Northern District of Iowa

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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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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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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.

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.

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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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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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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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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A man involved with the distribution of methamphetamine was sentenced on February 24, 2025, to ten years in federal prison.

James Vincent Thornton, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 11, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Thornton was involved with the distribution of methamphetamine.  In November of 2021, law enforcement officers searched a residence where Thornton had been staying.  Thornton had been living in the basement of the residence, and officers located approximately 224.17 grams of ice methamphetamine in his room.  In March and April 2022, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to buy methamphetamine from Thornton twice.  In May 2022, law enforcement officers searched another residence associated with Thornton and located approximately 71.31 grams of ice methamphetamine.  

Thornton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Thornton was sentenced to 120 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.

Thornton 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force.  The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  This effort was 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-CR-72.

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A man was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to 24 months imprisonment for contempt of court.

Joel Perea-Duenas, age 24, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 30, 2024, guilty plea to contempt of court.

In the evening hours of June 23, 2020, Perea-Duenas was asked to serve as the getaway driver for a drive-by shooting.  He agreed, put on dark clothing, and joined three armed men in a waiting car.  The attackers drove to the home of their intended victim, but seeing law enforcement in the area, aborted their attack.  Perea-Duenas suggested a secondary target, drove to that new target and identified it to his conspirators.  It was a home, occupied by seven people including children.  One of the gunmen repeatedly fired upon the home hitting the house at least eight times.  Perea-Duenas was later caught by police and admitted he knew about the intended shooting before agreeing to drive, admitted knowing there were people, including children, in the targeted home, and he wanted the shooting to occur to in retaliation against a resident of the home and his family. On November 19, 2021, Perea-Duenas pled guilty to two counts of being a drug user in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison.  

On October 27, 2022, defendant was called as a witness at the federal sentencing of an accomplice.  He was sworn by the district court judge.  When he was questioned under oath, however, he refused to testify because he did not want to testify.  The district court advised him that he did not have a lawful right to refuse to answer the questions.  Nonetheless, Perera-Duenas persisted in his refusal to testify.  The district court continued the sentencing, in part, to give Perea-Duenas time to reconsider his refusal of the district court’s lawful order.  The sentencing resumed on December 8, 2022.  Perera-Duenas again, communicated his refusal to testify.  He was sent back to federal prison to complete his federal sentence for the firearms charge.

On October 19, 2023, while he was still in federal prison, he was charged with contempt of court.  On November 20, 2023, he was released from federal prison on the gun charges, he was re-arrested and haled back into federal court to answer for his criminal contempt.  On July 30, 2024, he plead guilty.  He was sentenced on January 31, 2025, in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 24 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.

Judge Strand indicated in sentencing Perea-Duenas that this was the only time in his career as a jurist that he had encountered a refusal to testify of this nature and that the crime had to be sanctioned stiffly to ensure others do not follow suit.  

United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax said: “refusals to testify, like refusals of court orders generally, strike at the very heart of the American justice system and the rule of law.  As a result, those who disobey lawfully issued court orders risk prosecution and incarceration.”      

Perea-Duenas 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 Police Department and 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 23-4026/20-4071.

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A man who distributed approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of heroin was sentenced February 11, 2025, to more than 19 years in federal prison.

Manuel Tomas Gaspar, age 25, from Atlanta, Georgia, received the prison term after an August 30, 2024, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Information at the sentencing hearing showed that, between December 1, 2023, and February 14, 2024, Gaspar traveled between Georgia and Iowa transporting significant quantities of methamphetamine and heroin.  In January 2024, Gaspar delivered 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of heroin to an individual in Cedar Rapids.  On February 14, 2024, Gaspar was arrested after delivering an additional 20 kilograms of methamphetamine to the same individual in Cedar Rapids.  During that time‑period, Gaspar carried a gun to protect large amounts of drug proceeds and he conducted international wire transfers to the Mexico‑based source of supply. 

Gaspar was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Gaspar was sentenced to 236 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.

Gaspar is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.         

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, 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‑00029‑CJW.

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A man who possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.

Todd Aaron Howard Hamilton Sutton, Jr., age 33, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine.

In a plea agreement, Sutton admitted that on July 27, 2024, he was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation in Cerro Gordo County.  He was arrested for driving while barred and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail.  While being booked into the jail, law enforcement found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine on his person.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Sutton was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Sutton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and 4 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-CR03037.

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Maximus, Inc., a government services contractor based in Virginia, has agreed to pay the United States $8 million to resolve allegations that it misled the United States Census Bureau about the quality of its call handling as a contractor for the 2020 Census. The settlement resolves allegations brought by whistleblowers under the federal False Claims Act.

Maximus operated several multi-lingual call centers throughout the United States that took incoming calls from individuals with questions about Census operations and made outgoing calls to assist individuals in responding to the Census. Its contract with the United States Census Bureau also required Maximus to perform services to assess the quality and data accuracy of its call center operations. Maximus employed quality monitors to score calls for the accuracy of the call taker’s data input and adherence to standards of professionalism and decorum, based on a set of scoring standards agreed on between Maximus and the Census Bureau. In addition to compensation for its costs incurred, the contract provided that Maximus would receive an “award fee.” An “award fee” is a contract incentive paid to encourage contractors to meet certain contract goals. The Census Bureau used the call quality scores Maximus reported to help determine an appropriate “award fee” to pay Maximus. 

The United States alleges that Maximus provided the Census Bureau inaccurate or misleading score information to improve the Census Bureau’s impression of the quality of Maximus’s work. While the contract required Maximus

to score a random sample of calls, the United States alleges that Maximus encouraged its quality monitors to choose which calls to score in a way designed to  improve the quality scores reported to the Census Bureau. The United States contends that Maximus did not tell the Census Bureau about these practices, which artificially increased the quality scores and permitted Maximus to receive greater award fees than it would have received with accurate reporting.

Maximus cooperated with the investigation. The claims asserted against Maximus are allegations only; there was no determination or admission of liability. The lawsuit does not allege that Maximus manipulated any census enumeration data it helped collect.

The lawsuit arose under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act permits private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and share in the recovery. The whistleblowers will receive a $1.2 million share of the settlement.        

“Government contractors must be honest and accurate in their reporting to their government partners. This is particularly true when the information they report affects the amount the government pays them. Our office is committed to holding accountable contractors that enrich themselves by misleading American taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.

“The U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General is dedicated to investigating schemes to defraud U.S. Census Bureau contracts and programs,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Eric Arcand with the United States Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (Commerce-OIG). “Census data informs policy and decision-making at all levels of government, and fraud affecting any aspect of the Census Bureau’s programs must not be tolerated. We are committed to protecting the Census Bureau’s funding and programs from fraud, waste, and abuse. We also appreciate the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa’s efforts toward resolving this matter.”

The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys

Brandon J. Gray and Brian J. Keogh and investigated by the Department of Commerce-OIG, particularly Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Judd Leinum.  

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Monroe Thompson, age 40, from Mason City, was sentenced February 7, 2025, to more than 20 years in federal prison after an August 28, 2024, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence in the case revealed that between May 2023, and August 2023, Thompson was part of an ongoing drug conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.  Thompson purchased methamphetamine from sources working with law enforcement.  During the execution of a search warrant at Thompson’s residence, officers located counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl.

Thompson has an extensive criminal history including several convictions for possession of controlled substances, possession of a firearm by a felon, and assault – inflicting serious injury in Iowa; Absence from custody in Minnesota; possession of controlled substances and/or selling or manufacturing controlled substances, and possession of firearms in Illinois; as well as Burglary, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, disorderly conduct and resisting or obstructing, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in Wisconsin. 

Thompson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 262 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Thompson 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 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 24-3014.

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Braleigh Schossow, 24, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on February 11, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiring to distribute fentanyl.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that between December 2020 and February 2024, Schossow and others involved in the conspiracy, distributed at least 22 pounds of fentanyl in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and elsewhere.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Schossow remains in the custody of United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.  Schossow faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was 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 24-3026.  

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Alesha Rasmussen, 34, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty February 10, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to distribution of methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Rasmussen admitted that on July 10, 2024, she distributed over 28 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.  Rasmussen was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Rasmussen remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Rasmussen faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and at least six 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-3042.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

Braleigh Schossow, 24, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on February 11, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiring to distribute fentanyl.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that between December 2020 and February 2024, Schossow and others involved in the conspiracy, distributed at least 22 pounds of fentanyl in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and elsewhere.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Schossow remains in the custody of United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.  Schossow faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was 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 24-3026.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

A Dubuque woman who purchased a gun for her brother and then hid it after it was used in a shooting was sentenced February 10, 2025, to over a year in prison.   

Delicia Lee, age 36, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 17, 2024, guilty plea to tampering with evidence.

Information disclosed during the plea and sentencing hearings revealed that in March 2023, Lee purchased a Walther CCP M2, 9mm gun from a business in Dubuque.  When Lee filled out the paperwork to purchase the gun, she indicated that the gun was for her.  Lee actually purchased the gun for her brother, Marvin Brantley, a convicted felon.  Approximately three weeks later, in April 2023, Brantley was involved in a fight and fired the gun at a group of people outside a bar in Dubuque.  No one was injured.  Brantley hid the gun in the ceiling of his basement before being arrested on state charges related to the shooting.  In jail phone calls between Brantley and Lee, Brantley walked Lee, step-by-step, to the location of the gun in his residence.  After she found it, he told her to wipe it down and get rid of it.  Lee drove the gun to a residence in Chicago.  Later, investigators searched her residence looking for the gun.  Lee admitted that the gun was in Chicago.  At law enforcement’s request, she turned the gun into police one week later. 

Law enforcement also determined that Lee had purchased 15 guns between 2017 and 2020 in Indiana.  These firearms were purchased by Lee for others prohibited from purchasing the guns themselves.  More than half of the firearms were recovered after they were used in criminal conduct including, but not limited to, homicide, kidnapping, robbery, and, in one instance, to shoot a police officer.  Several of the firearms have not been recovered.

Marvin Brantley was later charged in the Northern District of Iowa with felon in possession of a firearm.  In April 2024, Brantley was sentenced to 145 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm and his role in the shooting. 

Lee was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Lee was sentenced to sixteen 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.

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 Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Dubuque 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 24-CR-1016.

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A woman who violated multiple firearm laws pled guilty on February 7, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.

Maria Francisca Portalatin, age 53, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, one count of making false statements during the purchase of firearms, one count of straw purchase of firearms, and one count of concealing a person from arrest.

In a plea agreement, Portalatin admitted that in April of 2023, she knowingly made false statements and representations on ATF forms to Dunham’s Sports Store in Sioux City in connection with her acquisition of multiple firearms.  Portalatin later admitted to law enforcement in April of 2023, she was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and purchased the firearms for Freddie Summerville who she knew was prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

In January of 2024, Sioux City Police stopped a car being driven by Summerville but owned by Portalatin. One of the firearms was located in the vehicle. 

In March of 2024, Portalatin purchased two more firearms and, once again, lied on the ATF forms regarding her address, drug use and intended recipient of the firearms.  

In June of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the address Portalatin listed on the forms and located the four firearms she had purchased.  During an interview with law enforcement, Portalatin admitted she lied on the ATF forms and that she was aware that Freddie Summerville was wanted on a federal warrant.  

In July of 2024, Portalatin and Summerville were stopped in a vehicle near Sioux Falls.  Subsequently, in an interview with law enforcement she admitted they were smoking methamphetamine and that she had helped harbor and conceal Summerville.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Portalatin remains free on bond previously set.  Portalatin faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the 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-04053.

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Phillip Plummer, 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty February 10, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, and another count of distributing methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea hearing showed that between 2022 and May 2023, Plummer and others conspired to distribute more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.  Plummer admitted to distributing methamphetamine on seven separate occasions to an individual cooperating with law enforcement, four of said occasions occurred within 1,000 feet of schools, namely, Mater Dei Elementary School and Hunt Elementary School in Sioux City. Evidence further showed that during a search warrant at Plummer’s residence in May 2023, law enforcement seized approximately one half-pound of meth, two (2) bags of medicated Jolly Rancher Gummies containing 600mg of THC and two (2) vape pens.  Plummer intended to sell some or all of the controlled substances to others in the area. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Plumer remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Plummer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by 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 24-4069.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

A man who conspired with others to distribute large quantities of cocaine that resulted in the death of a young Dubuque woman was sentenced today to more than 16 years in federal prison.

Michael Samuel Knight, age 38, from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, received the prison term after a September 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams of more of cocaine within 1000 feet of several parks and schools in Dubuque, Iowa, between 2017 and April of 2021, that resulted in the death of a young Dubuque woman on February 14, 2021.  Knight also pled guilty to personally distributing the cocaine on February 14, 2021, that caused the woman’s death.

At the plea hearing, Knight admitted he was a member of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the Dubuque area near numerous parks and schools.  He admitted getting cocaine from the individual who brought it from Chicago, and then worked with others to distribute the cocaine to customers in Dubuque.  On February 14, 2021, Knight distributed cocaine to a young woman in Dubuque who went home, used the cocaine and died.

Knight was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Knight was sentenced to 201months’ and 19 days imprisonment and was ordered to make $13,911 in restitution to the victim’s family.  He must also serve a 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Knight 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.  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 23-CR-01013.

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A man who illegally re-entered the United States as a felon was sentenced yesterday to 2 years in federal prison.

Erasmo Roberto Mendez-Lopez, age 29, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 4, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry as a felon.

At the guilty plea, Mendez-Lopez admitted he illegally re-entered the United States after being deported as a felon in 2019.  On May 17, 2024, he was arrested by Sioux City police for operating while under the influence (OWI) 2nd offense, eluding, and an active failure to appear warrant for a prior OWI 2nd offense charge out of Woodbury County.  He also had 4 active warrants out of Plymouth County, Iowa for Eluding - speed over 25 over limit, speeding, open container, and improper use of lanes from 2022.  Mendez-Lopez is a citizen of Guatemala and has been removed from the United States on two separate occasions.

Mendez-Lopez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mendez-Lopez was sentenced to 24 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.

Mendez-Lopez 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 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-04038.

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Michael Turner, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa pled guilty February 5, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to felony possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

At the plea hearing, Turner admitted that between March 1, 2024 and March 29, 2024, he possessed a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, knowing that he was then previously convicted of robbery/no firearm in Cook County, Illinois in March of 2011, and introduction of drugs into a detention facility in Webster County, Iowa, in 2017, each a felony crime punishable of a term of imprisonment for more than one year.  On March 8, 2024, a shooting occurred in Fort Dodge, Iowa.  On March 29, 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Turner was a passenger and located a .45 caliber Glock pistol under Turner’s seat.  Officers found that Turner was wearing a holster that fit the pistol, and upon inquiry admitted that he had possessed the firearm at various times in March 2024.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Turner remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Turner faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 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 the Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, 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 24-3023.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

A man with a history of burglaries who was found in possession of a firearm, a digital scale and methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 4 years in federal prison.

Joseph Tapia, age 25, from Sioux City, received the prison term after an August 28, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence in the case revealed on December 11, 2023, Sioux City Police stopped defendant for operating a bicycle just after midnight, without a headlamp, as required by city code.  Tapia immediately began resisting arrest and attempted to pull away from officers.  Once Tapia was in custody, officers located a fanny pack he was carrying that contained a loaded 9mm pistol, along with a digital scale that contained methamphetamine residue. 

Tapia had previously been convicted of six counts of second-degree burglary and one count of third-degree burglary, in 2017.  Tapia was paroled on his state convictions in 2021.  During his parole, he attended a meeting where he was warned of the consequences of possessing a firearm, and offered access to any services he might need to rebuild his life (employment, mental health counseling, transportation, etc.).  Despite this opportunity, defendant committed the instant federal offense within two years of being discharged from state supervision.  

Tapia was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 51 months’ imprisonment (less time served).  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.

Tapia 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 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 24-4006.

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Brandon Michael Halsey, age 20, from Denison, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on October 8, 2024, to possession of child pornography.

In a plea agreement, Halsey admitted that between February 5, 2022, and February 1, 2023, he knowingly received, distributed, and possessed visual depictions of child pornography.  Evidence in the case showed that on May 6, 2022, a Kik user was reported to have uploaded/shared two videos that depicted child pornography.  This activity was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and a CyperTip report was generated.  Law enforcement reviewed the two videos and determined that at least one of the videos involved a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years old.          

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Halsey’s home, and he admitted to possessing approximately 100 files of images and videos depicting child pornography.  Additionally, Halsey admitted he also sent images and videos to other Kik users.  While Halsey was walking to the agent’s vehicle he attempted to discard two iPhones outside in a nearby snowbank.  Law enforcement officers observed this, and the iPhones were seized as evidence.  A forensic review of all three phones showed Halsey possessed 263 images and 104 videos of child pornography.  The images and videos included depictions of toddlers, bondage, and sadistic and masochistic conduct.  

Halsey was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Halsey was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to pay $18,600 in restitution and assessments.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Halsey is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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 Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation-Cyber Crime Bureau-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and 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 24-CR-4043.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

Oscar Navarro-Zepeda, 43, from Spencer, Iowa, was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to 204 months’ imprisonment.  Navarro-Zepeda was convicted by a jury on August 22, 2024, after a 3 ½ day trial in federal court in Sioux City.  Navarro-Zepeda was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of firearm by prohibited person; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Evidence at the trial showed that between April 2021 and April 2023, in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere Navarro-Zepeda was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 31 kilograms of methamphetamine.  Evidence also showed that on April 18, 2023, during a search warrant at Navarro-Zepeda’s residence in Spencer, Iowa, law enforcement seized approximately 33 pounds of methamphetamine in separate one-pound packages, which he intended to distribute to others in the Spencer, Iowa, area.  Officers also seized $17,932; an AR-15 style .223 caliber rifle, two loaded magazines, other .223 ammunition, as well as various items of drug distribution and use paraphernalia.  Navarro-Zepeda was prohibited from possessing firearms and possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, to protect himself, his drugs and drug proceeds from others.  

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Navarro-Zepeda was sentenced to 204 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment.­ There is no parole in the federal system.  Navarro-Zepeda 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 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.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 23-4029.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

A woman who stole firearms during two burglaries she committed with a wanted fugitive was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to more than four years in federal prison.

Madison Diane Kidd, age 26, from Stratford, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 16, 2024 guilty plea to possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person.

Information from a plea agreement showed that in late 2022 and early 2023, Kidd harbored Michael Ackerson, a federal fugitive who had a warrant for his arrest, at her residence in Stratford.  On January 11, and January 13, 2023, Kidd and Ackerson burglarized two homes on Brushy Creek Road in Webster County, Iowa.  During these burglaries, they stole five firearms, a safe containing coins and jewelry, and a compound bow, among other items.  Kidd hid four of the stolen firearms and the stolen bow in a crawl space in her residence in Stratford.  On January 25, 2023, law enforcement officers searched Kidd’s home.  During the search, they located and arrested Ackerson.  They also found the firearms, the bow, other property stolen during the burglaries, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. 

In January 2023, Kidd was a methamphetamine user who had at least three prior felony convictions.  After Ackerson’s arrest, Kidd and Ackerson discussed who would take responsibility for the firearms on recorded jail calls.  Ackerson gave Kidd login information for a Google account, and Kidd logged into the account, changed the password, and deleted information from the account to conceal evidence of their crimes.  On December 6, 2023, Ackerson was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment after he pled guilty to escape from custody and possession of firearms by a felon. 

Kidd was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Kidd was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $865.34 in restitution to the victims.  She 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.

Kidd 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 Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-CR-3021.

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