with a gun, even causing a 13-year old bystander to fear for herself and her sister; “taunt[ing]” a security guard with a broken bottle; stalking his girlfriend at her workplace; threating a witness stating: “After the court date I’m going to come kill everyone in your house;” threating to knock a victim unconscious; banging repeatedly on the windows of a victim’s home; throwing a rock through the window of a victim’s home; slapping and holding the neck of his wife; and stalking a female taxi passenger. Additionally, Hayes has been convicted of possession of controlled substances, attempted burglary, operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent, and numerous other offenses.
Hayes was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 90 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated, “Individuals like Mr. Hayes who repeatedly assault and threaten the citizens of our district will be caught, prosecuted, and punished. I compliment the Sioux City Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the ATF for their fine work which resulted in a dangerous criminal being removed from our streets.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Hayes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4068.
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Sioux City Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jamiah Burton, age 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced March 21, 2025, to five years in federal prison, after an August 8, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed on January 19, 2024, Burton entered a Sioux City, Iowa bar with a female companion. The couple argued, the female left, and Burton turned his attention to the sole remaining person in the bar: the female bartender. For the next hour and half or so, Burton who had been drinking, refused to leave, repeatedly came behind the bar, simulated a sex act on his victim, manhandled her, at various points become emotional, brandished a loaded handgun -- claiming he had a bullet for his victim and one for himself -- and stole a bottle of alcohol all before being tricked out of the bar by his victim’s promise to leave with him. A video of the event shows the victim’s attempts to navigate an impossible situation: she laughs and drinks and plays along with Burton all while secretly texting for help and trying to escape. The moment she tricks him out of the bar, she locked the doors, hid in the bathroom, and called 911.
Approximately 16 minutes after Burton left the bar, law enforcement in South Sioux City, Nebraska located the vehicle he was using which was high centered and stranded in the snow. Law enforcement located several open containers and a bottle of tequila (consistent with the one he stole from the bar) in the vehicle.
Burton has a serious criminal history. Among numerous convictions, Burton has twice committed violent home invasions, and driven drunk while attempting to elude police.
Burton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Burton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the South Sioux City, Nebraska and the Sioux City, Iowa Police Departments and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4015.
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Marion Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Misspending Money from Special Needs TrustRead the Press Release
A woman who spent nearly all of the funds in a special needs trust on her own expenses pled guilty on March 20, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Megan Middaugh, age 39, from Marion, Iowa, was convicted of wire fraud.
In a plea agreement, Middaugh admitted that in September 2019 she petitioned a state court for the authority to, among other things, settle a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of the victim and establish a special needs trust for the victim. The court granted her petition in October 2019. In February 2020, Middaugh opened a checking account as the medical assistance special needs trust for the victim and funded it with $67,070.50 from the lawsuit settlement. Middaugh was the trustee on the account. Thereafter, Middaugh spent nearly all of the funds in the trust on her own personal expenses, including gambling. Between February 2020 and January 2021, Middaugh spent $52,000 of the trust funds on online gaming. Middaugh failed to file required annual accountings of the trust in 2020, 2021, and 2022 with the state court. After appearing at a compliance hearing with the court, Middaugh created and filed false reports that appeared to show regular expenditures on the behalf of the victim.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Middaugh remains free on bond previously set. Middaugh faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-0089.
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Central American Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Two TimesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced March 24, 2025, to more than a month in federal prison.
Humberto Leonidas-Suarez, age 61, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Dubuque County, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 4, 2025, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.
At the guilty plea, Leonidas-Suarez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Leonidas-Suarez was previously deported in 2010 and 2024. On February 6, 2025, immigration officials learned Leonidas-Suarez had illegally returned to the United States and found him at the Dubuque County Jail following his arrest on state charges for failure to appear.
Leonidas-Suarez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to 39 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Leonidas-Suarez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1007.
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Tama Man Charged with Federal Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacob Samuel Yang, age 36, from Tama, Iowa, has been charged with four counts related to child pornography. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on March 18, 2025, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that Yang distributed child pornography in March 2024 and that he received child pornography between September 2019 and February 2025. The Indictment also alleges that Yang possessed child pornography on a hard drive between September 2019 and February 2025, and that he possessed child pornography on a cellular telephone between March 2024 and April 2024.
If convicted on all charges, Yang faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Yang appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Yang’s next appearance for trial is set for May 27, 2025.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, the Tama Police Department, and the Marshalltown Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-24.
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Palo Alto Man Back to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David Specketer, 57, from Emmetsburg, Iowa, was sentenced on March 21, 2025, to 60 months’ imprisonment. Specketer pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City on November 14, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of the Emmetsburg High School, a protected location. Specketer was previously federally convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine in 2013.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on April 15, 2024, law enforcement attempted to arrest Specketer at his residence in Emmetsburg on an outstanding arrest warrant. That warrant involved a pending 2022 case in Woodbury County for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. Specketer attempted to flee back into his residence after initial contact with law enforcement at his door. Law enforcement apprehended Specketer in his residence with approximately one ounce of methamphetamine. Specketer admitted he intended to distribute all or some of the methamphetamine to another. Specketer’s residence is within 1,000 feet of the Emmetsburg High School, a protected location.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Specketer was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment, must serve an eight-year term of supervised release following imprisonment, and was ordered to pay $10,000 in fines and court-appointed attorney fees. There is no parole in the federal system. Specketer remains in custody of the United States Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Emmetsburg Police Department, Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3024. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to over Twenty Years Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who worked with others to distribute a significant amount of methamphetamine was sentenced March 17, 2025, to more than 24 years in federal prison.
Candace Sue Thein, age 42, from Dike, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 3, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence disclosed at sentencing showed that, from December 2023 through May 22, 2024, Thein worked with others to receive numerous packages of ice methamphetamine and marijuana from a source of supply in California. In total, the group received over 50 pounds of methamphetamine from the source of supply in California, which the group then redistributed to individuals in Waterloo, Dike, Reinbeck, and Hudson, Iowa. Law enforcement searched several of the residences of individuals receiving these packages, including Thein’s residence in Dike, on May 22, 2024. In the early morning hours of June 15, 2024, Thein and two other individuals went to the residence of one of Thein’s drug customers, demanding money. The two other individuals threatened to kill Thein’s drug customer, while Thein broke into the drug customer’s residence and stole his cellphone.
Thein was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thein was sentenced to 292 months’ imprisonment, and she must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Thein is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Postal Service; the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Mid‑Iowa Drug Trask Force; the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa State Patrol; and the Santa Ana, California Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00052-CJW.
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South Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Joshua Rysavy, age 35, from South Sioux City, Nebraska, pled guilty on March 18, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, to conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that from 2022 through June 2023, Rysavy and others conspired to distribute more than 8.5 pounds of fentanyl in Nebraska and Iowa.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rysavy was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Rysavy faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3027.
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Woman who Possessed “Sawed-Off” Shotgun and Shared Guns with Felon-Husband Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Iowa woman who illegally possessed a sawed-off shotgun and shared multiple guns with her husband, a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was sentenced March 14, 2025, to 42 months’ imprisonment.
Sarah Kay Johnson, age 38, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2024 guilty plea to possession of a national firearms destructive device not registered to possessor.
In October 2023, law enforcement officers traffic stopped Ian Jon Duffy, Johnson’s then boyfriend, due to concerns about his wellbeing. At that time, he possessed multiple loaded firearms. Duffy had a prior domestic abuse conviction which prohibited him from possessing firearms. After the traffic stop, Duffy had Johnson obtain a Glock handgun for him. At this time, Duffy was also prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a felony conviction. Johnson obtained several firearms that she shared with Duffy in their residence, including a sawed-off shotgun.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Cedar Falls 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR- 02031-1.
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Carroll County Iowa Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited multiple children and possessed millions of files of child pornography was sentenced today, to 50 years in federal prison.
Lucas Oliver Knowles, age 48, from Carroll, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 23, 2024, guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a child, receipt and possession of child pornography, and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.
Evidence in the case showed that the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip that Knowles was sexually abusing a minor and was in possession of child sexual abuse material. When the FBI interviewed Knowles, he admitted that he produced child sexual abuse material just a few weeks prior and had been sexually abusing a child. Knowles further admitted that he had been collecting child pornography since approximately 1996 and may have millions of images. Forensic analysis of Knowles computers discovered approximately 1.07 million images and videos of child pornography including several local victims. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers. Additionally, Knowles reported that he is a methamphetamine user and stored methamphetamine at his residence where he also possessed multiple firearms.
Knowles was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. The Court sentenced Knowles to 600 months’ imprisonment and imposed $21,400 in fines and assessments. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Knowles is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Lucas Knowles is a sexual predator and a heinous criminal. His appalling actions brought pain and trauma to children for his own gratification. Today’s sentence ensures Knowles will not hurt anyone else. Protecting children is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to investigate and apprehend child predators and defend the most vulnerable members of our community.”
United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated “The United States Attorney’s Office thanks the citizen that came forward with the tip and commends the FBI for its excellent investigative work. As a result, a dangerous child predator was removed from our community.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-3028.
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Mason City Man Found Guilty of Distribution of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Darius Stackhouse, age 33, from Mason City, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, four counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, by a jury on March 12, 2025, after a 3-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. The verdict was returned following about 3 1/2 hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that between June 2021 and March 2023, Stackhouse was part of an ongoing drug conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa to distribute methamphetamine. Stackhouse sold more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine to sources working with law enforcement. During the execution of several search warrants, more than $30,000 cash was located in Stackhouse’s residence, as well as additional methamphetamine and a firearm he admitted belonged to him.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Stackhouse was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Stackhouse faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5-years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3001.
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Illinois Man to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm in HumboldtRead the Press Release
Marcus Fair, 28, from Dolton, Illinois, was sentenced on March 12, 2025, to 57 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence showed that on September 21, 2022, law enforcement responded to a Humboldt, Iowa, residence for a report of domestic disturbance and animal cruelty involving Fair and others. After conducting interviews, law enforcement learned there was a discarded backpack in a nearby woods. Officers located the backpack and found items that belonged to Fair, including a loaded Taurus G3C 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, an extended magazine, and marijuana. As a user of marijuana, Fair was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Fair was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Fair remains in custody of the United States Marshal Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Heroin Dealer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold heroin and cocaine on the street near Loras College in 2017 and 2018 was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Willie Smith, age 27, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a September 25, 2024, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin within 1000 feet of Loras College, and one count of distribution of heroin within 1000 feet of Loras College. At the guilty plea, Smith admitted he worked with others to sell cocaine and heroin out of a house near Loras College.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Smith was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment and he must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Reinert and Nicole Nagin and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department
of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office and the Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of Dubuque Police Department, Dubuque Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-01021.
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Man Twice Convicted of Federal Firearms Offense Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A two-time federally convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a firearm and resisted law enforcement officers when being arrested was sentenced on March 11, 2025, to nearly four years in federal prison.
Codie Lee Allen Fisher, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 25, 2024, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on June 8, 2024, officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department arrested Fisher after multiple reports of disturbances involving firearms at an apartment complex. While being arrested, Fisher fought and resisted officers. Officers found marijuana, a knife, and a loaded handgun in Fisher’s possession.
Fisher has 18 prior criminal convictions, including seven convictions involving violence. In 2017, Fisher was convicted in federal court of making a false statement when purchasing a firearm. He received a sentence of 21 months in prison as a result of that conviction.
Fisher was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Fisher was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Fisher is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00068.
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Man who Illegally Possessed Multiple Firearms in Cedar Falls Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Iowa man who illegally possessed multiple firearms, including a sawed off-shotgun, was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Ian Jon Duffy, age 35, from Independence, Iowa, received the prison term after a October 10, 2024 guilty plea to two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession of a national firearms destructive device not registered to possessor.
In October 2023, law enforcement officers traffic stopped Duffy due to concerns about his wellbeing. At that time, he was in possession of multiple loaded firearms. Duffy had a prior domestic conviction which prohibited him from possessing firearms. After the traffic stop, Duffy had his wife obtain a Glock firearm for him and later possessed multiple firearms in his residence. One of those firearms included a sawed-off shotgun that Duffy had altered by changing the grip.
Duffy was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Duffy was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Duffy is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Cedar Falls 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR- 02031-2.
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Waterloo Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who possessed child pornography pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Forrest Rindels, age 69, of Waterloo, was convicted of two counts of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Rindels admitted that, between 2021 and 2022, he knowingly possessed child pornography on a tablet and a micro SD card. He also admitted that he was convicted of receipt of child pornography in the Northern District of Iowa in 2016.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rindels remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Rindels faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 24-2055.
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Man from Clear Lake, Iowa, Pleads Guilty to Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who produced and distributed child pornography pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa.
David Bradley Garrison, age 43, from Clear Lake, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Garrison admitted that he sexually exploited a child in July 2021 by producing a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He also admitted that between June 2021 and August 2021, he distributed visual depictions of child pornography to other individuals.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Garrison remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Garrison faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $95,200 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Dillan Edwards, and it was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation, and Rockwell Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-3054.
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Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Shannon Ivory, 43, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on February 27, 2025, to 125 months’ imprisonment. Ivory pled guilty July 31, 2024, in federal court, to four counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on March 20, 2023, Ivory was arrested by federal agents as a fugitive on State of Iowa charges. During the arrest, multiple types of illegal drugs in separate packaging for distribution were found on Ivory, including over 26 grams of pure methamphetamine; over 15 grams of crack cocaine; over 4 grams of powder cocaine; and 25 morphine pills. Ivory admitted to possessing the drugs and his intent to distribute them to other persons.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ivory was sentenced to 125 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Ivory is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service, the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4038. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge, Iowa Man to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Lennox Vanvacter, 32, was convicted by a jury on October 10, 2024, after a three-day trial in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The verdict was returned following about 7 hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial and sentencing showed that on July 30, 2023, Fort Dodge/Webster County law enforcement officers observed Vanvacter operating a motor vehicle. Based on their observations and the fact Vanvacter had an active arrest warrant for a previous eluding charge, officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop and apprehend him. When emergency lights/sirens were activated, Vanvacter engaged in a high-speed driving-based attempt (approximately 30 minutes in duration) to elude law enforcement, including speeds of 70 mph or more in Fort Dodge and 100 mph or more outside city limits in Webster County. Two sets of spike strips were deployed by officers and ultimately helped stop the vehicle. Once stopped, Vanvacter attempted to flee from the officers on foot but was captured a short distance later. Officers located a firearm, a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, near the end of the vehicle’s flight path. Later, officers determined by review of patrol car camera video, that the firearm was thrown from the vehicle by Vanvacter. Vanvacter had a history of leading law enforcement on high-speed driving pursuits.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand Vanvacter was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Vanvacter remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as assisted by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Sioux City Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hamilton County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3037. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Re-Entering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally re-entered the United States after being deported was sentenced today to one year in federal prison.
Adan Gomez-Juarez, age 25, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 24, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the plea hearing, Gomez-Juarez admitted he had illegally re-entered the United States after he had been removed in 2020. On August 28, 2024, Gomez-Juarez, a citizen and national of Guatemala, was encountered by ICE officers in Sioux City after he was arrested for OWI by Sioux City police.
Gomez-Juarez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gomez-Juarez was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Fletcher and was investigated by the Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-04061.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Brazen Bank Robbery While on Federal Supervision for Previous Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
A man who committed a bank robbery only two months after being placed on supervised release for two previous bank robberies was sentenced February 26, 2025, to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Del Evans, Jr., age 40, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a September 4, 2024, guilty plea to bank robbery.
Evidence in the case revealed that on January 22, 2024, at approximately 1:00 p.m., Evans walked into the Sanborn Savings Bank, and handed the teller a note demanding money. Evans obtained cash, exited the bank, and fled on foot. Law enforcement officers identified Evans through surveillance footage and located his residence. Law enforcement converged on the residence, conducted “a cordon and call out” a cordon was setup around the house, and Evans was called out. He peacefully surrendered. At the time of the instant bank robbery, Evans was on supervised release for a 2014 bank robbery spree.
Evans admitted to the crime, identified the clothing he wore, and described using a note during the robbery. He took the note back to his home, where he ripped it apart and threw it in the bathroom trash.
During the execution of a search warrant on Evans’ home, the clothing and money were located, as well as the torn-up note in the bathroom trash.
Evans has been convicted of four armed robberies and four more unarmed robberies and an attempted robbery not including the instant offense. In 2008, Evans, at the age of 24, was convicted for bank robbery, and attempted bank robbery. In 2014, at the age of 30, Evans committed a spree of three of bank robberies, as well as an escape.
Evans was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 188 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to make $5,408.00 in restitution. He was also sentenced to serve a consecutive 24-month sentence for the supervised release violation. He must then also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Evans is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by O’Brien County Sheriff’s Department, Sanborn Police Department, Sheldon Police Department, Hartley Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4025.
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Woman Who Distributed Fentanyl Resulting in Two Deaths Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who sold purported heroin containing fentanyl in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison. Alysha Michelle Dittmar, age 28, of Denver, Colorado, received the prison term after a September 11, 2024 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death.
On July 1, 2023, Dittmar was text messaging with A.G. by phone about distributing purported heroin. Dittmar had previously distributed purported heroin to A.G. The purported heroin distributed by Dittmar contained a mixture or substance of heroin and fentanyl. A.G. and T.G. used the fentanyl mixture provided by Dittmar and died in their home. The couple’s children found them in their bedroom and called 911. Two days after the overdose deaths, law enforcement conducted a controlled buy of purported heroin from Dittmar. The substance distributed by Dittmar to law enforcement contained heroin, fentanyl, and xylazine.
Dittmar was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dittmar was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Dittmar is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion Police Department, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-00048-001.
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Felon Sentenced for Possessing Firearms and Transporting Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
A man with fifteen prior felony convictions who used a stolen motorcycle to drive from Minnesota to Iowa and broke into a Winneshiek County home to steal firearms and other items was sentenced February 24, 2025, to more than seven years in federal prison.
Steven Michael Current, age 58, from Canton, Minnesota, received the prison term after an October 15, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms as a felon and one count of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle.
In a plea agreement, Current admitted that he had fifteen prior felony convictions, and on September 26, 2022, he broke into a rural Winneshiek County home and stole eight firearms. Current also admitted that he drove a stolen 2004 Harley Davidson Motorcycle from Canton, Minnesota, to the burglary scene in Iowa on September 26, 2022. This motorcycle was stolen from a home in Rochester, Minnesota, on June 9, 2022. Current admitted that, during the burglary, he dropped two unscratched Minnesota lottery tickets from his pocket. Current was identified by images captured on a home camera system, and by images from the Minnesota store where Current purchased the lottery tickets.
Current was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Current was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to make $500 in restitution to the original owner of the motorcycle and $6,031.31 to the insurance company that paid for the loss of the vehicle. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Current is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Winneshiek County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Fillmore County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-02050.
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