Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Mapleton, Iowa, Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gregory William Douglas McCormick, age 22, from Mapleton, Iowa, pled guilty on January 6, 2025, to one count of possession of child pornography in federal court in Sioux City.
In a plea agreement, McCormick admitted that knowingly received, distributed, and possessed child pornography. In his initial interview with police, McCormick admitted there would be child pornography on his current cell phone as well as two older cell phones. McCormick not only possessed child pornography, but he also distributed images and videos of child pornography to others on the social media platform Kik. During a forensic search of his cell phones and Kik account, McCormick possessed a total of 120 images and 7 videos of child pornography. The videos and images included infants and toddlers as well as sadistic and masochistic conduct.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. McCormick was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. McCormick faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release 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.”
The case was investigated by Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber Crime Bureau and is being 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-4047. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Woman Sentenced for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Amy Parks, 57, from Sioux City, Iowa pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City, on June 27, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Parks was sentenced January 2, 2025, to 102 months’ imprisonment.
At the plea and sentencing hearings evidence showed that Parks was involved in a conspiracy from January 2021 through June 2023, that distributed ten pounds of methamphetamine. Evidence showed that on seven occasions in 2023 Parks participated in the distribution of ¼ to ½ pound of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. On June 19, 2023, upon arrest of Parks, law enforcement searched her residence and seized approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine, digital scales, drug use/distribution paraphernalia, cash, and a loaded 9mm firearm. Parks further admitted possessing the handgun in furtherance of her drug trafficking conduct.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Parks was sentenced to 102 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Parks remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transferred 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Twenty-Nine-Year-Old Felon who Illegally Possessed Multiple Guns Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed two firearms was sentenced December 20, 2024, to two years in federal prison.
Devonte Oye Robertson, age 29, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 14, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a felon. At the plea hearing, Robertson admitted that on January 19, 2024, he possessed Sig Sauer and Smith & Wesson pistols after having been convicted of two felonies.
Robertson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Robertson 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.
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.
Robertson 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 S.A. Hudson and it was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-cr-00054.
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Arsonist Who Built and Fired Two Improvised Explosive Missiles Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who had already been convicted of felony arson who illegally built and fired two improvised explosive missiles was sentenced December 5, 2024 to 10 years in federal prison.
Daniel Graben, age 60, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 18, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed on the morning of February 28, 2022, a resident of rural Plymouth County observed what he thought was a “low flying mortar” over his house. He then heard it explode in the distance. He then saw a second object cruising above his house and heard it also explode in the distance. Another witnesses reported hearing a “very large explosion.” A third person reported an unexplained and unattended grass fire near the intersection of Plymouth County Roads C44 and K18. The fire was more than 1,000 yards away from any roadway or obvious combustible spark. The Akron Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire, and a criminal investigation ensued.
Law enforcement discovered the wreckage of two improvised explosive missiles, connected them to Graben, and searched his Sioux City, Iowa home pursuant to a federal search warrant. In Graben’s townhouse, which was in a populated area of town and near a school, law enforcement found firearms, ammunition, powerful military-grade explosive material, other explosive materials, bomb-making materials (some of which were consistent with the materials found in the missile wreckage), 110 (non-missile) explosive devices (containing black and flash powder), and 14 (non-missile) explosive devices.
In 2008 Graben had been convicted of arson and threatening a crime
with intent to terrorize another in the State Courts of California. In 2012 Graben had been convicted of possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance in the State Courts of Idaho.
Graben was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. He was also ordered to pay a fine. 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.
Graben 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 Plymouth County Sherriff’s Office, the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Iowa State Fire Marshall Division, the Sioux City, Police Department, and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). 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 23-04071.
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Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Resident Sentenced to Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
Brian Nathaniel Marshall, a resident of Mt. Vernon, who received child pornography was sentenced December 18, 2024 to 72 months in federal prison.
Marshall possessed and received child pornography and had these images on both his phone and computer. As described in Marshall’s plea agreement, the images possessed by Marshall included images of prepubescent minors.
Marshall was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Marshall was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $27,000 in restitution to nine identified victims who were used to produce child pornography and requested restitution for damages they suffered. There is no parole in the federal system.
Marshall 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team, and the Mt. Vernon Police Department.
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.”
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR- 00025.
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Felon Who Assaulted Pregnant Teenager with a Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A felon who used a gun to assault a pregnant teenager was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison. Diago Davis, age 51, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a July 15, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon.
Evidence at sentencing showed that on February 3, 2024, law enforcement officers searched Davis’s residence in Hiawatha, Iowa, where officers found a loaded firearm that Davis knowingly possessed. Earlier in the day, Davis had assaulted a pregnant teenage victim with that same firearm because he mistakenly thought she had taken his PlayStation 5. Davis has multiple drug‑related felony convictions.
Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Davis was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Davis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Hiawatha Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-41.
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New Hartford, Iowa, Man Receives Prison Sentence for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
A New Hartford, Iowa, man who received child pornography from 2004 through December of 2021 was sentenced December 17, 2024 to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Robert Jene Smith, age 57, from New Hartford, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 20, 2024, guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.
In a plea agreement, Smith admitted that from 2004 through the search of his house in December of 2021, he obtained and shared hundreds of images and videos by using a file sharing program. During the search of his residence, agents found over 7,500 images and over 100 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on multiple devices in the residence.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Smith was sentenced to 136 months’ imprisonment and fined $1,000. He was ordered to make $32,000 in restitution to ten identified victims who were used to produce child pornography and requested restitution for damages they suffered. He must also pay $15,100 in special assessments and serve a five-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 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.”
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 Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Urbandale, Iowa, Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-03023.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who had been deported, illegally returned to the United States, and then used someone else’s social security number to obtain employment was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
Luis Gomez-Otoy, age 39, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Postville, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 21, 2024, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents, one count of misuse of a social security number, and one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.
At the guilty plea, Gomez-Otoy admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Gomez-Otoy was arrested in May 2008 during an immigration enforcement action in Postville and was deported in October 2008. On May 8, 2024, immigration officials learned Gomez-Otoy had illegally returned to the United States and found Gomez-Otoy at the Clayton County Jail following his arrest on state charges. On July 12, 2024, Gomez-Otoy was convicted in state court of operating while intoxicated, second offense, and sentenced to 7 days’ imprisonment. Gomez-Otoy was previously convicted in the Northern District of Iowa in May 2008 for use of false employment documents, a felony, served five months’ imprisonment and was deported.
Gomez-Otoy also admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “green card,” both bearing his name, to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in May 2022 at a business in West Union, Iowa. The number on the Social Security card was assigned to someone else. The alien registration number on the Permanent Resident card was assigned to a female from Mexico. Social Security and Permanent Resident cards are documents prescribed by statute or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States.
Gomez-Otoy was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gomez-Otoy was sentenced to 13 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.
Gomez-Otoy 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 Daniel C. Tvedt 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 24-CR-1017.
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Man Who Conspired to Sexually Exploit a Child Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to sexually exploit a child and who possessed child sexual abuse material pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Benjamin Paul Egli, age 30, from North Liberty, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child and one count of possession of child pornography.
At court hearings and in a plea agreement, Egli admitted that on multiple occasions in 2023, he used Snapchat to make video calls to another person. In those video calls, at Egli’s request, the other person engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a toddler. Egli screen-recorded the sexual conduct and saved those videos on his phone. He also possessed other images and videos of child sexual abuse material on his phone, including images of children performing sexual acts on animals and sadistic and masochistic conduct.
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 Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Egli remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Egli faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $77,200 in special assessments, and a life term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
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 Tipton Police Department, and the Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-53.
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Fort Dodge Woman Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Conspiracy ConvictionRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on December 12, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.
Amanda Johnson, f/k/a Amanda Adams, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on July 31, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. In 2020, Johnson was convicted in federal court of the same conduct - conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting another in the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, for which she was on supervised release during her commission of this offense.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings, showed Johnson’s involvement in a conspiracy that distributed more than 1500 grams of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area for six months in 2023. On November 15, 2023, Johnson and another distributed about ¼ pound methamphetamine in a controlled drug purchase transaction in Waterloo, Iowa. On December 4, 2023, Johnson distributed approximately 2 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent, after making an agreement to distribute ¼ pound methamphetamine in a controlled drug purchase and then fled the scene.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Johnson was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of eight years of supervised release following the imprisonment. Johnson was also sentenced to an additional 24 months’ imprisonment, consecutive to her sentence in this case, for revocation of her supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Johnson remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, Fort Dodge Iowa Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Waterloo, Iowa, based Tri-County Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3005. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Twenty-Year-Old Felon who Illegally Possessed a Firearm in Cedar Rapids Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced December 10, 2024, to 78 months in federal prison.
Garnett Adam Propst, age 20, from Burlington, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 26, 2024 guilty plea to two counts of aiding and abetting false statements during the purchase of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. On September 12, 2023, while Propst was on high-risk supervision for a prior state felony offense, and prohibited from possessing firearms, he obtained and possessed a Beretta handgun. Propst then later used that firearm on September 30, 2023, firing multiple shots into a residence in Cedar Rapids. After the “shots fired” incident, Propst provided the firearm to Lawrence Lamar Newell, who was also a felon.
Propst was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Propst was sentenced to 78 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.
Propst 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
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- 00026.
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Jury Convicts Cedar Rapids Felon for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was convicted by a jury today after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
David Rafael Walker, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that on December 14, 2021, at an apartment complex in Cedar Rapids, Walker shot at a woman and her young daughter. Three days later, Walker was driving around Cedar Rapids when he became involved in another shooting. When law enforcement officers located Walker and the car he had been driving, Walker fled. In the car, under Walker’s seat, officers found a firearm and a bag of marijuana. Walker’s DNA was on the firearm. Walker had multiple prior felony convictions, including for delivery of heroin and eluding.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Walker remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Walker faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Nydle, Devra Hake, and Dan Tvedt, and it was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-65.
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Felon Who Pointed a Ghost Gun at Police Officer Returned to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who pointed a firearm at a police officer less than two months after he was released from federal prison was sentenced on December 2, 2024, to seven years in federal prison.
Daytrell Washington-Roby, age 26, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 1, 2024 guilty plea to possession of ammunition by a felon.
Information from sentencing showed that Washington-Roby was previously convicted of possession of a firearm by a user of a controlled substance and sentenced to federal prison in January 2020. He was released from prison on December 22, 2023. On February 18, 2024, a concerned citizen called 911 to report a man choking a woman in a car in Waterloo; Washington-Roby and his girlfriend. A police officer located Washington-Roby in the area of the call shortly thereafter. Washington-Roby raised his arms, pointing a firearm at the police officer. Washington-Roby then threw the loaded firearm into the backyard of a residence. The firearm was an un‑serialized “ghost gun.” Washington-Roby was on federal supervised release at the time.
Washington-Roby was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Washington-Roby was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment for his possession of ammunition offense. He was also sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment in his previous federal firearm case for which he was on supervised release, which was imposed consecutively to the 60-month term of imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Washington-Roby is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-2021 and 19-CR-0047.
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Dubuque, Iowa, Man Guilty of Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute large quantities of cocaine that resulted in the death of a young Dubuque woman pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Maurice Randolph, age 44, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of 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.
At the plea hearing, Randolph admitted he was a member of a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine in the Dubuque area near numerous parks and schools. He admitted that on February 14, 2021, one of his coconspirators distributed cocaine to a young woman in Dubuque who went home, used the cocaine and died.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Randolph remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Randolph faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 8 years to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Reinert and Nicole Nagin and investigated by 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. 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 23-CR-01013.
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Waterloo Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison in Check Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Waterloo woman who stole nearly $250,000 from three financial institutions between 2020 and 2022 was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison. Angela Celina Hernandez, formerly known as Angela Celina Sermeno, age 40, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 31, 2024, guilty plea to one count of bank fraud.
In a plea agreement, Hernandez admitted that she was the sole signatory on a checking account for a roofing company at a credit union in Dubuque. In January 2020, Hernandez repeatedly redeposited previously cleared checks from a Wisconsin contractor in order to falsely and temporarily inflate the balance of the account. Hernandez then caused over $150,000 in rapid transfers and withdrawals on this fraudulently and temporarily inflated balance. Then, in July 2021, Hernandez passed bad checks at a second credit union, resulting in over $75,000 in loss to that credit union. Finally, in February 2022, defendant passed more bad checks at a third financial institution, resulting in an additional $12,000 in loss.
Hernandez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Hernandez was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $248,005.28 in restitution the three financial institutions. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hernandez was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-1031.
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Minnesota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
A man who escaped from custody in the Gerald R. Hinzman Center was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison.
Joshua Taylor Watson, age 35, from Rochester, Minnesota, received the prison term after a June 10, 2024 guilty plea to one count of escape from federal custody.
At the plea hearing, Watson admitted that he was in custody at the Hinzman Center under a federal court order pursuant to his prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On January 22, 2024, Watson left the facility without permission and did not return. Watson was found in Rochester, Minnesota, and he was arrested on January 25, 2024.
Watson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Watson was sentenced to 18 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.
Watson 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 United States Marshals Service and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-9.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced December 2, 2024, to six months in federal prison.
Arturo Reyna-Arajo, age 31, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Postville, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 12, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.
At the guilty plea, Reyna-Arajo admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Reyna-Arajo was previously deported in February 2016. On June 22, 2024, immigration officials learned Reyna-Arajo had illegally returned to the United States following Reyna-Arajo’s arrest in Allamakee County on state charges. Reyna-Arajo was previously convicted in 2015 in the Clayton County, Iowa of falsifying public documents, a felony.
Reyna-Arajo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Reyna-Arajo was sentenced to six 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.
Reyna-Arajo 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 Daniel C. Tvedt 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 24-CR-1022.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
A man who committed a drug trafficking offense was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison.
Darryl Fonte Jackson, age 51, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 1, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on July 25, 2022, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine and synthetic cannabinoids from Jackson. About a week later, officers searched Jackson’s home and place of work. At his home, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, and synthetic cannabinoids. At his place of work, officers located methamphetamine, cocaine, and a loaded firearm. Jackson was previously convicted in 2006 for federal drug and gun crimes.
Jackson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jackson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jackson 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 High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-69.
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Marion Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm was sentenced November 21, 2024, to more than three years in federal prison.
James Carl Morgan, age 42, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 26, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the guilty plea, Morgan admitted that on June 6, 2023, he knowingly possessed a Canik TP9 SF, 9x19mm caliber pistol, as a felon. On June 6, 2023, police officers went to a Cedar Rapids motel to arrest Morgan on a warrant for possession of a firearm as a felon from 2022. When officers knocked on the motel room door, Morgan attempted to crawl out the window, but reentered the room when confronted by a police dog. After officers cleared the room, they found the loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine on the floor by the window.
Morgan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Morgan 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.
Morgan 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 Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-24.
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Cherokee County Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Krystopher Cordeiro, age 23, from Cherokee, Iowa, was sentenced November 20, 2024, to more than 3 years in federal prison.
Evidence in the case established that between January 1, 2023, and September 26, 2023, Cordeiro possessed child pornography. In April and May of 2023, the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that Cordeiro’s account had uploaded child pornography on four occasions. When law enforcement executed a search at Cordeiro’s residence in September of 2023. Cordeiro admitted to searching for “teen porn”, as well as possessing videos depicting sadistic and masochistic conduct, prepubescent children, and toddlers. Agents discovered over 200 images and 10 videos of actual child pornography and over 1,000 images and 133 videos of simulated children. Some of the simulated images were of such high quality they were virtually indistinguishable from real children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Cordeiro was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cordeiro was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $6,100 in fines and assessments. He was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the victims in the case. He must serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cordeiro 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 the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation, Cyber Crime Bureau 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-4080. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Man Who Distributed Fentanyl Resulting in an Overdose Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold fentanyl pills and possessed a firearm as a prohibited person was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.
Jonathan Luna, age 29, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 20, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm as a prohibited person and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, in April 2023, Luna distributed pills that contained fentanyl to another person, which caused the person to suffer an overdose. About two weeks later, law enforcement officers searched Luna’s residence and located a stolen pistol in his bedroom. Luna is a felon and was an unlawful user of methamphetamine at the time he possessed the firearm.
Luna was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Luna was sentenced to 63 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.
Luna 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 also 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-1030.
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22-Year-Old Female who Purchased Firearms for Others Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A female who purchased multiple firearms for others was sentenced November 20, 2024, to five years of federal probation for lying to federally licensed firearms dealers while buying firearms.
Jasmin Alexandria Fox, age 22, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 17, 2024 guilty plea to one count of false statement during purchase of a firearm. From August 2023 through September 2023, Fox purchased multiple firearms, claiming she was buying them for herself, that were then provided to other individuals. The guns purchased by Fox were linked to two “shots-fired” incidents and one robbery in Cedar Rapids. One of the firearms purchased by Fox was recovered by Cedar Rapids Police on a felon during a struggle. Another firearm purchased by Fox was later recovered from a juvenile.
Fox was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Fox was sentenced to 5 years of probation.
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 Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
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- 00026.
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Sioux City, Iowa, Man Pled Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Joshua Dale Peterson age, 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty November 20, 2024, to possession of child pornography.
In a plea agreement, Peterson admitted that from January 1, 2023, until October 18, 2023, he received, distributed, and possessed child pornography. A CyberTip from Snapchat showed that Peterson uploaded a file that contained child pornography. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Peterson’s phone and found over 50 photos and videos of child pornography. Law enforcement spoke to Peterson, and he admitted he would meet people on Snapchat and move conversations to Telegram. Peterson also admitted he sent child pornography to a user on Snapchat on at least five different occasions. The Snapchat user later identified themselves as a minor child and Snapchat terminated the conversation. Peterson further admitted he was in at least one group chat on Telegram that was sharing child pornography and he stayed in the group for a couple of weeks. The images and videos found on Peterson’s phone contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Peterson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Peterson faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any imprisonment of 5 years to life.
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 Sioux City Police Department and is being 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-04036. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Document FraudRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a fraudulent permanent resident card was sentenced today to almost three months in federal prison.
Rodolfo Duran-Matul, age 27, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Belmond, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 8, 2024, guilty plea to one count of unlawful possession of an identification document.
In a plea agreement, Duran-Matul admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Duran-Matul was previously deported in August 2018.
Duran-Matul also admitted that in August 2024, when he was arrested on state charges, he possessed a fraudulent permanent resident card (“green card”) bearing his name and photograph. The number on the green card was assigned to someone else. Permanent resident cards are documents prescribed by statute or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States. As an alien unlawfully in the United States, Duran-Matul was not authorized to work in the United States.
Duran-Matul was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Duran-Matul was sentenced to 85 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Duran-Matul 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 Daniel C. Tvedt 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 24-CR-2038.
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Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Dubuque, IowaRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Jose Eleazar Aceves-Garcia, age 30, from Guatemala, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Aceves-Garcia admitted that between January 2019 and January 2022, he distributed at least 400 pounds of ice methamphetamine to a co‑conspirator in the Dubuque, Iowa, area. His fingerprints were on two packages, which contained a total of more than seven pounds of ice methamphetamine, that he mailed to the co-conspirator in Dubuque. Aceves-Garcia also distributed a kilogram of heroin to the co-conspirator.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Aceves-Garcia remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Aceves-Garcia faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $10,000,000 fine, and a life term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 23-CR-1022. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Mason City Man Sent to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Jason Keys, age 41, from Mason City, Iowa was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison after a June 28, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence in the case revealed in January 2023, Keys was identified as a person distributing methamphetamine. Law enforcement utilized a confidential source to conduct a controlled purchase of methamphetamine, however, Keys had no methamphetamine to sell. The following day, Keys contacted the confidential source and advised that he had a revolver for sale. Law enforcement utilized the source to conduct a controlled buy of the firearm from Keys. Keys has a lengthy criminal history and was previously convicted of numerous burglaries and thefts, as well as multiple convictions for domestic abuse assault, assault, and controlled substance offenses.
Keys was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 78 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 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.
Keys 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, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 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 24-3016.
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Man Who Robbed Same Bank Twice Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was convicted of robbing a particular bank in 2014, was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison for -- again -- robbing the same bank.
Jonathan Bird-Necklace, age 32, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 26, 2024, guilty plea to bank robbery.
Evidence in the case revealed that Bird-Necklace was discharged from Iowa Department of Corrections on January 10, 2024, for the 2014 bank robbery. 13-days later, on January 23, 2024, Bird-Necklace entered a particular bank, passed a teller a note demanding $15,000, and threatening to shoot him if he raised the alarm. Despite wearing a disguise, masking his movements, and briefly escaping, officers of the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department solved the robbery and apprehended Bird-Necklace within just hours of the crime.
Beyond his repeated bank robberies, Bird-Necklace has repeatedly committed other serious offenses, and violated the rules of the Iowa Department of Corrections while he was incarcerated.
Bird-Necklace was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 63 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.
Bird-Necklace is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by 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 24-4024.
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Man Tied to Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced 11 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Drugs in Sioux CityRead the Press Release
A San Diego man who was part of a drug trafficking organization was sentenced November 14, 2024 to 11 years in federal prison.
Adrian Ibarra-Manzo, age 29, from San Diego, California, received the prison term after a June 26, 2024, guilty plea to 1 count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Possession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Ibarra-Manzo’s co-conspirator, Ramon Serrano, 31, of San Bernardino, California, is set to be sentenced on December 12, 2024, for 1 count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Evidence in the case revealed Ibarra-Manzo was part of a conspiracy based in Mexico and California that was responsible for distributing approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.
Ibarra-Manzo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 132 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.
Ibarra-Manzo 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 DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force and the Sioux City Police Department 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 24-4022.
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Waverly, Iowa, Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jared Russell Rigdon, 38, from Waverly, Iowa, was sentenced November 13, 2024, to 30 years in federal prison. On March 29, 2024, Rigdon pled guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography.
Evidence in the case showed that between January 2022, and March 22, 2023, Rigdon downloaded and distributed files of child pornography using BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer network, as well as Kik. Rigdon admitted that he used a video chat application and a screen-recording application to record dozens of clearly prepubescent children from around the world, whom Rigdon would solicit to engage in sexual and lascivious acts. Forensic review of his electronic devices discovered over 120,000 images of child sexual abuse materials. The videos and images discovered involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct and included prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers.
Rigdon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Rigdon was sentenced to 360 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.
Rigdon 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 the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Urbandale Police Department 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 23-CR-02068. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Palo Alto Man Convicted of Drug Offense Near Emmetsburg High SchoolRead the Press Release
David Specketer, 57, from Emmetsburg, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City on November 14, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location. Specketer was previously convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine in 2013.
At the plea hearing, Specketer admitted that on April 15, 2024, while living in Emmetsburg, Iowa, law enforcement attempted to arrest him at his residence for 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 1 ounce of methamphetamine. At the hearing, 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 before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Specketer remains in custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Specketer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being 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.
Fort Dodge Man Guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Craig Carnell Pickens, age 41, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed, law enforcement stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation. Upon contacting the driver, law enforcement noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked the driver and Pickens, who was the passenger, to exit the vehicle. Both occupants initially refused to exit. Pickens eventually produced a glass jar of marijuana and a marijuana blunt from a backpack that was at his feet and provided it to law enforcement through the sunroof of the vehicle. After numerous requests by law enforcement, Pickens eventually exited the vehicle and was arrested. A search of the vehicle discovered multiple bags of methamphetamine totaling approximately 180 grams. Methamphetamine was found in the backpack that was at Pickens’ feet as well as drug paraphernalia.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Pickens remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Pickens faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Garner Police Department and State of Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Narcotics Enforcement and is being 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-3032.
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Sioux City Woman Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Dominique Burow, 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on November 6, 2024, to 127 months’ imprisonment. Burow pled guilty June 12, 2024, in federal court, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2022 and February 2023, Burow and others distributed more than 6 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Evidence also showed that twice in 2022, Burow distributed or aided another in the distribution of methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. Burow admitted to obtaining at least nine pounds of meth from a number of sources to distribute in Sioux City, and to wiring drug proceeds to sources in Mexico and California. She was also caught with ½ pound of methamphetamine while on pre-trial release for her original charges.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Burow was sentenced to 127 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Burow remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 23-4038. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Omaha Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced today to more than 10 years in federal prison.
Jose L. Velez, Sr., age 39, from Omaha, Nebraska, received the prison term after a June 12, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Velez admitted on or about February 23, 2024, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 14 pounds of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Velez, Sr. was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Velez, Sr. was sentenced to 126 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.
Velez, Sr. is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, the Clear Lake Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Mason City Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03018.
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Dubuque Man Who Possessed Firearms While Being an Illegal User of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed five firearms while being an illegal drug user was sentenced November 1, 2024, to more than one year in federal prison.
Jesse James Zeromski, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user.
At the guilty plea, Zeromski admitted he unlawfully possessed five firearms, including a revolver, two shotguns, and two rifles, while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and cocaine.
Zeromski was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Zeromski was sentenced to twelve months’ and one day imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Zeromski is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1008.
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Texas Felon Sentenced for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
A man who was stopped for speeding and found in possession of several firearms was sentenced November 1, 2024, to more than three years in federal prison.
Douglas Lynn Greer, age 41, from Fort Worth, Texas, received the prison term after a March 26, 2024, guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the guilty plea, Greer admitted he possessed four firearms in his car when he was stopped for speeding in Clayton, County, Iowa. Greer had previously been convicted of the felony offenses of making terroristic threats and offering a forged check.
Greer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Greer was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment, and 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.
Greer 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 Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, the Clayton County Attorney’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-CR-01002.
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Mason City Woman Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Being a Drug User in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
A drug user who possessed firearms was sentenced November 1, 2024, to 37 months in federal prison.
Brittany Graham, age 37, of Mason City, Iowa, received the sentence after a June 3, 2024, guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms. At the plea hearing, Graham admitted that, in August 2022, she possessed four handguns while she was an unlawful user of marijuana. The evidence at sentencing showed that Graham had possessed seven handguns since 2018. Other prohibited persons later possessed some of these guns, including a .357 magnum revolver that was seized from a felon in Chicago less than seven months after Graham purchased it.
Graham was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Graham was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a two-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.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mason City Police Department, the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 23-3014.
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Waterloo Cocaine Dealer and Fraudster Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who distributed a significant amount of cocaine and obtained a fraudulent loan was sentenced October 30, 2024, to twenty years in federal prison.
Parrish Austin, age 40, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 13, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of wire fraud.
Information disclosed at Austin’s sentencing hearing and previous related hearings showed that, beginning in late 2019 or early 2020, and continuing until October 5, 2022, Austin began distributing kilograms of cocaine every few months to Justin Cole in Waterloo. Cole then worked with Tavarious Glasper, Chris Roby, and others to redistribute the cocaine. In total, Austin was responsible for distributing at least ten kilograms of cocaine.
Information disclosed at Austin’s plea and sentencing hearings also showed that, in May 2021, Austin fraudulently obtained into his bank account a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in the amount of $18,322 after a false and fraudulent PPP loan application was submitted with Austin’s signature. In October 2021, after Austin had received the fraudulent PPP loan into his bank account, Austin applied for and obtained forgiveness of the PPP loan.
Austin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Austin was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, and he was ordered to pay $18,322 in restitution. He must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Twelve other individuals from Waterloo previously pled guilty to their involvement in the drug trafficking organization and/or PPP fraud:
- Kiesha Ann Morman was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay $19,835 in restitution on March 6, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Tavarious Glasper was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment on March 11, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
- Chris Lee Roby was sentenced to 49 months’ imprisonment on March 12, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
- Justin A. Cole was sentenced to 195 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,832 in restitution on March 13, 2024, after he had pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Sheila Renee Cole was sentenced to 2 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $19,583 in restitution on April 10, 2024, after she plead guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Shalla Scherrice Cole was sentenced to 7 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,415 in restitution on April 19, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Tia Lynette Cole‑Sykes was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay $19,790 in restitution on May 1, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Orenthal James Jones was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,832 in restitution on May 13, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Allure Shapree Roby was sentenced to 2 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $20,832 in restitution on June 20, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Ida Made Roby was sentenced to 3 years’ probation and ordered to pay $20,833 in restitution on July 2, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Stacy Antwanette Cole was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and ordered to pay $20,332 in restitution on July 19, 2024, after she pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
- Reid Jonathan Geerts was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $19,166 in restitution on September 3, 2024, after he pled guilty to one count of PPP‑related wire fraud.
Austin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson 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; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; and the Iowa State Patrol.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑02057‑CJW.
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Repeat Offender to Spend 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography over the internet while in a residential facility for a prior child pornography charge was sentenced October 31, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison.
Brady David Salow, age 27, from Vinton, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 25, 2024 guilty plea to one count of receiving child pornography.
In a plea agreement, Salow admitted that he was convicted of four counts of possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act in Dubuque County in 2019. As a condition of his sentence in that case, he was residing at a residential facility in Vinton in 2023. Per the rules of the facility, Salow was not permitted to have access to a phone or a computer. Beginning in the summer of 2023, however, Salow repeatedly persuaded an employee at the facility to loan him her cellular phone under the pretense that he was going to use it for either looking up photos of celebrities or to listen to music. By at least August 2023, Salow began receiving and downloading child pornography to the employee’s phone without the employee’s knowledge, saving downloaded images to a hidden folder on the phone. In October 2023, a fellow resident alerted staff that Salow had been using a phone, and the staff member turned over her phone for examination. A forensic examination of the phone revealed child pornography, and Salow admitted that he had downloaded child pornography to the phone. Information presented at the sentencing hearing showed that authorities seized multiple notebooks authored by Salow containing lists of what he termed “sex jobs,” “child sex locations,” and “kid sex opportunities.”
At the sentencing hearing, the Judge noted that Salow was “highly likely to reoffend” based on his history of possessing child pornography, his history of sexually abusing another individual, and the “clever” and “calculated” manner in which he committed this crime.
Salow was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Salow was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $9,000 in restitution. He must also serve a 35-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 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.”
Salow is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑00089.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Discharging a Firearm at Gas Station in Cedar RapidsRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who discharged a firearm into the air at a gas station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in November 2023 was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Zontavian Demetrius Bush, age 40, from Bloomington, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 27, 2024, guilty plea to possession of firearm by a felon.
At the guilty plea, Bush admitted possessing two firearms. Evidence in the case showed that he discharged a firearm at a gas station during an altercation. Bush has prior convictions for multiple felonies including a drug trafficking offense, multiple domestic offenses, and stalking offenses.
Bush was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Bush was sentenced to 70 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.
Bush 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 Emily K. Nydle 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 with assistance from 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-14.
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Former Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who stole over $450,000 from a family‑owned business was sentenced October 30, 2024, to two years in federal prison.
Leann Marie Rouse, age 51, from Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 31, 2024 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
Evidence disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Rouse was hired as a bookkeeper in July 2011 for a trucking company in Traer, Iowa . As bookkeeper, Rouse had access to, and control of, the trucking company’s financial accounting software and she handled payroll. From January 2015, through August 20, 2020, Rouse issued approximately 242 unauthorized checks to herself from the trucking company, stealing at least $453,672.68. Rouse hid her fraud by using the trucking company’s financial accounting software to change the entries in the software to reflect that the unauthorized funds were business expenditures related to various entities that did business with the trucking company.
Rouse was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Leonard T. Strand. Rouse was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, and she was ordered to make $453,672.68 in restitution to the trucking company. She must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rouse was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Devra Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tama County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-00023-LTS.
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Waterloo Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing GunRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who displayed a firearm at others in a threatening manner was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to eight years in federal prison.
Rodney Lavern Thein, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 30, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a felon.
Evidence disclosed at sentencing showed that, on July 13 and 14, 2023, Thein displayed a firearm in a threatening manner at people during confrontations over a trailer at Thein’s residence in Waterloo. During the investigation into the confrontations, law enforcement officers searched Thein’s residence, and seized nine firearms. Six of the firearms were loaded, and at least one of the firearms had been reported stolen. At the time, Thein was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been convicted of three felony offenses.
Thein was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thein was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment, and he must 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.
Thein 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑02074.
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Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Marcus Fair, 27, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty October 30, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on September 21, 2022, law enforcement responded to a Humboldt, Iowa, residence for a report of domestic disturbance and animal cruelty. After conducting interviews, law enforcement arrested Fair. Officers were then led to a discarded backpack in a nearby woods. Inside the bag were items that belonged to Fair, including a loaded Taurus G3C, 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, an extended magazine, and marijuana. Fair admitted these items belonged to him, and that he used marijuana. As a user of marijuana, Fair was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fair remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Fair faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
The case is being 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.
Sioux City Woman to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Brandy Binneboese, 44, from Sioux City, Iowa was sentenced on October 25, 2024, after pleading guilty on June 7, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2021 through June 2023, Binneboese participated in a conspiracy that distributed over 7 pounds of methamphetamine. Evidence further showed that on three occasions in 2023 Binneboese participated in the distribution of ¼ and ½ pounds of methamphetamine as observed by law enforcement using an individual cooperating with law enforcement. On June 1, 2023, just after one of the meth transactions was completed, Binneboese was stopped by law enforcement and found with ½ ounce of methamphetamine and $2,500 in pre-serialized buy money that had been used for the drug purchase moments earlier.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Binneboese was sentenced to 38 months’ imprisonment and must serve three years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Binneboese remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Four Time Federal Felon Sentenced to More than 14 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who fled from law enforcement while possessing methamphetamine was sentenced October 25, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.
Chad Hughes, 40, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on May 31, 2024, to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Hughes was previously convicted of a federal firearms offense in 2005, federal assault in 2010, and two federal escapes in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
At the plea and sentencing hearings evidence showed that Hughes possessed almost ½ pound of methamphetamine which he intended to distribute to others in Sioux City. On June 24, 2023, when law enforcement attempted to stop the motorcycle Hughes was operating, he fled from law enforcement in a high-speed pursuit through cities of Sioux City, Iowa and North Sioux City, South Dakota. During the pursuit Hughes ditched the motorcycle and a backpack to avoid apprehension. Law enforcement seized the backpack which contained methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a BB gun, and other items which aided in the ultimate identification of Hughes.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hughes was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Hughes 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 Iowa State Patrol, North Sioux City, South Dakota, 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 Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cocaine Dealer with Firearm Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who committed a drug trafficking offense was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison for possessing large quantities of cocaine.
Andrew St. John Pratt, age 31, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. During a search of Pratt’s home in Dubuque, officers located distribution quantities of cocaine, cash, drug scales, and a firearm.
Pratt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Pratt was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Pratt is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force 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- 01010.
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United States Attorney Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Daniel Tvedt will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Tvedt has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Iowa, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Duax said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Duax stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Tvedt will be on duty in the Cedar Rapids area while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 319-363-6333. AUSA Ron Timmons will be on duty in the Sioux City area and can be reached at 712-255-6011.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 402-493-8688.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Duax said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Jesup Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A man who possessed twenty-one firearms as a drug user was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Douglas Gilbert Uchytil, age 61, from Jesup, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2024, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a drug user.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that when law enforcement officers searched Uchytil’s residence on April 6, 2023, they found twenty-one firearms, over $25,000 in cash, and over half a pound of ice methamphetamine. Uchytil possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. He also admitted that he was a methamphetamine user.
Uchytil was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Uchytil was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Uchytil 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 Devra T. Hake and investigated by Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Fire Marshal Division, and Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-2056.
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Former Sioux City Plastic Surgeon Agrees to Pay Nearly $200,000 to Settle Allegations He Submitted False ClaimsRead the Press Release
Adam B. Smith, M.D., also known as “Adam Bryant,” has agreed to pay $198,755.42 to the United States and the State of Iowa to resolve allegations that he billed government health insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, for medically unnecessary procedures and for procedures more complicated than those he performed. The settlement resolves allegations brought by the United States and the State of Iowa in a Civil Complaint filed last May in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The settlement amount was based on Smith’s ability to pay.
In its Complaint, the government alleged that, from August 2014 until August 2019, Smith was practicing as a plastic surgeon in Sioux City in association with Tri-State Specialists, L.L.P. During that time, the government alleged, Smith engaged in a scheme to overcharge government health care programs by falsely claiming that cosmetic procedures he performed were medically necessary and that the medically necessary procedures he billed for were more complicated (and more highly compensated) than what he performed. Cosmetic procedures are generally not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. To obtain federal payment for procedures that would not otherwise be covered, the government alleged Dr. Smith claimed he performed complicated hernia repair or tissue transfer procedures when he actually performed body contouring, tummy tucks, and cosmetic procedures to remove excess skin and fat.
The Complaint also contended that Smith submitted claims for more expensive wound repair procedures and office visits by claiming the wounds he repaired were larger, the procedures he performed were more complex, and the office visits were more thorough, than they actually were. This practice, known as “upcoding,” occurs when medical providers fraudulently overcharge insurers for more significant (and more expensive) procedures than they perform.
In February 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to a healthcare matter, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a), in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. As part of his plea, Smith acknowledged that he had falsely described a cosmetic procedure as medically necessary and reimbursable by Medicare while he was practicing medicine in Traverse City, Michigan from May 2011 to January 2014. Smith voluntarily surrendered his South Dakota medical license in 2019 and his Iowa medical license in 2021.
The United States entered into a settlement agreement with Smith’s employer, Tri-State Specialists, LLP, in December 2021, resolving the same allegations for $612,501.44.
“Government healthcare programs depend on the honesty and competency of healthcare providers. Our office will work tirelessly to pursue providers who break that trust and to recover dollars meant to benefit the American people,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.
“Holding health care professionals accountable for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring critical resources are appropriately used,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our other law enforcement partners will continue to collaborate to protect the integrity of federal health care programs.”
“Today’s outcome demonstrates the collaboration among the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its investigative partners to safeguard taxpayer dollars that fund programs like Tricare, the military’s healthcare system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “As the criminal investigative arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General, DCIS is committed to investigating those who put the health of America’s warfighters and their families at risk.”
This civil matter arose from an action brought under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act.
The claims asserted against Smith are allegations only; there was no determination or admission of liability.
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon J. Gray and Brian J. Keogh and the State of Iowa Attorney General’s Office and investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the State of Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
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Federal Escapee Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was finishing his prison sentence at a residential reentry center for a 2020 escape and then escaped again in 2023 was sentenced on October 28, 2024, to more than two years in federal prison.
Caleb Lee Olson, age 49, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 15, 2024, guilty plea to one count of escape from Federal Bureau of Prisons custody on November 27, 2023.
At the guilty plea, Olson admitted that on November 27, 2023, he was completing his sentence for a 2020 escape in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at Gerald R. Hinzman Center in Cedar Rapids when he left the facility without permission and did not return. Olson was found in Marion, Iowa, and was arrested on December 5, 2023.
Olson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Olson was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Olson 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 United States Marshals Service and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00003.
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Manly, Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as un unlawful drug user was sentenced on October 22, 2024 to 2 years in federal prison.
Cory Allen More, age 33, from Manly, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 3, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.
In a plea agreement, More admitted that on October 23, 2023, his vehicle ran out of gas in Clear Lake, Iowa. A Clear Lake police officer saw More pull his vehicle over to the side of the road. The officer made contact with More while he was outside of his vehicle near the engine bay where he had just opened the hood. At that time, the officer observed 2 marijuana baggies with a green leafy substance on the ground between More’s feet and the officer’s feet. The officer seized the two baggies which were found to contain marijuana. More also had a handgun in a holster on his belt in plain view of the officer. On October 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at More’s residence in Manly, Worth County, Iowa, and seized marijuana, scales, drug paraphernalia, and an additional 16 firearms and ammunition.
More was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. More 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.
More was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
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 Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Clear Lake Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Manly Police Department, Worth County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigations Laboratory, and United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03006.
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