Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Cresco Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a stolen gun was sentenced on June 23, 2026, to eight years in federal prison.
Dalton Lee Hagen, age 28, from Cresco, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 6, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information at the sentencing hearing showed that in January 2025, law enforcement officers were investigating a burglary. Officers learned that Hagen was involved and searched his home. In the basement of Hagen’s home, officers found a gun. Prior to January 2025, Hagen had broken into a car outside a local Cresco business and stole the gun. Hagen is prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions.
Hagen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hagen was sentenced to 96 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 Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Hagen 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 investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Cresco Police Department, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, Howard County Sherriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Patrol. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-02053.
Repeat Drug Trafficking Offender Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Federal Prison for Meth and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute meth and illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced on June 22, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City to 131 months’ imprisonment.
On February 2, 2026, Seann Mackey, 32, from Mount Pleasant, Iowa pled guilty, admitting that between June 2024 and December 2024, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 3000 grams of mixed methamphetamine which contained at least 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. On December 20, 2024, law enforcement apprehended Mackey after he led them on a high-speed chase, then attempted to flee on foot. During the foot pursuit, Mackey was observed throwing a firearm. Law enforcement seized methamphetamine, numerous empty baggies and a digital scale from Mackey, along with a loaded Glock 9mm handgun.
Mackey has several previous felony convictions, including: Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine, and Dominion/Control of Firearm/Offensive Weapon by Felon. Each of these convictions prohibit Mackey from possessing any firearm and also enhance his sentencing penalties.
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.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Mackey to 131 months’ imprisonment and an eight-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Mackey remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bryce Garrels, 32, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City on June 22, 2026, to 183 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing on February 6, 2026, Garrels admitted that from July 2024 through August 2025, he and others were involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 1 ½ pounds of meth in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area. Evidence further showed that on at least four occasions in July and August 2025, Garrels distributed or helped others distribute methamphetamine, ranging from one to four ounces.
Garrels was previously convicted of seven felony offenses in the State of Iowa, including Burglary 3rd Degree in 2011, 2015, and 2022, and Forgery in 2020, 2021 and 2022, as well as Possession of a Counterfeit Substance with Intent to Deliver in 2021.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Garrels to 183 months’ imprisonment along with a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Garrels 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 Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and Wright County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3043. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Lying While Buying Four GunsRead the Press Release
A woman who bought four guns over six months and lied about her drug use was sentenced June 17, 2026, to a year in federal prison.
Sydnie Mahoney, age 28, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 23, 2026, guilty plea to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Information at sentencing showed that between March 2023 and September 2023, Mahoney bought four guns on four separate occasions from a gun dealer in Cedar Falls, Iowa. During each purchase, Mahoney signed a form on which she indicated she was not an unlawful user of controlled substances, including marijuana. Mahoney was a marijuana user at the time of each purchase. During two of the purchases, Mahoney was accompanied by Torion Byrd, her boyfriend.
Later, police officers found Byrd driving a car with another man who was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant. Officers searched the car and found one of the guns Mahoney had purchased in the glove box. Byrd’s DNA was found on the gun, which had an extended magazine. Byrd was a convicted felon. Byrd was sentenced to over three years in federal prison.
Mahoney was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Mahoney was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Mahoney was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on July 20, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-2027.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
South Dakota Men Indicted in Connection with 14-year-old Sioux Falls Girl Found DeadRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Leif Olson announced today that two men have been indicted on criminal charges related to the missing-person case of McKenna Wendel, who was found dead on March 19, 2026, in Brookings, South Dakota.
Mark Milk, 51, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Jon Rogness, 38, of Brookings, South Dakota, were charged in an indictment filed on June 17, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.
Milk faces five counts:
- Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death,
- Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance,
- Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity,
- Conspiracy to conceal objects with the intent to impair their availability for an official proceeding, and
- Concealing objects with the intent to impair their availability for official proceedings.
Rogness faces two counts:
- Conspiracy to conceal objects with the intent to impair their availability for an official proceeding, and
- Accessory after the fact.
Milk and Rogness will have an initial appearance before a judge at the Sioux City federal courthouse at a date yet to be determined.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. It is being investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department; Sioux Falls Fire Rescue; Minnehaha County, South Dakota, Sheriff’s Department; Minnehaha County Search and Rescue; Brookings County, South Dakota, Sheriff’s Office; Brookings Police Department; Brookings Fire Department; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; Brookings County Attorney’s Office; Minnehaha County, South Dakota, Attorney’s Office; the Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Criminal Investigation; Iowa State Patrol; Lyon County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Department; the Lyon County Attorney’s Office; the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 26-4032.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison After Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
An illegal alien from Jamaica who was found unlawfully in the United States after having been previously removed following felony convictions in federal court was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Steven Jarret, also known as Steven Jones, age 55, from Montego Bay, Jamaica, received the prison term after a February 17, 2026, guilty plea to one count of being found after illegal reentry.
Information at sentencing showed that Jarret had been deported or removed from the United States in 1995, 2008, and 2013. His removal in 2008 came following convictions in 2003 for entering the United States on a false passport and drug trafficking in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. He was sentenced to five years in prison and then removed from the country after completing his prison term in 2008. His removal in 2013 came after he had returned to the United States and was convicted of money laundering in 2012 in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.
In December 2025, law enforcement officers in the Northern District of Iowa stopped Jarret as he was driving a commercial vehicle. He was arrested for a traffic violation. Immigrations officials found Jarret as he was being processed at the Howard County, Iowa, jail and arrested him.
At sentencing, the judge said that Jarret was a “dangerous drug dealer” when he was convicted in 2003 for trafficking more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana, and possessing a loaded gun, and in 2012 when he was convicted of laundering more than $140,000 in drug proceeds. The judge said the United States has an interest in keeping dangerous drug dealers out of the country.
Jarret was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jarret was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Jarret is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-2074.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm as Domestic AbuserRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a loaded and stolen gun in a car with a child pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Hombra Montrell Williams, age 30, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of domestic violence.
Evidence at a prior hearing demonstrated that on April 14, 2025, officers stopped a car in Dubuque. Williams was in the front passenger seat, and a child was in the back seat. Officers searched the car and found a stolen and loaded gun on the floorboard near where Williams had been sitting. Williams’s DNA and fingerprint were on the gun. Williams has a 2021 conviction for domestic abuse assault causing injury. Officers searched Williams’s Snapchat account and found recent videos that Williams had posted of drugs, of Williams holding multiple guns, and of Williams firing a gun into the air.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Williams remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Williams faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dubuque Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 26-CR-1007. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dow City Man Sentenced to Thirty-Five Years in Federal Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
Bryce White, 42, from Dow City, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City, on June 18, 2026, to 35 years’ imprisonment. White pled guilty January 21, 2026, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Between August 2023 and August 2024, White coerced dozens of minor females into sending him depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. White used Snapchat to pose as a minor and solicited and received nude images and videos of minor females from across the United States and overseas. In September 2023 a Midland, Michigan, law enforcement agency began investigating White based on a complaint from a minor female’s parents. The parents discovered inappropriate messages on Snapchat between their daughter and White. Law enforcement traced the Snapchat account back to White in Dow City. Agents in Iowa obtained and executed search warrants for White’s electronics. Forensic examination revealed White had sent over 95,000 messages to over 1,400 unique users in over a dozen states. Evidence showed White received 14 videos, 180 images of child sexual abuse material, and over 20,000 images of child erotica. White had also communicated with at least one of the minors that “when she was legal” he would “come get her.” The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced White to 420 months’ imprisonment along with a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. White remains in custody of the United States Marshal 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, Midland County Michigan Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4079. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Chicago Man Found Guilty for Distributing Methamphetamine in Cedar RapidsRead the Press Release
A man who distributed ice methamphetamine on multiple occasions during the summer of 2025 was convicted by a jury today, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jonathan Quinn Carter, age 37, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of eight counts of distribution of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about five hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that during the summer of 2025, Carter frequently traveled between Chicago and Cedar Rapids. During these trips, Carter transported multiple pound quantities of ice methamphetamine back to the Cedar Rapids area. He then eventually distributed the drugs to customers. For example, in November 2024, law enforcement officers located four pounds of ice methamphetamine in a car headed back to Iowa that Carter was traveling in. In August 2025, Carter arrived in Iowa City after taking a bus back from Chicago. Law enforcement officers observed him get into a ride share and head towards Cedar Rapids. During a traffic stop of the ride share, officers located two pounds of methamphetamine in Carter’s backpack. Law enforcement officers also purchased half-pound quantities of ice methamphetamine from Carter on five different occasions and Carter assisted with arranging three other similar drug transactions.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Carter remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Carter faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Dillan Edwards and was 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 as well as the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Illinois State Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa City Police Department, and Coralville Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-0073.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
There will be a press conference held on June 18, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the offices of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa located at the Ho-Chunk Building, Suite 670, 600 4th Street, Sioux City, Iowa. United States Attorney Leif Olson will announce charges related to the death of McKenna Wendell. Mr. Olson will be joined by:
- Ron Parsons, the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota;
- Jon Thum, the Chief of Police of the Sioux Falls Police Department; and
- Mike Hockett, Special Agent in Charge of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.
A press release will be available.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Gun Charges in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed firearms in the Fort Dodge area pled guilty June 15, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jordan Mefferd, 47, from Pocahontas, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
At the plea hearing, Mefferd admitted that from about July 2024 through September 2025, he conspired with others to distribute over one pound of methamphetamine in the Webster County Iowa area. In August/September 2025, agents made four controlled buys of methamphetamine from Mefferd, totaling more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine. On September 23, 2025, officers executed a search warrant at Mefferd’s residence and seized a small amount of methamphetamine, $9,684.51 in U.S. currency, four firearms, and various ammunition. Mefferd is prohibited from possessing any firearm due to his previous felony convictions which include: conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine; possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession of lithium; possession of controlled substance – 3rd or subsequent offense; eluding; burglary third degree; and escape.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mefferd remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mefferd faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $60,250,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa State Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3048. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Teen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
A convicted felon from Waterloo who possessed a gun was sentenced June 11, 2026, to two years in federal prison.
Oliver Lee Buls, 19, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 16, 2026, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Buls was the passenger in a car that police officers stopped in May 2025. Officers searched the car after smelling the odor of marijuana. During the search, officers found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun underneath Buls’ seat. The gun was loaded with a high-capacity magazine. Officers also found a loaded Palmetto State Dagger 9mm handgun under the hood of the car. The Palmetto also contained a high-capacity magazine and had a machine gun conversion device, or “switch,” affixed to it. The “switch” allowed the gun to operate as a fully automatic firearm. Buls’ DNA was found on both guns. Buls was part of a social media group, which included juveniles, that posted videos of themselves playing with guns. Buls was on probation at the time he possessed the guns after being convicted of the felony offense of interference with official acts with a firearm. His probation for that conviction was revoked.
Buls was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Buls was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2038.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Marshalltown Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced June 11, 2026, to more than eight years in federal prison.
Juan Eduardo Rivas Martinez, age 25, from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2026, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Information at the sentencing hearing showed that on June 11, 2024, Martinez distributed over 450 grams of ice methamphetamine to a confidential informant. After that transaction, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Martinez but he fled from the officers on a bicycle. Martinez crashed the bicycle he was riding and continued to flee on foot. Officers caught Martinez. Martinez had over $1,000 in his possession. As Martinez was fleeing, he threw a bag to the ground. Officers found and searched the bag and found over 440 grams of ice methamphetamine inside.
Martinez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Martinez was sentenced to 97 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.
Martinez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Kansas City is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, covering Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. HSTF Kansas City is composed of agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the State Investigative Agencies for Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
This HSTF case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by HSTF Kansas City, with the assistance of 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, 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 25-CR-2033-005.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon Sent to Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced today to a year in federal prison.
Dana Lee Scott, Jr. age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 2, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence during the case showed police officers observed Scott with a gun while conducting surveillance on a home in Waterloo. Officers eventually searched the home and found the gun.
Scott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Scott was sentenced to 12 months and one day 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. Scott is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2045.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Drug User who Bought Guns for His Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who bought two firearms for his drug dealer was sentenced on June 10, 2026, to more than two years in federal prison.
Conner Scott Nye, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2026, guilty plea to one count of false statement during purchase of firearm.
Information from Nye’s plea and sentencing hearings showed that Nye bought two guns for his drug dealer in 2024. Nye lied about his drug use and falsely stated that he was buying the guns for himself. Instead, Nye was really buying the guns for his drug dealer. Nye was a user of and addicted to opiates, including heroin. His drug dealer subsequently sold one of the guns after having it equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
Nye was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Nye was sentenced to 27 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. Nye is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-0026.
Cedar Rapid Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Leading Officers on a High-Speed PursuitRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who acquired and distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 20 years in federal prison.
Tony Douglas Westmoreland, Sr., age 46, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2025, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Information at the sentencing hearing showed that in 2023, Westmoreland began to receive significant quantities of methamphetamine. He then distributed the methamphetamine to his customers. On September 9, 2024, police officers tried to stop Westmoreland as he drove his motorcycle. Westmoreland fled and led officers on a high-speed pursuit where he drove approximately 100 miles per hour. He also failed to stop at stop signs, drove the wrong direction on roads, and drove his motorcycle through a schoolyard. Westmoreland eventually abandoned his motorcycle and continued to flee on foot. Officers found Westmoreland, his motorcycle, and his backpack that he had discarded. Officers recovered over 132 grams of ice methamphetamine inside Westmoreland’s backpack.
Westmoreland was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Westmoreland was sentenced to 262 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. Westmoreland 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 investigated by Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-19.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Chicago man that distributed fentanyl was sentenced on June 8, 2026, to 13 years in federal prison.
Deorey Hayes‑Davis, age 31, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a January 16, 2026, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that, between April 2023 and May 2023, Hayes‑Davis distributed several hundred fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder to customers in Waterloo, Iowa. On the evening of May 27 or the morning of May 28, 2023, a woman ingested fentanyl that she had obtained from Hayes‑Davis. She died from a fentanyl‑related overdose. Around the time of the overdose, Hayes‑Davis provided two locked duffel bags—one that contained approximately seven firearms and another that contained drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine—to a customer. The customer later opened the duffel bags and distributed a portion of the drugs before the rest was recovered by law enforcement officers.
Hayes‑Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Hayes‑Davis was sentenced to 156 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.
Hayes‑Davis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Kansas City is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, covering Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. HSTF Kansas City is composed of agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the State Investigative Agencies for Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
This HSTF case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by HSTF Kansas City, with the assistance of 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; 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 25‑CR‑02019‑CJW.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who distributed over 119 pounds of methamphetamine in approximately two months was sentenced on June 8, 2026, to 25 years in federal prison.
David Allen Parker, age 54, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2026, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that, between May 2024 and July 2024, Parker obtained and distributed over 119 pounds of methamphetamine. Parker had four prior convictions for drug trafficking, including a prior federal conviction in 2003.
Parker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Parker was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten‑year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Parker 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 Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24‑CR‑01038‑CJW.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Having a Gun on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison for his second conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Robert Dettbarn, age 34, from Independence, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 21, 2026, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Information at sentencing showed that on September 8, 2025, members of the United States Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force went to Dettbarn’s home in Independence. Task Force officers were trying to find Dettbarn to arrest him on a warrant issued in federal court for his violations of supervised release. Dettbarn had previously been convicted in federal court in 2018 of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
After officers arrived at Dettbarn’s home and determined he was inside, they attempted to persuade him to leave the home. Dettbarn refused to do so. Officers could see Dettbarn inside with a gun. After about five hours, an Iowa State Patrol tactical unit arrived to assist. Officers deployed tear gas into the home. Officers then heard a gunshot when Dettbarn accidentally fired his gun, striking the foundation of a nearby home. Dettbarn then left the home and was taken into custody.
Dettbarn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dettbarn was sentenced to 61 months’ imprisonment between his new sentence and a sentence of imprisonment for violating his supervised release. 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 Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Dettbarn is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-2073.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon Sent to Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
David Gregory Fauser, age 37, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 29, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence during the case showed Fauser was involved in an altercation with his neighbor. Fauser went inside his home, got a gun, went back outside, and displayed the gun towards his neighbor. Fauser was intoxicated at the time. He had previously been convicted of third-degree burglary, a felony offense.
Fauser was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Fauser was sentenced to twelve months and one day 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. Fauser 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 is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tabacco Firearms and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-2052.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Man Who Stole Cedar Falls ATM and Led Officers on High-Speed Chase Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who stole an ATM and then led officers on a high-speed chase for approximately 40 minutes pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
John Fitzgerald Bennett, age 56, from Gilbertville, Iowa, was convicted of one count of credit union larceny.
In a plea agreement, Bennett admitted that on May 3, 2025, he stole a pickup truck from a home in Waterloo. He then drove the truck to a parking lot in Cedar Falls. Bennett walked down the street and stole a forklift from a construction site. He drove the forklift to a credit union in Cedar Falls and attempted to use the forklift to lift an interactive teller machine off the ground. The machine tipped over and Bennett could not maneuver the forklift to successfully steal the machine. Bennett then drove the forklift further down the street to a second credit union. There, he successfully used the forklift to steal an ATM. Bennett drove the forklift with the ATM back to the parking lot where he had stashed the stolen pickup truck. Bennett used the forklift to move the ATM into the back of the pickup truck and drove away.
Law enforcement officers responded to alarms from both credit unions and found Bennett in the stolen pickup truck. Bennett fled and led officers on a high‑speed chase, including on Interstate 380, for approximately 40 minutes and a total of 46 miles. He reached speeds of 100 miles per hour in a 65 mile-per-hour zone. Ultimately, Bennett drove over multiple sets of “stop sticks,” which deflated most of the truck’s tires. Finally, the truck was so damaged that it stopped moving. When the truck stopped, the tires were gone and the tire rims and running boards were resting on the ground. The stolen ATM from the second credit union was in the back of the truck.
Bennett has a prior federal conviction for one count of credit union burglary and aiding and abetting, and one count of credit union larceny and aiding and abetting.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Bennett remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Bennett 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 Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Cedar Falls Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Waterloo 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 25-CR-2068.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Two Stolen Vehicles, and Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who terrorized the community with a gun and stole two vehicles, during a 13-day crime spree, pled guilty today, in federal court in Sioux City.
Manaen Rave, age 27, from Sioux City, pleaded guilty to two counts of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Motor Vehicle and one count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon.
At the change of plea hearing, and in a plea agreement, Rave admitted that on February 16, 2025, he carjacked a motor vehicle by pistol whipping his victim in the head with a .22 revolver, requiring her to receive treatment at a hospital.
11 days later, on or about February 27, 2025, Rave stole a second vehicle, leaving his victim standing in a gas station parking lot without a ride to work.
Rave transported both stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, traveling back and forth between Iowa and Nebraska. Rave tried to hide from police, burying himself inside a closet, but was located and arrested by a combined Special Weapons and Tactics Team.
Rave has an extensive criminal history including drug, assault, and theft convictions.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rave remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Rave faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, Sgt. Buff Iowa, Police Department, Sgt. Bluff Fire & Rescue, Dakota County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Department of Transportation, the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). This case is being 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 25-4032.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Naturalized Citizen from the Congo Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involvement in Scheme to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who came to the United States in 2008 was sentenced to six months in prison today for his involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the government. Joseph Onolenga Okamba, age 40, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, received the prison term after a November 13, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Two other members of the conspiracy have already been sentenced. Joseph Longanga Okoko was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, and Medard Lotahe Elonge was sentenced to twelve months and one day imprisonment.
In a plea agreement, Okamba admitted that an object of the conspiracy was to fraudulently obtain visas for citizens of the Congo, including family members and friends who were not otherwise eligible for citizenship.
As part of the conspiracy, Okamba was involved in multiple visa petitions where the petitioner, who had previously won the diversity visa lottery, was fraudulently asking to bring an alleged spouse to the United States. As part of the federal investigation, one of the petitioners was summoned to grand jury. Okamba, along with co-defendant Medard Lotahe Elonge, provided the individual a marriage certificate of a fraudulent marriage to submit to the grand jury as proof of the legitimacy of the purported marriage. Additionally, Okamba successfully petitioned for an individual to come to the United States claiming the individual was his birth mom, knowing they were not biologically related. When questioned by law enforcement officers about his relationship to the woman, Okamba lied about her name and birthdate. During an interview with law enforcement officers in 2023, Okamba admitted to assisting hundreds of Congolese people with immigration paperwork.
Okamba was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Okamba was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment and fined $4,000. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Okamba was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on June 22, 2026. Bienvenu Saido Binyangi, who was charged in the same indictment and has also pled guilty, has yet to be sentenced.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Cole and Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Waterloo Police Department, the Sioux City Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2052.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Meth and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Matthew Groat, 42, from Fort Dodge, Iowa was sentenced on May 27, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. In 2006 Groat was convicted in the same federal court for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment.
On January 6, 2026, Groat pled guilty and admitted that from August 2025 through November 2025 he and others distributed over 2,200 grams of methamphetamine and at least 10 grams of cocaine to individuals in the Fort Dodge area. Groat also admitted that on two occasions in September 2025 he distributed about 10 grams of cocaine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement and on two other occasions in September 2025 and three times in October 2025, he distributed a total of more than 130 grams of pure methamphetamine. Groat further admitted to obtaining 5 to 10 pounds of methamphetamine from a local source during the four months of the conspiracy and selling it to people around Fort Dodge.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Groat to 108 months’ imprisonment and a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Groat 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3054. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Burlington Loan Officer Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
A former loan officer at a Dubuque credit union, who filed a bankruptcy case after perpetrating a vehicle lien stripping scheme against her employer, pled guilty on May 27, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Kylie Jo Bench, formerly known as Kylie Jo Parrish, age 27, from Burlington, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bankruptcy fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In a plea agreement, Bench admitted that a Dubuque credit union hired her as a loan officer at a branch in Burlington in 2022. When the credit union hired Bench, she had outstanding loans on two late-model vehicles, a Ford and a Dodge, at other financial institutions. Bench owed over $100,000 on the vehicles. After the credit union hired Bench, Bench and another individual jointly refinanced those loans with her new employer.
In August 2022, without the credit union’s knowledge, Bench sold the two vehicles at a car dealership in Cedar Rapids. Bench did not disclose or record the credit union’s security interests in the vehicles at any time. Instead, Bench provided the car dealership with a letter, purportedly signed by one of the credit union’s executives on fake letterhead, which falsely stated that the loans were “paid off” and had “a zero balance.” In truth, neither Bench nor the other individual had repaid the loans on the two vehicles they had recently refinanced.
In March 2023, Bench caused an attorney file a document in a voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy case in which she falsely denied under oath transferring any property on account of a debt that benefitted an insider, when in truth Bench had sold the Ford and the Dodge and those sales benefitted the other individual who owed money on the vehicle loans.
Bench is the fourth person convicted of bankruptcy fraud crimes in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa this year.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Bench remains free on bond previously set. Bench faces a mandatory minimum two-year prison term and a possible maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-95.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Department of Justice and United States Attorney Announce Brian Flikeid as Freedom 250 Hometown HeroRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa is proud to announce that Brian Flikeid, Chief of Police for the Aurelia and Marcus Police Departments, has been recognized as a Freedom 250 Hometown Hero. The prestigious national award honors individuals whose steadfast courage, generosity, and public service embody the enduring ideals of liberty and civic responsibility.
The Freedom 250 initiative was created in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. It recognizes outstanding Americans who make lasting contributions to their local communities.
Chief Flikeid was selected because of his leadership, collaboration, and tireless dedication to improving crime victims’ experiences within the criminal justice system. Chief Flikeid served as the founding president of the board of the S.A.F.E. Center of Iowa, which is dedicated to creating single sites to furnish complete care, from reporting to follow-up mental-health counseling, to victims of sexual assault. He currently serves on the board of the Centers Against Abuse and Sexual Assault, which provides critical services to victims of sexual assault across 19 counties in northwest Iowa, and is a founding member of the Cherokee County Sexual Assault Response Team. He was also appointed by the Iowa Police Chiefs Association to serve as its representative on the newly formed Iowa Child Abuse Fatality Review Committee.
In addition to that service, Chief Flikeid provides training on victim issues across the state to law-enforcement officers, sexual-assault nurse examiners, personnel of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and victim advocates. This has included presentations at the Iowa Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Conference and the Iowa National Guard’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Team. Further, he has testified before the Iowa House of Representatives and Iowa Senate, advocating for legislation to assist victims.
“Chief Flikeid’s unwavering dedication, leadership, and compassion have earned him the deep respect of his colleagues and the gratitude of the victims and communities he serves,” summarized Aurelia Police Department Officer April Degner, who nominated Chief Flikeid for the award. “His leadership, compassion, and tireless dedication have made a profound and lasting impact on the lives of crime victims and the community,” wrote Marcus Police Officer Jacqueline Stephens in support of the nomination.
“There’s a reason that the lawman who stands up to protect the innocent is a classic American character,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson. “That dedication to defending the lives and liberty of your neighbors, of taking pride in your community and making it a better place to live, are the core of the American civic spirit. Brian Flikeid exemplifies that. As we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday, I’m grateful to have the honor to name Chief Flikeid as a Hometown Hero.”
Olson presented the award to Chief Flikeid on May 22 in a ceremony at the Aurelia Community Center.
For more information on the award and the Freedom 250 initiative, visit the Department of Justice News Page or White House Freedom 250 Page.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
April Nikkel, 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on May 18, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Nikkel pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location.
At the plea hearing, Nikkel admitted her involvement in a conspiracy from January 2025 through November 2025 that distributed more than three pounds of methamphetamine. On at least three occasions Nikkel distributed and helped another distribute a total of over 184 grams of pure methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. These distributions occurred within 1,000 feet of Fairmount City Park and Cecillia City Park in Sioux City.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Nikkel remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Nikkel faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is25-4063. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who distributed fentanyl between July 2022 and October 2023 and illegally possessed a gun was sentenced on May 18, 2026, to more than ten years in federal prison.
Derrick Deonte Moore, age 31, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 22, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and distribution of fentanyl.
Evidence at plea and sentencing hearings showed that between July 1, 2022, and October 10, 2023, Moore worked with others to distribute fentanyl. In October and December 2023, Moore distributed fentanyl that caused two nonfatal overdoses. In March 2023, investigators searched Moore’s home in Dubuque. They found Moore in the home and in possession of over $2,500. Investigators also found 234 fentanyl pills hidden inside a stuffed animal, five more fentanyl pills in a bag inside Moore’s bedroom closet, a loaded .45 caliber pistol in the same closet, a scale, prescription drugs, and marijuana. On September 6, 2023, and October 10, 2023, Moore sold ten fentanyl pills to another person. Moore was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony and domestic abuse assault convictions.
Moore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Moore was sentenced to 137 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.
More 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 Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1036.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Decorah Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Decorah man who obtained and distributed methamphetamine was sentenced on May 18, 2026, to more than 18 years in federal prison.
Cody Richard Reisner, age 42, from Decorah, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 2, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, in February 2025, Reisner obtained methamphetamine from a source of supply in Des Moines, Iowa, and distributed the methamphetamine to customers in the Decorah area. On February 26, 2025, law enforcement officers tried to stop Reisner’s car. Reisner fled from officers. He drove through a dorm parking lot and a grassy space of a college campus before he stopped and ran. Officers caught him and he was arrested. Officers recovered over 70 grams of methamphetamine from his car. Reisner’s has three prior drug‑trafficking convictions.
Reisner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Reisner was sentenced to 224 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve an eight‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Reisner 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 Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25‑CR‑02044‑CJW.
Springville Woman Sent to Federal Prison in Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
A Springville woman who stole over $500,000 from her employer, a veteran-owned small business in Cedar Rapids, was sentenced on May 19, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison. Debra Ann Vaughn, age 67, from Springville, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2025, guilty plea to one count of bank fraud.
In a plea agreement and at her sentencing hearing, Vaughn admitted that she was the bookkeeper for a small, veteran-owned business in Marion, Iowa. By virtue of her position of trust, Vaughn had access to all of the company’s financial records, managed its payroll, and was the point of contact for its employee retirement plan.
Between 2013 and 2021, Vaughn stole over $500,000 from her employer’s bank account in a sophisticated embezzlement scheme. Vaughn created false entries in the employer’s books to conceal the fact that she was making physical payroll checks to herself to which she was not entitled and even though she was receiving her own payroll electronically by direct deposit at the same time. Vaughn also used forged signatures and altered her pay rate in her scheme.
The company suffered a substantial financial hardship as a result of Vaughn’s long-running fraud. The company’s owner took out a large loan and also infused a significant amount of the owner’s own funds into the business due to the company’s lack of funds. For a time, Vaughn did not ensure that the company’s federal and state taxes, or its employee retirement contributions, were paid, which had negative repercussions for the company.
Vaughn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Vaughn was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $158,135.77 in restitution the company, which took into account a $373,732.27 inheritance that the company was able to seize from Vaughn in a state court civil case after discovering Vaughn’s fraud and firing her. Vaughn must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In sentencing Vaughn to years in federal prison, Chief Judge Williams characterized Vaughn’s scheme as a “cold and calculated, systemic theft.” Chief Judge Williams found Vaughn’s motive was “base, selfish greed” and that her crime eroded the community’s trust.
Vaughn was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on June 15, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-52.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States as an Aggravated FelonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally reentered the United States from Mexico after having been convicted of an aggravated felony and twice being convicted of illegal reentry as an aggravated felon pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.
Jesus Gamboa-Brambila, age 51, from Mexico but residing in Sheldon, Iowa, was convicted of illegal reentry as an aggravated felon.
At the plea hearing, Gamboa-Brambila admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been previously removed from the United States on August 4, 2018, and after having been convicted of at least one aggravated felony offense. That offense was a conviction in 1991 for Shooting at an Inhabited Dwelling in the Superior Court of Los Angeles, California. Gamboa-Brambila had been federally convicted in the Northern District of Iowa in 2004 and 2014 of illegal reentry as an aggravated felon. Most recently, Gamboa-Brambila was found in O’Brien County on March 21, 2026, after he was arrested for domestic abuse assault – first offense, and criminal mischief. While in custody, immigration officials confirmed his identity and that he was a citizen of Mexico and had previously been deported from the United States to Mexico four times.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Gamboa-Brambila remains in custody pending sentencing. He faces a possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-04012. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally reentered the United States from Guatemala pled guilty May 21, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Rogelio Morales-Ramos, age 36, who had been living in Sioux Center, Iowa, was convicted of illegal reentry.
At the plea hearing, Morales-Ramos admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been previously removed from the United States on June 13, 2019. On April 1, 2026, law enforcement in Sioux County attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Morales-Ramos for speeding. He failed to stop and subsequently fled on foot. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found an open alcohol bottle in the center console, more alcohol in the car, as well as a fictitious international driver’s license. On April 4, 2026, Morales-Ramos was located at his residence in Sioux Center when he again tried to flee from law enforcement before being apprehended. Additional fictitious documentation was found in the residence. While in custody, officials determined he was a citizen of Guatemala and had previously been deported from the United States to Guatemala three times.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morales-Ramos remains in custody pending sentencing. He faces a possible sentence of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-04014. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally reentered the United States from Guatemala pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.
Rigoberto Hernandez-Corado, also known as Rigoberto Corado-Hernandes, age 63, who was living in Rock Valley, Iowa, was convicted of illegal reentry.
At the plea hearing, Hernandez-Corado admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been previously removed from the United States on August 3, 2018. Hernandez-Corado was convicted in Sioux County, Iowa, in 2024 of domestic abuse assault, first offense, with a dangerous weapon. He was found in the Sioux County jail on January 13, 2026, where he was being held on a probation violation stemming from the 2024 sentence. While in custody, officials determined he was a citizen of Guatemala and had previously been deported from the United States to Guatemala.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hernandez-Corado remains in custody pending sentencing. He faces a possible sentence of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-04011. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Resident Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Andrew Robert Roos, age 35, from Dubuque, Iowa, has been charged with six counts related to allegations involving child exploitation. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, over the course of several years, Roos attempted to use, persuade, induce, and entice minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct, and that he distributed, transported, received, and possessed child pornography.
If convicted on all charges, Roos faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 120 years’ imprisonment and supervised release for life following any imprisonment.
Roos’s first appearance in federal court in Cedar Rapids for an arraignment is set for May 22, 2026.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, with assistance from the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 26-CR-1009.
Sioux City Man to Federal Prison for Possession of MethRead the Press Release
Richard Martinez, 30, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced May 14, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Martinez pled guilty on July 24, 2025, to possessing and aiding and abetting another’s possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on July 17, 2024, law enforcement was conducting surveillance at WinnaVegas Casino (near Sloan, Iowa) and observed a vehicle traveling away from the casino over the speed limit. Law enforcement attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle, which took off at high-speed to elude police. As police followed, they observed two packages of methamphetamine thrown out the passenger window. The thrown meth (approximately ½ pound) was later located and seized by law enforcement. Martinez admitted that the driver of the vehicle handed him the methamphetamine and instructed him to throw it out of the window to avoid their apprehension with the methamphetamine in their possession.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Martinez was sentenced to 65 months’ imprisonment and must serve four years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the DEA Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4078. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Prior Federal Felon Sentenced to Twelve Years in Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who was previously prosecuted in the Northern District of Iowa for illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for again possessing a firearm.
Davion Lashaun Trawick, age 26, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a December 8, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a felon.
On August 9, 2025, Dubuque police responded to a 911 call. Police tried to make entry into the home, but due to concerns about the presence of firearms and hostages, remained outside. Victims later reported that Trawick, Donta Euells (co‑defendant), and another man, forced their way into the home, and that Trawick pointed his firearm at the victims, including a minor child. Previously, in 2019, defendant was convicted in the Northern District of Iowa for illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user.
Trawick was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Trawick was sentenced to 144 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.
Trawick 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 investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1042-1.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Keith Havener, 62, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty May 13, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City to possession of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Havener admitted that between June 1, 2024, and January 13, 2025, he possessed and attempted to possess visual depictions of child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Evidence in the case showed that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a Cybertip report from Tagged.com about a local 14-year-old female making a dating profile offering up housecleaning and prostitution. FBI agents interviewed the girl to ensure her safety, and she denied making the ad. It was determined that the ad was made by Havener. On January 6, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Havener’s residence, where officers seized an iPhone, multiple computers/laptops, and multiple external storage devices. Forensic analysis of the digital media devices revealed that Havener possessed a total of 1,025 images of child pornography all created by Havener using Artificial Intelligence technology to remove clothing from the pictures of children he had gotten off social media. Some of the images included sadistic and masochistic conduct.
Evidence in the case also revealed that a parallel investigation into Havener was being conducted by the Sioux City Police Department about allegations Havener had used AI to create explicit images of his female coworkers and distributed them at work. His employer turned over the computer Havener used for work to be searched and SCPD detectives discovered additional images of child pornography, as well as images of Havener’s coworkers. Detectives sought search warrants for Havener’s Google accounts and discovered Havener had created the Tagged.com ad, created email accounts in the 14-year-old’s name, and was conversing with people online in a sexual manner. Some of the discussions involved people traveling to Sioux City from out of state to engage in sex with the 14-year-old. Detectives passed those leads on to the local agencies where the offenders lived.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Havener remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Havener faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 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 25-4001. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Eastern Iowa Occupational Therapist Convicted in Drug Tampering SchemeRead the Press Release
An Eastern Iowa occupational therapist who tampered with an assisted living resident’s prescription pain medication pled guilty on May 12, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Eric Leo Newsom, age 34, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of tampering and attempting to tamper with a consumer product.
In a plea agreement, Newsom admitted he was a licensed occupational therapist within the State of Iowa. Newsom owned and operated a company through which he provided occupational therapy services to patients in Eastern Iowa.
In November 2024, Newsom began diverting narcotics from his current and former patients. One of his former patients was elderly, had cancer, required medication to control pain, and lived in a Cedar Rapids assisted living facility. On March 19, 2025, the former patient began receiving palliative hospice care. On March 24, 2025, Newsom picked up the former patient’s hydrocodone tablets from an area pharmacy and replaced the former patient’s hydrocodone tablets with zinc tablets. Before putting the zinc tablets into the hydrocodone container, Newsom added score marks to the zinc tablets to make them appear similar to hydrocodone tablets. As a result, from March 24, 2025, until March 26, 2025, the former patient did not have her narcotic pain medication. The former patient died on March 28, 2025.
Newsom also admitted burglarizing the apartment of another resident of an assisted living facility while seeking narcotics. Newsom admitted to stealing narcotics from two sisters who lived in different apartments at the same assisted living facility in Cedar Rapids while the sisters were in the facility’s gym for therapy.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Newsom remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Newsom faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-92.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Member of Waterloo Hybrid Criminal Street Gang Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who officers identified as a member of a hybrid criminal street gang in Waterloo, Iowa, was sentenced May 13, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison.
Dearion Deshawn Newman, age 22, from Waterloo, received the prison term after a December 17, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by felon.
Evidence at sentencing showed that on May 11, 2025, Newman was in a car with three other people, including two juveniles. Law enforcement officers identified the people in the car as members of a hybrid criminal street gang in Waterloo. Newman was sitting in the passenger seat of the car. Officers recovered four guns in and around the car. At the plea hearing, Newman admitted possessing a loaded gun that was found under the car. Newman’s DNA was found on the gun. The gun also had an extended magazine and a laser sight attached to it. Newman was on state probation for possession of a firearm by a felon and interference with official acts with a firearm. That probation sentence was revoked in October 2025. The sentence in this case will run consecutive to the sentence in state court.
Newman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Newman was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Newman is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-2047.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Minnesota Rustler Convicted for Moving Stolen Cattle into Northern IowaRead the Press Release
A Minnesota man who stole cattle from a farmer and sold them in Northeast Iowa pled guilty on May 8, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Lawrence “Larry” Patrick Burns, age 48, from Eitzen, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of transportation of stolen livestock.
In a plea agreement, Burns admitted that, from at least October 2017 to March 2024, he worked as a farmhand in Minnesota. From time to time, a farmer directed Burns to transport certain cattle and grain at various locations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri, as part of Burns’ employment. Without the farmer’s knowledge, Burns loaded extra cattle and grain and sold the extra cattle and grain in Burns’ own name. Burns lied and claimed he owned a portion of the cattle and grain that he was transporting across state lines. In the plea agreement, Burns admitted he stole at least $150,000 of the farmer’s cattle and grain during this timeframe.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Burns remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Burns faces a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-2002.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Mason City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Willie York, 47, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. York pled guilty on May 11, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. York was previously convicted in Cerro Gordo County of the following crimes which prohibit a person from possessing a firearm or ammunition: Terrorism – Intent to Injure or Provoke Fear or Anger and Robbery-2nd, both in 2000; and Delivery of Methamphetamine in 2015.
At the plea hearing, York admitted that from August 2024 through October 2024, he and others conspired to distribute at least 500 grams or more of mixed methamphetamine which contained 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. On October 1, 2024, York was a passenger in a vehicle with two others when traffic stopped south of Sioux City, Iowa. Law enforcement found over one pound of pure methamphetamine, along with two firearms including a fully loaded Beretta 9mm pistol with York. York admitted that he and another transported the methamphetamine from Des Moines, Iowa to Pierre, South Dakota for distribution during two round trips over the course of several days and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. York remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. York faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by 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 24-4080. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon Who Possessed Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a gun was sentenced on May 7, 2026, to more than two years in federal prison.
Christopher Dante Roby, age 34, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 8, 2025, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Roby admitted that in December 2024, he illegally possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol. Roby had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including first degree burglary, domestic abuse assault strangulation with injury, felon in possession of a firearm, and intimidation with a weapon.
Roby was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Roby was sentenced to 30 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 Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Roby 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 Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-2043.
Honduran Man Sentenced to Federal Prison as Part of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
Carlos Castro-Izaguirre, 37, from Honduras, was sentenced on May 8, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
On October 21, 2025, Castro-Izaguirre pled guilty to illegal reentry. Evidence in the case showed that on May 19, 2024, Castro-Izaguirre was arrested in Buena Vista County, Iowa, for operating while intoxicated. Castro-Izaguirre was released before ICE could conduct an interview. An investigation revealed Castro-Izaguirre was a citizen of Honduras and was previously removed from the United States on two previous occasions. A biometric confirmation was received on the Alien Criminal Response Information Management System (ACRIME) when a positive match of fingerprints identified the individual as Carlos Daniel Castro-Izaguirre. As a result of the positive match of fingerprints, further investigation into Castro-Izaguirre revealed he was removed from the United States to Honduras on two previous occasions in 2009 and 2019. Prior to his first removal, Castro-Izaguirre was convicted in the Iowa District Court for Cherokee County, Iowa, for delivery of methamphetamine in 2007 and sentenced to prison. Thereafter, Castro-Izaguirre never applied for lawful re-entry or lawful admission into the United States as required by law. He was found in Hidalgo, Texas, in 2017 and was convicted in federal court there of illegal reentry and sentenced to federal prison. Castro-Izaguirre was then returned to Honduras in 2019. He reentered the United States at an unknown time thereafter.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Castro-Izaguirre to 30 months’ imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Castro-Izaguirre remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office 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 24-4059. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
21-Year-Old Felon Who Possessed Gun SentencedRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a loaded gun illegally was sentenced on May 7, 2026, to 51 months in federal prison.
Devieon Jermaine-Oliver Irvin, age 21, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 3, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a felon.
While investigating a theft, police officers learned that Irvin was sending text messages to a 13-year-old juvenile. In these messages, Irvin and the juvenile discussed Irvin providing the juvenile with drugs. On March 13, 2025, police searched Irvin’s residence in Marion, Iowa, and found a loaded gun in the couch in the living room. Irvin was a convicted felon and was on state probation at the time he possessed the gun.
Irvin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Irvin was sentenced to 51 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.
Irvin 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 investigated by the Marion Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-00078.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Mason City Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Justin Zobel, 37, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced May 5, 2026, to more than 18 years in federal prison, after a December 15, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence in the case revealed that between February 2023, and continuing through February 2024, Zobel was involved in an ongoing methamphetamine distribution conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa. Law enforcement documented Zobel actively engaged in drug trafficking, including the sale of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Zobel has a lengthy criminal history and began distributing methamphetamine immediately after being released from custody for a prior conviction. Zobel’s prior convictions include numerous thefts, burglaries, eluding, domestic abuse assault, assault, and controlled substance convictions.
Zobel was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 225 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. Zobel is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3024.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fourth Illinoisan Sentenced After Cashing Out Stolen Government Money at a Dubuque CasinoRead the Press Release
A woman from Northwest Illinois who fraudulently obtained approximately $100,000 in pandemic-era unemployment benefits, which she then converted to cash at a Dubuque casino, was sentenced on May 5, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison. Jackie L. Smith, age 39, from Galena, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 4, 2025, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
Evidence at Smith’s guilty plea and sentencing hearings established that Smith orchestrated a scheme to defraud various states out of approximately $100,000 in federally subsidized unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith filed a false UI application in her own name, recruited others into the UI fraud scheme in exchange for a share of the fraud proceeds, and stole others’ personally identifiable information and pocketed the UI moneys for herself. Smith then made cash withdrawals at a Dubuque casino.
Smith is a felon with an extensive criminal history. Smith has convictions in Illinois, Texas, and Wisconsin for bail jumping, methamphetamine possession, burglary, theft, resisting a law enforcement officer, receiving stolen property, and operating under the influence.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Smith was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $95,708 in restitution to three states. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
Smith is the fourth Illinoisan whom Chief Judge Williams has sentenced for making cash withdrawals at a Dubuque casino from stolen UI fraud money during the pandemic:
In April 2026, Jeffrey Alan Edmonds, age 58, from Galena, Illinois, was sentenced to four months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. Edmonds was ordered to pay $10,923.30 in restitution to one state.
In January 2026, Michael Angelo Martinelli, age 35, a self-employed gambler from Galena, Illinois, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. Martinelli was ordered to pay $170,144.70 in restitution to two states.
In September 2024, Dezaray Elizabeth Seitz, age 35, from Galena, Illinois, was sentenced to 78 days in jail and three years of supervised release after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. Seitz was ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution to one state. In December 2025, after Seitz violated the terms of her supervised release, Chief Judge Williams sentenced Seitz to nine additional months in federal prison.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-1019 (Smith), 25-CR-1032 (Edmonds), 25-CR-1025 (Martinelli), and 23-CR-1024 (Seitz)
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Seven-Time Felon to Federal Prison for Stealing GunsRead the Press Release
A man who stole fifteen firearms from a house in Waterloo was sentenced on May 1, 2026, to eight years in federal prison.
Justin Michael Barnes, age 29, from Rock Island, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 20, 2025, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a felon and possession of stolen firearms.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings in the case showed that Barnes was previously convicted of six felonies in Iowa state courts, including thefts, forgeries, and a gun offense. In June 2024, Barnes was on parole and there was a warrant for his arrest. That month, he and his then-girlfriend, Jena Wells, stole fifteen firearms from an unoccupied house in Waterloo. Wells acted as a lookout while Barnes stole the guns. They took the stolen guns to Wells’s home. Barnes then tried to sell the guns. During a traffic stop on June 10, 2024, Waterloo police officers located several of the stolen guns in Barnes’s backpack. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement officers, Barnes repeatedly lied about how and where he had acquired the guns.
Barnes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Barnes was sentenced to 96 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. Wells was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment on March 9, 2026.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Barnes 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 Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2022.
Three from Sioux City Sentenced to Federal Prison for Participation in Methamphetamine Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
Paulette Allen, age 64, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced March 3, 2026, to more than 3 years in federal prison, after an October 9, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and two counts of distribution of controlled substances.
Donald Most, age 61, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced April 29, 2026, to 4 years in federal prison, after an October 14, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Martin Godbersen, age 65, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced April 7, 2026, to 17 years in federal prison, after a jury found him guilty on October 29, 2025, of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, after having been previously convicted of a serious drug felony. Godbersen was found not guilty of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence in the case and at trial showed between July 2023 and June 2025, Allen, Most and Godbersen knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Most and Allen admitted that Most was providing Allen with methamphetamine on a weekly basis. In April 2025, law enforcement utilized a confidential source to purchase methamphetamine from Allen and Most on two occasions. Allen took the confidential source to Most’s home, where Godbersen later arrived and provided them with methamphetamine.
On April 22, 2025, Godbersen was subject to a traffic stop where law enforcement located a baggie of over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine in Godbersen’s pocket, as well as additional methamphetamine in the center console of his vehicle.
Allen, Most, and Godbersen were sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Allen was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Most was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Godbersen was sentenced to 204 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Allen, Most, and Godbersen are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case 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. This case 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 25-4031.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Iowa Farmer Pleads Guilty to Multi-Year Bankruptcy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An Iowa farmer who stole over $250,000 from his business partner and filed dozens of false documents over multiple years in bankruptcy court pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Kurt Patrick Krauskopf, age 49, from Decorah, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bankruptcy fraud.
In a plea agreement, Krauskopf admitted that he is a Winneshiek County farmer. Krauskopf had a business partnership with another individual, who grew corn and soybeans on various farms in Northeast Iowa. Between 2021 and 2023, Krauskopf sold over $250,000 of the partnerships’ crops to third parties under the false and fraudulent pretense that Krauskopf personally owned the corn and soybeans. Krauskopf then used the sales proceeds from the stolen corn and soybeans for his own sole and exclusive benefit and without his business partner’s knowledge.
In April 2021, Krauskopf filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 12 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Iowa. Chapter 12 is a special chapter of the Bankruptcy Code that is designed to help certain farmers who are struggling financially to propose and carry out a plan to repay their debts. While the case is pending, the farmer-debtor is required to file sworn monthly operating reports that truthfully disclose the farmer’s monthly income and expenses. As part of his plea agreement, Krauskopf admitted that, between 2021 and 2023, he filed dozens of false monthly operating reports in which he failed to disclose income from the sale of his partner’s grain.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Krauskopf remains free on bond pending sentencing. Krauskopf faces a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Krauskopf is the third person convicted this year in the Northern District of Iowa for bankruptcy related offenses. In February, a jury convicted the former president of a defunct Eastern Iowa telecommunications infrastructure business, Dennis Clifford Bruce, age 51, from Marion, Iowa, of one count of conspiracy, two counts of bankruptcy concealment, one count of false bankruptcy declaration, two counts of false statement under oath, and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity. In April, Donita Eckrich, age 64, from Coralville, Iowa, pled guilty to one count of bankruptcy fraud after she admitted she had used the bankruptcy court to defraud a nursing home out of more than $70,000.
The Krauskopf case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-2014.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute fentanyl pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.
Leslie Jo Fanning, age 36, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
At the plea hearing, Fanning admitted that between about 2021 and continuing to about June 2024, in the Webster County, Iowa, she and others reached an agreement or came to an understanding to distribute fentanyl. On three separate occasions in May of 2024, Fanning distributed blue pills marked “M-30” which contained fentanyl to an individual cooperating with law enforcement at her residence in Fort Dodge. Fanning admitted to distributing thousands of pills containing fentanyl over the course of the conspiracy.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fanning is in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Fanning faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any imprisonment of three years up to life.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Dodge Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-03058.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.