Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Cherokee, Iowa Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Dustin Coates, 36, from Cherokee, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced on March 7, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Coates was previously convicted of distribution of a controlled substance in the United States District Court for South Dakota in 2013.
Evidence at the hearing established Coates admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, including 150 grams of pure methamphetamine, from March 2021, through March 8, 2022. On March 8, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Coates was driving. Coates threw two baggies of methamphetamine from his person while attempting to flee the traffic stop on foot. C2oates admitted that he planned to distribute the 60+ grams of pure methamphetamine to other persons.
Coates was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve 10 years of supervised release after the term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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 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 22-4027. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as an illegal user of a controlled substance was sentenced today to almost five years in federal prison.
Adaris Hawkins, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 29, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.
In a plea agreement, admitted that, on December 6, 2021, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Glock G19 pistol, as a drug user. Specifically, police went to Hawkins’ residence in Waterloo to execute a search warrant. Police officers located Hawkins outside the residence in possession of the Glock pistol. The firearm was equipped with an extended magazine and 33 rounds of ammunition. Police obtained a sample of Hawkins’ urine which subsequently tested positive for marijuana. Inside the home, police located marijuana and drug paraphernalia belonging to Hawkins. Prior to the search, police officers located various social media posts depicting Hawkins using marijuana. In addition, between July 2021 and April 2022, Hawkins purchased at least ten firearms. On the ATF paperwork he completed when purchasing the firearms, Hawkins falsely claimed that he was purchasing the guns for himself and that he was not a drug user. Several of the guns Hawkins purchased were on behalf of other persons who could not lawfully obtain firearms.
Hawkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hawkins was sentenced to 57 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.
Hawkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2020.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches ADA Settlement with SingleSpeed Brewing Co.Read the Press Release
SingleSpeed Brewing Co., an Iowa corporation that owns and operates a facility at 325 Commercial Street in Waterloo, Iowa (the “Facility”), has agreed to settle a dispute with the United States regarding an allegation that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement resolves allegations that the Facility was noncompliant with the ADA’s accessibility requirements for public accommodations. As part of the settlement agreement, SingleSpeed has agreed to provide additional accessible seating to its seating spaces, standing spaces, and other dining surfaces. In addition, SingleSpeed has agreed to a number of additional alterations to its dining areas, entrances, and restrooms to come into compliance with ADA accessibility standards.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including restaurants and bars, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or raises an issue of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax noted that SingleSpeed cooperated throughout this investigation. “The steps agreed to by SingleSpeed will give individuals with disabilities the same opportunity to enjoy what SingleSpeed has to offer, as required by the ADA. We hope others will continue to take their ADA obligations seriously as our office remains committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have full and equal access to places of public accommodation in the Northern District of Iowa.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Gillespie.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in the Northern District of Iowa is not accessible to persons with disabilities may file a complaint online at www.ada.gov or directly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/civil-rights-environmental-justice.
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Twelve Years in Federal Prison for California Man Who Tried to Take Five Pounds of Ice Methamphetamine on a Plane to IowaRead the Press Release
A man who was arrested in Los Angeles while trying to transport five pounds of methamphetamine to Iowa was sentenced today to twelve years in federal prison.
Kiyonte Levell Sowell, age 22, from Los Angeles, California, received the prison term after a September 14, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at prior hearings and court records reflect that in late 2021, the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) conducted a wiretap investigation into a drug organization being primarily run by David Belton (a/k/a “Blood”). In February 2022, intercepted communications indicated that a shipment of 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine was going to be coming to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from California. Investigators tracked a courier driving a rental truck from Los Angeles to Nebraska, where the truck was stopped. During a search of the cargo area of the truck, officers found a plastic tote containing 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Following the seizure of the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, Belton continued to purchase additional methamphetamine from his source in California. On February 27, 2022, Belton was intercepted speaking with Sowell, who is a relative of Belton’s. Belton told Sowell that he was booking Sowell a flight, instructed Sowell to “pack you a big ass suitcase, you already know you ain’t going to stay for that many days” and then said, “You already know what the rest is so we gonna, I’m gonna book you out a ticket in the morning.” The next day, Sowell went to Los Angeles International Airport, taking a large roller bag with him through airport security as carry‑on luggage. Airport security conducted an X‑ray of the roller bag and observed multiple bags of an unknown substance underneath the clothes inside the bag. During a secondary search of the bag, security found five vacuum‑sealed bags containing ice methamphetamine. Sowell admitted that the bag was his but said his brother had packed it. When asked if he was aware of the contents of the bag he shrugged and said, “It looks like cocaine or meth, I don’t know.” He then said he was going to Iowa, “but all I know is that I’m missing my flight and I’m going to jail.” Airport security eventually searched the bag, found that it contained approximately five pounds of ice methamphetamine, and arrested Sowell. Later testing determined the substance in Sowell’s bag was approximately 2,208 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
The following ten co‑defendants charged in the same indictment had previously pled guilty or been found guilty in federal court and are pending sentencing:
David Poitier Belton
Derek Michael Mims
Phillip Lanell Rogers
Robert Lee Michael Bates
Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr.
Christopher Eric Curley
Calub Joseph Storlie
Elmer Mims
Timothy Michael Webber
Jesus Vera
“Methamphetamine is a highly dangerous drug that continues to threaten the safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax. “We remain committed to working with the DEA and all of our law enforcement partners to protect the public from dangerous drug dealers and hold accountable those who bring methamphetamine into our communities.”
Sowell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Sowell was sentenced to 144 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.
Sowell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Also assisting in the investigation were the Transportation Security Administration and Los Angeles International Airport Police, and DEA LAX Group 3 in Los Angeles. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.
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Cedar Rapids Man Involved in Shooting at Dairy Queen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine He Intended to DistributeRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine he intended to distribute was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.
Richard Dean Hamilton, Jr., age 42, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 13, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on October 8, 2021, a bail bondsman and his friend were attempting to locate Hamilton, Jr., to take him into custody for an active warrant. The bail bondsman and his friend utilized a woman to set up a deal to purchase methamphetamine from Hamilton, Jr., and a meeting was arranged for the woman and Hamilton, Jr., to conduct the drug deal at a Dairy Queen in Cedar Rapids. During the meeting between the woman and Hamilton, Jr., the bail bondsman and his friend pulled up in their vehicle and approached Hamilton, Jr. The bail bondsman told Hamilton, Jr., that he had a warrant, but Hamilton, Jr., disagreed. When the bail bondsman attempted to take Hamilton, Jr., into custody by placing a handcuff around one of his wrists, Hamilton, Jr., started to resist, and there was a struggle. During the struggle, the friend of the bail bondsman struck Hamilton, Jr., with an asp baton. At one point, Hamilton, Jr., grabbed the bail bondsman’s handgun and hit the magazine release causing the magazine to drop from the handgun. Additionally, Hamilton, Jr., grabbed a knife and swung it at the bail bondsman. The bail bondsman yelled that Hamilton, Jr., had a knife, and the bail bondsman’s friend fired one shot at Hamilton, Jr., striking him in the leg. Hamilton, Jr., put his vehicle in reverse, dragging the bail bondsman backwards. Hamilton, Jr., then put the vehicle in drive, driving towards the friend of the bail bondsman and dragging the bail bondsman forwards through the parking lot. The friend fired multiple shots at Hamilton, Jr., striking him multiple times, and the bail bondsman eventually let go of the handcuffs. Hamilton, Jr., drove away from the scene and drove to a residence belonging to someone he knew. Officers located Hamilton, Jr., at that residence, and he was taken to the hospital for his injuries. In the bathroom of the house where Hamilton, Jr., was treating his wounds, officers located a pocketknife and a set of handcuffs. In Hamilton, Jr.’s, car, officers located an empty baggie and six bags containing a total of 49.32 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Hamilton, Jr., was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hamilton, Jr., was sentenced to 120 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.
Hamilton, Jr., 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 Adam J. Vander Stoep and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-63.
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Sioux City Man Sentenced to Prison for Meth and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while illegally possessing firearms was sentenced March 6, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Alden Hendrickson, 57, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on October 11, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from January 2021 through March 23, 2022, Hendrickson and others conspired to distribute over 6 pounds of methamphetamine in the Sioux City, Iowa area. On March 23, 2022, law enforcement conducted a controlled buy operation and purchased 42.5 grams of pure methamphetamine from Hendrickson. Also on March 23, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hendrickson’s residence in Sioux City and seized 394.8 grams of pure methamphetamine, marijuana, $5,975, and five guns. Hendrickson admitted to the distribution of methamphetamine and being a user of methamphetamine, which prohibits anyone from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hendrickson was sentenced to 56 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 3-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Hendrickson 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 22-4030. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
South Sioux City, Nebraska Man Convicted of Two KidnappingsRead the Press Release
A man who committed two kidnappings, 13 months apart, was convicted by a jury on March 3, 2023, after a five-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Arjune Ahmed, age 27, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, was convicted of two counts of kidnapping. The verdict was returned Friday afternoon following about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that on August 21, 2019, Ahmed followed a woman from the Hard Rock Casino on Fourth Street, where he tricked her into getting close to his car. Once she was close, he grabbed her and pulled her into his car. He then sped into Nebraska from Iowa, where he then sexually assaulted her.
13 months later, on October 16, 2020, Ahmed used social media to trick a woman into meeting him for breakfast. Instead of driving her to breakfast, Ahmed drove her from midtown Sioux City, Iowa to Bacon Creek Park where he then sexually assaulted her.
Additionally, the jury heard evidence that in 2015 a woman was the victim of a home-invasion and sexual assault. That crime went unsolved for nearly five years until DNA evidence discovered in the investigations of the 2019 and 2020 assaults were linked to Ahmed.
United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated that “the investigative team of local, county, and federal investigators did an exceptional job of gathering the evidence in this case. When combined with the courtroom efforts of AUSA Fairchild and his team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the result was that a very dangerous man, who preyed upon the women of our community was convicted and taken off the streets. I was impressed with courage of the victims who were able to confront their attacker and help prevent him from hurting anyone else.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ahmed remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Ahmed faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment for each count.
The case was investigated by the Dakota County, Nebraska Sherriff’s Office, the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department, the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and the FBI. The 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 21-CR-04087.
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Firearm Possession Results in Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
A man who was found in possession of a firearm by Fayette County authorities who were initially assisting in a runaway child investigation was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Rusty Joe Barker, age 39, from Hawkeye, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 7, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Barker admitted he possessed a firearm on August 10, 2022, and that he had previously been convicted in 2007 in Chickasaw County, Iowa, of the felony offenses of third-degree kidnapping, and two counts of willful injury-causing serious injury. The firearm was found in Barker’s house.
Barker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Barker was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Barker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-02057.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than two months in federal prison.
Raymundo Gutierrez-Lagunas, age 35, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Linn County, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2023 guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.
At the guilty plea, Gutierrez-Lagunas admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Gutierrez-Lagunas was previously deported in November 2013. On December 3, 2022, immigration officials learned Gutierrez-Lagunas had illegally returned to the United States and found Gutierrez-Lagunas at the Linn County Jail following his arrest on state charges.
Gutierrez-Lagunas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gutierrez-Lagunas was sentenced to 80 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Gutierrez-Lagunas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-98.
Eleventh Defendant from Cedar Rapids Ice Methamphetamine Wiretap Case Found Guilty After TrialRead the Press Release
A man who was intercepted in a wiretap conspiring to distribute large quantities of ice methamphetamine was convicted by a jury today after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Elmer Mims, age 68, from Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about four hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a wiretap investigation in late 2021 and early 2022 targeting a group of individuals who were shipping large quantities of ice methamphetamine from Los Angeles, California, to Cedar Rapids. The DEA intercepted calls over phones used by David Belton (a/k/a “Blood”) and Derek Mims (a/k/a “D Mo”) in which they orchestrated the shipment of loads of thirty to sixty pounds of ice methamphetamine. Elmer Mims was intercepted in a call in early December 2021 discussing a prior occasion during which Elmer Mims had obtained 14 pounds of ice methamphetamine for $26,000. During an intercepted call in early February, Belton and Derek Mims discussed how they were going to obtain 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, 20 pounds for each of them and 20 pounds for “Unc,” a nickname for Elmer Mims.
Less than two weeks after that call, DEA contacted local authorities in York County, Nebraska, to assist in stopping a truck that was believed to be transporting the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine. The Nebraska officers stopped the truck and seized a tote that contained sixty, one‑pound packages of 99% pure methamphetamine. During an intercepted call on February 28, 2022, Elmer Mims and Belton discussed the seizure of the 60 pounds in Nebraska, believing that Derek Mims may have been stealing from them.
In March 2022, investigators searched Elmer Mims’s Cedar Rapids residence, seizing nearly $19,000 in cash drug proceeds, a box for a Glock handgun, ammunition, a holster, a tactical vest, and over four pounds of marijuana. Elmer Mims had previously been convicted in federal court in 1985 for a heroin conspiracy that involved smuggling large quantities of heroin using drug couriers and sending drug money to Hong Kong and Nepal.
The following ten co‑defendants charged in the same indictment had previously pled guilty in federal court:
David Poitier Belton
Derek Michael Mims
Phillip Lanell Rogers
Robert Lee Michael Bates
Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr.
Christopher Eric Curley
Calub Joseph Storlie
Timothy Michael Webber
Kiyonte Levell Sowell
Jesus Vera
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mims remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mims faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Kraig Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.
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Former Go Cedar Rapids Executives Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who made false representations to a bank to obtain more money for Newbo Evolve, a three-day music and cultural event held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in August 2018, were each sentenced on February 16, 2023, to more than one year in federal prison.
Doug Hargrave, age 56, from Puyallup, Washington, and Aaron McCreight, age 48, from Dothan, Alabama, received the prison terms after they each pled guilty on January 26, 2022, to one count of bank fraud.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that the two men previously held executive positions in Go Cedar Rapids (“GoCR”), the nonprofit organization that planned and executed Newbo Evolve. McCreight was President and Chief Executive Officer, and, in the summer of 2018, Hargrave was GoCR’s Finance Director. Newbo Evolve featured, in addition to other attractions, concerts by singer Kelly Clarkson and the band Maroon 5. As the Newbo Evolve event dates approached, GoCR did not have enough money to, among other things, pay Kelly Clarkson and buy the alcohol that was to be sold at the concert venue.
Hargrave and McCreight then defrauded the financial institution that extended a loan to GoCR to finance Newbo Evolve by making misrepresentations about Newbo Evolve’s actual ticket sales, projected revenue, projected expenses, and the true amount of loss they were projecting and expecting Newbo Evolve to generate. Those misrepresentations fraudulently induced the bank to loan GoCR additional money for Newbo Evolve. In July 2018, McCreight and Hargrave sent a false and fraudulent Newbo Evolve 2018 Budget to the bank in support of GoCR’s request for an increase in its loan. In a meeting with representatives of the bank, McCreight fraudulently misrepresented the number of tickets that had been sold for Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson’s performances. The bank subsequently increased the loan to GoCR from $1.5 million to $2.2 million.
Newbo Evolve occurred on August 3-5, 2018. The event lost more than $2 million. After receiving income that Newbo Evolve produced, the lending bank lost $1,442,231.25 on GoCR’s defaulted $2.2 million promissory note. Heavily in debt with no cash or assets, GoCR ceased operations in October 2018. Approximately 97 vendors that provided services for Newbo Evolve did not receive full payment, losing approximately $800,000 in the aggregate. United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams noted in sentencing Hargrave and McCreight, they committed the offense to save face and, while they did not line their own pockets, they gambled with the bank’s money.
McCreight and Hargrave were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. McCreight was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. Hargrave was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. Both men were ordered to make $1,442,231.25 in restitution to the lending bank joint and several with each other. Both men must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
McCreight and Hargrave were released on bonds previously set and are to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on dates yet to be set.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by former United States Attorney Sean R. Berry, Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cole, and Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 22-CR-0001 and 22-CR-0002.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Twenty-Five Years in Prison for Attempted Carjacking and Trying to Have Witness KilledRead the Press Release
A man who attempted to carjack two cars in Cedar Rapids and later tried to have a witness to those crimes killed was sentenced on February 15, 2023, to twenty-five years in federal prison.
Christopher Daniel Taylor, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 6, 2022 guilty plea to attempted carjacking and attempted witness tampering.
Information from sentencing showed that on December 3, 2020, Taylor was wanted for parole violations. After parole officers located him driving a car in Cedar Rapids, he led them and other law enforcement officers on two high-speed chases, reaching speeds of 97 miles per hour. After abandoning the car he was initially driving, Taylor stole a truck containing a firearm from the garage of a residence in Marion. Officers tried to pull Taylor over, but he fled at high speeds, moving in the direction of Collins Road NE and into high traffic.
Taylor stopped the stolen truck near Lindale Mall on the wrong side of the road. Taylor ran up to an oncoming car and tried to pull open the driver’s side door. When the car reversed away from him, Taylor shot at the car, using the firearm from the stolen truck. Taylor then attempted to carjack a truck in the Lindale Mall parking lot, pointing the firearm at the driver, and threatening to shoot. The driver used his door to push Taylor off the truck. A police officer took Taylor into custody after chasing him on foot across Collins Road NE.
After Taylor was arrested, he was detained in the Linn County Correctional Center. Between April 12, 2021, and December 2021, he repeatedly asked someone to kill a witness to his attempted carjackings. He wanted his potential accomplice to give the witness a “hot shot,” meaning a lethal dose of contaminated drugs.
Taylor has prior convictions for extortion, burglary, sexual abuse, and assault causing injury.
Taylor was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. In sentencing Taylor, Judge Williams noted that on December 3, 2020, Taylor had gone on “a crime spree” and that Taylor’s criminal history showed “an unceasing pattern of violence.” Taylor was sentenced to 300 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.
Taylor 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 the Marion Police Department, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-0016.
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Anthon, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Brett Sauser, 38, from Anthon, Iowa, pled guilty February 10, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Sauser was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location. Sauser resided within 1000 feet of Memorial Park and Anthon Elementary School in Anthon, Iowa.
At the plea hearing, Sauser admitted that from January 2019 through August 2022, he participated in the distribution of at least 350 grams of methamphetamine and possessed more than 20 grams each of cocaine; fentanyl; ketamine; and MDMA. Sauser obtained the controlled substances through the dark web and would receive the drugs through the U.S. Postal Service. In August of 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sauser’s residence after a covert delivery of a package containing ¼ pound of methamphetamine. The evidence seized included 3 separate baggies of methamphetamine, approximately 3.5 grams each, plus small amounts of MDMA, heroin, ketamine, LSD, marijuana (including a nearly full-sized marijuana plant), three bags of mushroom roots (for manufacture of psilocybin mushrooms) and various drug use and distribution paraphernalia.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sauser remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the conspiracy conviction, Sauser 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 five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the possession with intent conviction, Sauser faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,00 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release.
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 is 22-4065.
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Man Sentenced to over Nine Years for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed over 150 grams of methamphetamine in Eldora, Iowa, was sentenced today to serve over nine years in federal prison.
Shane Anthony Johnson, age 45, from St. Anthony, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Johnson admitted to being involved in the transport of 165 grams of methamphetamine before being apprehended by Eldora police officers. It was later discovered Johnson had obtained approximately four ounces of methamphetamine from the same supplier before the date of his arrest. Johnson’s criminal history included methamphetamine-related convictions in 2019 and 2014, several theft convictions, and other offenses.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to serve 109 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five‑year term of supervised release following his term of incarceration. There is no parole in the federal system. Johnson remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he is transported to federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-00031-CJW.
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Livestock Dealer and Four of Its Managers Sentenced in Widespread Pig Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An Iowa corporation and four of its high-level managers have been sentenced in federal court after law enforcement uncovered a wide-ranging scheme to defraud that victimized livestock producers throughout the Midwest, caused over $3 million in loss, and spanned nearly two decades.
Lynch Family Companies, Inc., of Waucoma, Iowa, also known as “Lynch Livestock,” pled guilty on July 29, 2022, to one count of Failing to Comply with an Order of the Secretary of Agriculture. On February 10, 2023, Lynch Livestock was sentenced to five years of probation, fined $196,000, and ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution to livestock producers and farmers.
Billie Joe Wickham, age 51, of Waucoma, Iowa, pled guilty on July 15, 2022, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. On January 13, 2023, Wickham was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and fined $3,000. Wickham must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Charlie Lynch, age 65, of Fort Atkinson, Iowa, pled guilty on July 25, 2022, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. On January 13, 2023, Lynch was sentenced to five years of probation and fined $3,000.
Leland “Pete” Blue, age 60, of Fredericksburg, Iowa, pled guilty on July 28, 2022, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. On January 13, 2023, Blue was sentenced to five years of probation and fined $1,000.
Tyler Thoms, age 31, of Fayette, Iowa, pled guilty on August 9, 2022, to one count of Causing a Livestock Dealer to Keep Inaccurate Accounts and Records. On January 13, 2023, Thoms was sentenced to one year of probation.
In its plea agreement, Lynch Livestock admitted that it was registered with the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) as a dealer under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (“the Act”). Lynch Livestock operated buying stations in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere. Lynch Livestock bought swine from livestock producers and sellers at these stations, and the prices Lynch Livestock paid was based on the numbers, classifications, and weights of the swine.
Beginning in about the early 2000s, and continuing through at least late March 2017, Lynch Livestock’s second-ranking official directed other managers and employees to falsely reduce and downgrade the numbers, quality classifications, and weights of swine that producers and sellers had delivered to Lynch Livestock’s buying stations throughout the Midwest, including but not limited to stations in the Northern District of Iowa. These practices largely concerned large, corporate swine producers who brought their swine for sale to Lynch Livestock. To effectuate the fraud, managers at Lynch Livestock’s headquarters created false and fraudulent scale tickets bearing the initials of the managers at the buying stations. By falsifying the producers’ accounts of purchase, Lynch Livestock and its managers created false and fraudulent invoices to pay less than what was due and owing to those producers. Lynch Livestock managers and employees then routinely shredded and burned evidence of the fraud and document destruction was a routine practice of the company and a specific response when it was anticipated that USDA officials were investigating the company’s practices.
In late 2017, Lynch Livestock and the USDA entered an administrative consent decision under the Act in which Lynch Livestock agreed to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution to two of its corporate customers on account of fraud committed at two Iowa buying stations. In its plea agreement, Lynch Livestock agreed the amount of loss from the fraudulent conduct prior to 2018 was greater and not isolated to the two corporate customers or two buying stations.
Between about 2018 and March 2021, Lynch Livestock’s managers and employees used a crowbar or other similar object to manipulate the scales on which livestock producers’ swine was weighed at its buying stations. As a result, Lynch Livestock created, kept, and provided to livestock producers scale tickets that contained false information because they understated the actual weight of the swine. Consequently, Lynch Livestock paid livestock producers less than what was owed and violated the 2017 consent decision with the USDA. In 2021, Lynch Livestock and the USDA entered a second administrative consent decision. Lynch Livestock agreed to pay over $400,000 in restitution to various farmers and producers.
Evidence at various hearings in the cases established that Wickham reported directly to the second-ranking official and participated in the fraud for over fifteen years. Wickham also had a leadership role in the conspiracy, directing other employees to stamp fraudulent scale tickets and to manipulate the sorting of swine to lower the values for producers. Charlie Lynch was involved in sow procurement and marketing for Lynch Livestock and, from no later than 2013 until about 2017, reduced classifications on sows that producers sold to Lynch Livestock. Blue managed Lynch Livestock’s sow inventory and, no later than 2012, joined the scheme. Thoms initially worked as a bookkeeper in Lynch Livestock’s headquarters building with Wickham, Lynch, and Blue and then, from about 2018 to early 2021, managed Lynch Livestock’s buying station at Waucoma, Iowa. While working in the headquarters building as a bookkeeper, Thoms participated in forging scale tickets and then, as a manager, used a crowbar to lift up on a scale to cheat producers.
The defendants were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Wickham was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. During the various sentencing hearings, Judge Williams referred to Lynch Livestock’s fraud scheme as “a systematic method of cheating and stealing” from livestock producers and sellers and noted “the nature of the fraud [was] to rip off people little by little, day by day.” Lynch Livestock cooperated with the government’s criminal investigation and has agreed to various compliance measures as a part of its plea agreement.
In its plea agreement, Lynch Livestock agreed to pay over $3 million in restitution with credit for approximately $1.2 million that Lynch Livestock has already paid because of the 2017 and 2021 USDA consent decisions. With respect to the $1.8 million in new restitution that will be available for livestock producers and sellers, Judge Williams indicated further proceedings will be scheduled to allocate the restitution among Lynch Livestock’s victims.
United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated, “Lynch Livestock and its managers defrauded livestock producers throughout the Midwest for nearly two decades. These prosecutions help restore the victims by requiring Lynch Livestock to pay 3 million dollars in restitution and make clear that our office is committed to rooting out agriculture fraud in this state.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Matthew J. Cole and investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 21-CR-2074 (Wickham and Lynch), 21-CR-2042 (Blue), 22-CR-2043 (Lynch Family Companies, Inc.), and 22-CR-2044 (Thoms).
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Dubuque Sex Offender Sentenced to Twenty-Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who posed as multiple teenagers to engage in sexually explicit communication with minors online and receive child sexual abuse material, was sentenced on February 13, 2023, to 25 years in federal prison.
Robert “Bobby” Lippstock, age 33, from Dubuque, Iowa received the prison term after a September 27, 2022 guilty plea to receipt and possession of child pornography.
At the guilty plea, Lippstock admitted he received and possessed depictions of child pornography from 2019 to 2020. At a prior hearing, evidence established that Lippstock was previously convicted of attempting to meet with a minor at a local park. In this case, Lippstock again fooled minors into thinking he was their friend in order to facilitate sexually explicit communication with them. After gaining their trust, he successfully received and re-distributed child sexual abuse material online through at least eight separate social media aliases. In addition, Lippstock possessed child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices in his residence. At sentencing, the Judge stated Lippstock poses a real and present danger to the community, particularly to children.
Lippstock was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lippstock was sentenced to 300 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.
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.”
Lippstock is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Liz Dupuich and Jason Norwood and investigated by the Dubuque County Sherriff’s Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-cr-1029.
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Prison Sentence for Possession of Pipe Bombs and Drug SalesRead the Press Release
A man who manufactured pipe bombs and distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison.
Thomas Jay Downer, age 34, from Charles City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 7, 2022 guilty plea to distribution of more than 5 grams of pure methamphetamine, possession of multiple destructive devices (pipe bombs) and possession of firearms as a felon.
At the guilty plea, Downer admitted he distributed more than 5 grams of pure methamphetamine on October 27, 2020. He further admitted possessing and selling 5 pipe bombs on October 30, 2020. Downer also admitted possessing firearms after being convicted of one or more felony offenses on November 13, 2020. At his detention hearing, it was shown that Downer’s pipe bombs were made of plastic plumbing pipe and included BBs and nails as shrapnel. At sentencing, Downer was found to be a career offender based upon his serious prior criminal history.
Downer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Downer was sentenced to 168 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.
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.
Downer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-02015.
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Hiawatha Women Sentenced for Providing Guns to OthersRead the Press Release
A woman who provided firearms to others illegally was sentenced on February 9, 2023, to more than a year in federal prison.
Kori Dawn Hobbs, age 41, from Hiawatha, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the possession of firearms by a person convicted of domestic violence.
In a plea agreement, Hobbs admitted that she purchased 22 firearms between May 2019 and August 2021. She also allowed Jae Bernard, age 49, also from Hiawatha, Iowa, access to them despite knowing that he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior domestic abuse conviction. Hobbs was previously convicted of transferring a firearm to a minor in 2021, following an incident where Bernard’s son attempted to sell a firearm to another individual and that individual stole the firearm instead. Bernard’s son was also prohibited from possessing firearms at the time because of a no contact order. Bernard pled guilty to illegally possessing firearms on December 27, 2022, and is awaiting sentencing at a time and date to be determined. Firearms purchased by Hobbs were also recovered in Urbandale and Chicago.
Hobbs was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hobbs was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Hobbs was released on the bond conditions previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Hiawatha Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Urbandale Police Department, and the Chicago Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-03-CJW.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Heroin and Fentanyl He Intended to DistributeRead the Press Release
A man who intended to distribute heroin was sentenced on February 9, 2023, to 21 months in federal prison.
Tony Cornell Coleman, Jr., age 25, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a September 23, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on February 1, 2022, law enforcement arranged a controlled drug buy from Coleman, Jr. When Coleman, Jr., arrived at the meeting location, officers took him into custody. Coleman, Jr. was in possession of 15.4 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and 4.91 grams of a substance containing heroin.
Coleman, Jr., was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Coleman, Jr., was sentenced to 21 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.
Coleman, Jr., 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 Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Fulton, Illinois, Police Department, the Clinton, Iowa, Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-1017.
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Mexican Man Involved in Mexico Based Drug Trafficking Organization Found Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A Mexican man involved in a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization that was distributing significant amounts of methamphetamine in the Waterloo, Iowa, area was convicted by a jury today after a three‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Luis Carlos Corral Lopez, age 31, from Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about five hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that, in late November or early December 2020, Corral Lopez was sent by a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization to Waterloo to oversee the organization’s distribution of methamphetamine in the Waterloo area. After he arrived, Corral Lopez acquired approximately twenty‑two pounds of methamphetamine. Corral Lopez then distributed all of the methamphetamine to street‑level distributors in the Waterloo area.
The evidence at trial also showed that, between January 2020 and January 2022, law enforcement had seized almost two hundred pounds of methamphetamine and twenty‑three pounds of fentanyl from the Mexico‑based organization.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Corral Lopez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Corral Lopez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Ashley Corkery, and it was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-02039-CJW.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to over a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who barricaded himself in a residence with a small child, stolen firearms, narcotics, and dozens of rounds of ammunition, was sentenced on February 8, 2023, to 15 years in federal prison.
Darren Ackerman, age 39, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 22, 2022 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of firearms.
At a prior hearing in the case, evidence showed that, on October 25, 2020, Ackerman assaulted a victim who fled the home they were in. After the police were called, Ackerman refused to come to the door and barricaded himself inside with a small child. Police were forced to break down Ackerman’s door in order to rescue the child. Ackerman had narcotics in his possession and there were dozens of rounds of ammunition as well as five stolen firearms in the house. Ackerman was previously convicted of multiple felonies in the state of Iowa including burglary, theft, and narcotics related offenses.
Ackerman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Ackerman was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He was ordered to pay restitution. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ackerman 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 Liz Dupuich 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-cr-2023.
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Arkansas Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and distributed methamphetamine was sentenced on February 2, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Leocadio Contreras-Sebastian, 38, from Warren, Arkansas, pled guilty on August 24, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from January 2020 through April 2, 2022, Contreras-Sebastian and others distributed at least 3.53 kilograms of pure methamphetamine in the Sioux City, Iowa area. On April 2, 2022, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug buy operation from defendant and his co-conspirators. Contreras-Sebastian distributed over 3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine in exchange for an initial payment of $5,000. Contreras-Sebastian admitted that he traveled from Arkansas to Sioux City, Iowa for the purposes of delivering the methamphetamine to another co-conspirator.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Contreras-Sebastian was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Contreras-Sebastian 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4026. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing over 6 Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed over 6,900 grams of methamphetamine, dealt over 2,000 grams of methamphetamine, and possessed over $460,726 in drug proceeds was sentenced to 30 years in prison on February 6, 2023.
Terrell McBride, age 34, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was previously convicted of distribution of methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, McBride admitted to distributing over 2,000 grams of methamphetamine throughout the Cedar Rapids area. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives searched McBride’s home and recovered over 6,900 grams of methamphetamine and $460,726 in United States Currency. McBride admitted that he used or intended to use all the United States Currency seized for the purpose of drug trafficking. McBride has over ten scored adult criminal convictions, including violent crimes and other drug-related convictions.
This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 22-CR-00005-CJW.
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Four More from Methamphetamine Wiretap Investigation Plead Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Four men who were caught in a federal wiretap investigation into methamphetamine trafficking between California and Iowa pled guilty last week in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Robert Lee Michael Bates, age 30, from Marion, Iowa, Phillip Lanell Rogers, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr., age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, were each convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Timothy Michael Webber, age 45, from Waterloo, Iowa, pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at prior hearings in the case showed that David Belton, a/k/a “Blood,” and others orchestrated shipments of between 30 to 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine between Los Angeles, California, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, between 2017 and March 2022. Belton paid other individuals to transport the ice methamphetamine, typically in a vehicle that contained a specially made hidden compartment. Once the ice methamphetamine arrived in Cedar Rapids, Belton or his associate would retrieve the methamphetamine and distribute it to other members of the organization for sale to customers.
In late 2021, the Cedar Rapids DEA conducted a wiretap investigation into Belton’s drug organization. In February 2022, intercepted communications indicated that a shipment of 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine was going to be coming from California to Iowa. Investigators tracked a courier driving a rental truck from Los Angeles to Nebraska, where the truck was stopped. During a search of the cargo area of the truck, officers found a plastic tote containing 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Evidence at prior hearings showed that Bates was intercepted over the wiretap ordering pounds of ice methamphetamine from the Belton drug organization.
In a plea agreement, Rogers admitted that he was also involved in the ice methamphetamine conspiracy. He also admitted that he sold ice methamphetamine to a cooperating individual on three occasions in 2021, and on another occasion in 2022. During a search of Rogers’s residence in March 2022, investigators seized digital scales, ammunition, marijuana, and a small amount of methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Whitney admitted that his role in the conspiracy was to collect cash proceeds of the ice methamphetamine sales for Belton and one of his associates. He also admitted that in addition to collecting drug debts for Belton’s organization, he sold ecstasy pills. During a search of Whitney’s residence in March 2022, investigators seized over 60 grams of purported ecstasy pills that were later determined to contain methamphetamine. Investigators also seized a handgun, several rounds of ammunition, two semiautomatic handgun conversion kits, a 31‑round magazine, and a 60-round drum magazine. Whitney admitted that, at the time he possessed the firearm and ammunition, he was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was an unlawful user of marijuana.
Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Webber was intercepted over the wiretap ordering pounds of methamphetamine from the Belton drug organization. In his plea agreement, Webber admitted that in April 2022, state investigators searched his residence in Waterloo and seized over 380 grams of ice methamphetamine and $25,550 in cash proceeds of prior ice methamphetamine sales.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after presentence reports are prepared. Each man remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Each faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.
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Sioux City Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Alicia Loraine Robinson, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced February 2, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa. On September 6, 2022, Robinson pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a prohibited person in possession of firearms.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on December 30, 2021, in Sioux City, Iowa, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Robinson was driving. Law enforcement smelled marijuana emanating from the car and noted Robinson was clutching her purse tightly on her lap. Robinson admitted she smoked marijuana in the car and that she was suspended from driving. A search of the car found drug paraphernalia and a .380 firearm in Robinson’s purse. Law enforcement then searched Robinson’s home and found a 12-gauge shotgun, over 50 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, and other distribution-related items. On July 6, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at another home associated with drug distribution. Amongst other illicit items, law enforcement found a Glock .40 handgun that had been owned by Robinson. Robinson admitted to possessing the firearms and being a user of marijuana and methamphetamine. A person that uses controlled substances is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Robinson was sentenced to 62 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 4-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Robinson remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood 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 22-4010.
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Swea City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on February 1, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Joey Post, 34, from Swea City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, evidence showed that from February 2022 through May 2022, Post and others distributed 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Post remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Post 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 five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-3029. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who was selling methamphetamine around the Sioux City area was sentenced February 1, 2023, to more than 4 years in federal prison.
Matthew Antonovich, age 39, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 21, 2022, guilty plea to felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Antonovich admitted to conspiring to sell methamphetamine around the Sioux City area. Antonovich is a convicted felon and was unlawfully in possession of a short-barreled shotgun.
Antonovich was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Antonovich was sentenced to 50 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.
Antonovich 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 Jack Lammers and investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Woodbury County Sherriff’s Department, Sioux City police Department, South Sioux City Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, the United States Postal Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4041.
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Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Chance Rebel Nielsen, 23, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on January 31, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. Nielsen was previously convicted of felony Going Armed with Intent, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, on October 15, 2021. This conviction prohibits a person from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on August 29, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which defendant was a passenger. During the stop, a Glock 9mm Luger, .45 ACP, and ammunition were found. Further investigation showed that, on August 23, 2022, defendant was at Scheels in Sioux City where he was observed with a Glock 9mm in his waistband. Defendant purchased ammunition from Scheels which matched the ammunition found in the vehicle. Present in cell phone evidence seized in the investigation was a video showing defendant shooting a firearm at a gun range, and text messages discussing buying and selling firearms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Nielsen remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Nielsen faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Le Mars Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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The case file number is 22-4077. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Leader of California to Iowa Ice Methamphetamine Organization Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who orchestrated the shipment of hundreds of pounds of ice methamphetamine from California to Iowa pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
David Poitier Belton, age 37, from Compton, California, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon and drug user in possession of a firearm.
In a plea agreement, Belton, who was also known as “Blood,” admitted that he and others transported 30- to 60-pound shipments of ice methamphetamine from Los Angeles, California, to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, between 2017 and March 2022. Belton paid other individuals to transport the ice methamphetamine, typically in a vehicle that contained a specially made hidden compartment. Once the ice methamphetamine arrived in Cedar Rapids, Belton or his associate would retrieve the methamphetamine and distribute it to other members of the organization for sale to customers. In October 2020, the vehicle with the hidden compartment was searched by law enforcement while it was on a car hauler destined for Iowa. Approximately 30 pounds of ice methamphetamine was found inside the hidden compartment.
In late 2021, the Cedar Rapids DEA conducted a wiretap investigation into Belton’s drug organization. In February 2022, intercepted communications indicated that a shipment of 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine was going to be coming to Iowa from California. Investigators tracked a courier driving a rental truck from Los Angeles to Nebraska, where the truck was stopped. During a search of the cargo area of the truck, officers found a plastic tote containing 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Following the seizure of the 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine, Belton continued to purchase additional methamphetamine from his source in California. On February 27, 2022, Belton was intercepted speaking with Kiyonte Sowell, a relative of Belton’s in California. Belton told Sowell that he was booking Sowell a flight, instructed Sowell to “pack you a big ass suitcase, you already know you ain’t going to stay for that many days” and then said, “You already know what the rest is so we gonna, I’m gonna book you out a ticket in the morning.” The next day, Sowell went to the Los Angeles International Airport, taking a large roller bag with him through airport security as carry‑on luggage. Airport security conducted an X‑ray of the roller bag and observed multiple bags of an unknown substance underneath the clothes inside the bag. During a secondary search of the bag, security found five vacuum‑sealed bags containing ice methamphetamine. Sowell admitted that the bag was his but said his brother had packed it. When asked if he was aware of the contents of the bag he shrugged and said, “It looks like cocaine or meth, I don’t know.” He then said he was going to Iowa, “but all I know is that I’m missing my flight and I’m going to jail.”
On March 8, 2022, investigators searched Belton’s home in Cedar Rapids. During the search, investigators located a small amount of cocaine and 15 guns. Belton was a felon, having twice been convicted of felony burglary and once of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Belton was also prohibited from possessing guns because he was an unlawful user of marijuana.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Belton remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Belton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,250,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
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The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.
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Felon Found with Semiautomatic Rifle, Meth and Marijuana Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who was stopped with a semiautomatic rifle, a handgun-style BB gun, methamphetamine and marijuana, was sentenced January 31, 2023, to 9 years in federal prison.
Jo’Mario Smith, age 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 15, 2022, change of plea hearing.
Evidence in the case revealed Smith was unlawfully in possession of the firearm and ammunition on March 11, 2022. Smith’s criminal possession was discovered during a traffic stop for several violations. Smith was the operator and sole occupant of the vehicle. Upon officer’s contact with Smith, the odor of marijuana was emitting from the vehicle and a K-9 positively indicated for illegal narcotics as well.
During a search of the vehicle, officers located a semiautomatic rifle on the driver’s floorboard, near Smith’s feet, that had been spray painted to look like a toy. The barrel and stock had also been shortened. The rifle had a 25-round banana-style high-capacity magazine fully seated with a round chambered. The magazine contained 11 additional rounds. Officers also located a handgun-style BB gun, 4 separate plastic bags containing illegal drugs, and a live shotgun shell. Two of the four plastic bags contained a total of, roughly, 3.8 grams of crystalline substance, each of which field tested positive as methamphetamine. The two other bags contained 31.82 grams of methamphetamine and 33.99 grams of methamphetamine, respectively. Additionally, officers located a plastic bag containing roughly 3.5 grams of marijuana.
Smith has a lengthy criminal history beginning at the age of 17. His crimes include theft, domestic abuse/battery, resisting arrest, weapons, drugs, armed robbery/burglary, violence, and other dangerous conduct.
Smith was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 108 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
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The case file number is 22-04034.
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Sioux City Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty January 26, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Linda Fernandez, 69, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Fernandez admitted that between May 2022 and July 2022, she and others conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. On July 15, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on defendant’s apartment, and discovered approximately one pound of methamphetamine, drug distribution materials, marijuana, and over $3,300.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fernandez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Fernandez faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by 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.
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The case file number is 22-4055. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who sold fentanyl to drug users in Dubuque was sentenced today to 28 months in federal prison. Fallon Christina Murphy, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a November 30, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Evidence at prior hearings established that between March and June 2022, Murphy supplied heroin users in the Dubuque area with fentanyl. Murphy and Jose Miguel Soto-Guzman, also charged in the case, regularly traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin, to purchase fentanyl from Soto-Guzman’s source. Murphy and Soto‑Guzman then sold the fentanyl around Dubuque. Between March and June 2022, investigators conducted five controlled purchases from Soto‑Guzman and Murphy. The drugs purchased contained fentanyl, but some of the fentanyl was mixed with heroin and some with methamphetamine. After Soto‑Guzman’s arrest, Murphy continued to obtain fentanyl from the La Crosse source for distribution in Dubuque. In late July 2022, Murphy traveled to La Crosse to purchase drugs, and upon her return to Dubuque, officers stopped the vehicle in which she was riding. When the police stopped her vehicle, Murphy concealed the drugs inside her body to avoid detection. Officers later recovered the drugs, which were determined to be nearly 10 grams of fentanyl.
Murphy was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. She was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Murphy is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
Soto-Guzman has not yet been sentenced. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 1 year in prison and a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $4,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of at least six years and up to life following any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-1022.
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Cedar Rapids Man Found Guilty in Federal Court of Unlawfully Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who shot a Marion man eight times in February 2021 was convicted by a jury on January 26, 2023, after a four‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Anthony Fisher, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. The verdict was returned yesterday evening after about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that, on February 16, 2021, Fisher and two other men broke into a home in Marion with the intent of stealing money and possibly marijuana. Immediately after the three men entered the residence, Fisher shot the victim eight times. The three men, including Fisher, fled the scene. Emergency personnel responded quickly and provided aid to the victim, who survived. Law enforcement never recovered the firearm Fisher used to shoot the victim; however, the jury found Fisher unlawfully possessed the eight rounds of ammunition used to shoot the victim. At the time of the shooting, Fisher was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was a felon. Fisher had previously been convicted of interference with official acts – dangerous weapon, a felony offense, in state court in April 2020.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fisher remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Fisher faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dillan Edwards and Tony Morfitt and was investigated by the Marion Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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The case file number is 22-CR-00013-LTS.
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Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
James Conlan, 58, from Las Vegas, Nevada, pled guilty on January 25, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Conlan admitted that between January 2021 and December 2021, he and others were involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than a kilogram of methamphetamine. Conlan further admitted that he shipped methamphetamine from Las Vegas, Nevada, via U.S. mail, to an address in Cherokee, Iowa.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Conlan remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Conlan 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 five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, U.S. Postal Service, Department of Homeland Security, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Iowa State Patrol, Colorado State Patrol, and the Cherokee Iowa Police Department.
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The case file number is 22-4049. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Illinois Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jamie Swanson, age 32, of Colona, Illinois, has been charged with being a felon in possession of firearms. The charge is contained in an Indictment unsealed on January 19, 2023, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in March 2022, Swanson possessed three firearms after having been convicted of a felony.
If convicted, Swanson faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Swanson appeared for a detention hearing today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Swanson’s next appearance for trial is set for March 20, 2023.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Anamosa Police Department, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 22-100.
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Cedar Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Check Kiting SchemeRead the Press Release
A Cedar Falls man who kited checks in a bank fraud scheme was sentenced on January 24, 2023, to one year and one day in prison. Nolan Otto DeWall, age 39, received the prison term after a June 7, 2022 guilty plea to one count of bank fraud.
Evidence at hearings in DeWall’s case established that DeWall was a manager and shareholder at a Black Hawk County grain cooperative. DeWall also was a part owner of a trucking company based in Dike, Iowa. In May 2018, DeWall devised a so-called “check kiting” scheme in which he transferred large amounts of funds by check during a short period of time between accounts of the grain cooperative and the trucking company, as well as other accounts. The checks had no legitimate business purpose but were instead designed to falsely and temporarily inflate the balances of the accounts to benefit the grain cooperative, which was in financial distress. DeWall also forged the signature of one of the partners in the trucking company on a check. When the check-kiting scheme collapsed, the trucking company’s account was left with a negative $247,000 balance. As a result, the trucking company had to sell all its assets and went defunct. One of DeWall’s partners in the trucking business had to file for personal bankruptcy and another partner was forced to repay the trucking company’s negative bank balance at its bank with personal funds and a loan.
DeWall was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. DeWall was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment. He was ordered to make $217,441.96 in restitution to his partners in the trucking business. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
DeWall was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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The case file number is 22-CR-213.
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Independence Man who Made False Statement During Purchase of Firearm Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A man who made a false statement during the purchase of a firearm at a hardware store in Independence, Iowa, was sentenced January 23, 2023, to five years of supervised release.
Dallas Shannon, age 47, from Independence, Iowa, received the term of supervised release after a September 28, 2022 guilty plea to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Shannon admitted that on or about February 14, 2022, he knowingly made a false representation of an ATF Form 447 in connection with the purchase of a firearm. Shannon knowingly stated that he was not an unlawful user of marijuana on the form. At the time he filled out the form, Shannon knew that he was an unlawful user of marijuana.
Shannon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Shannon must serve a five-year term of supervised release and is now prohibited from possessing firearms.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Independence Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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The case file number is 22-CR-2038.
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Venezuelan Man Sentenced for Document FraudRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a false identification document bearing someone else’s name and social security number was sentenced today to more than two months in federal prison.
Franklin Sosa-Jimenez, age 33, a citizen of Venezuela illegally present in the United States and residing in West Liberty, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 23, 2022, guilty plea to one count of unlawful possession of an identification document.
At the guilty plea, Sosa-Jimenez admitted he knowingly possessed a fraudulent Social Security card. When Sosa-Jimenez was encountered by the United States Border Patrol in Texas on April 24, 2022, after illegally entering the United States, he was told to report to an Immigration Office near to his final destination. When Sosa-Jimenez reported to the ICE office in Cedar Rapids on October 26, 2022, Sosa-Jimenez had his Venezuelan identification card bearing his true name and picture. He also possessed a fraudulent Social Security Card and a fraudulent California identification card bearing someone else’s name. These are the types of documents required to show authorization to work in the United States. Illegal aliens are not authorized to work in the United States. The social security card contained a social security number that was assigned to the name on the card, a real person. The California identification card and an employee identification card for an Iowa business each bore Sosa-Jimenez’s picture. Sosa-Jimenez also had partially completed employment paperwork including an Immigration Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form and state and federal W-4 tax forms, all in someone else’s name.
Sosa-Jimenez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Sosa-Jimenez was sentenced to 78 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sosa-Jimenez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
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The case file number is 22-CR-0089.
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Honduran Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Four TimesRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported four times was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison.
Elmer Noe-Rodriguez, age 46, a citizen of Honduras illegally present in the United States and residing in Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an October 13, 2022, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.
At the guilty plea, Noe-Rodriguez admitted he had previously been deported and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Noe-Rodriguez was previously deported from the United States in November 2001, January 2013, April 2013, and September 2019. On September 4, 2022, immigration officials learned Noe-Rodriguez had illegally returned to the United States and found Noe-Rodriguez at the Jones County Jail following his arrest on state charges. Noe-Rodriguez has previous convictions for Operating while Intoxicated in 2008 in Minnesota, Sexual Assault and Assault Third Degree in 2012 in Colorado, Illegal Entry into the United States in 2013 in Texas, and Illegal Reentry into the United States in 2018 in Colorado.
Noe-Rodriguez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Noe-Rodriguez was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Noe-Rodriguez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-0076.
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Cedar Rapids Man Gets 20 Years in Federal Prison for 2011 Taxicab RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who killed a taxi driver during a robbery on April 29, 2011, was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison.
Johnathan DeWayne Mitchell, age 44, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of robbery of the taxi, which was entered as trial commenced on August 29, 2022. The maximum penalty for Mitchell’s crime was 20 years’ imprisonment.
Evidence admitted at the trial, before the plea was entered showed the driver died of multiple stab wounds she sustained during the robbery. Additionally, the sentencing judge found evidence admitted at trial and sentencing showed Mitchell’s killing of the driver was premeditated, and intentionally done during the robbery, and Mitchell used the robbery proceeds to purchase crack cocaine.
Mitchell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mitchell was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 240 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $5000 in restitution to the owner of the cab and $24,663.10 to the Iowa Crime Victim Fund. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Mitchell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Reinert and Dillan Edwards and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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The case file number is 16-CR-00029-LTS. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Spencer Man to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Joe Ripka, 35, from Spencer, Iowa, was sentenced January 20, 2023, to over one year in federal prison. On August 1, 2022, Ripka pled guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Ripka was previously convicted of Failure to Affix Drug Stamp, in the Iowa District Court for Emmet County, on October 23, 2017. This conviction prohibits Ripka from possessing a firearm.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on December 22, 2021, law enforcement stopped the vehicle Ripka was driving in Larrabee, Iowa, for driving without license plates. During the stop, Ripka displayed signs of impairment. A police K9 was deployed on the exterior of the car and indicated the presence of controlled substances within the vehicle, at which time Ripka stated there was a firearm in the car and acknowledged he was a felon. Law enforcement uncovered a loaded .380 handgun in the driver’s door. Later, upon inspection of the officer’s vehicle near where Ripka had been seated during the stop, the arresting officer located a pack of cigarettes wedged between the seats which contained 1 gram of methamphetamine.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ripka was sentenced to 12 months’ and 1 day imprisonment and must serve a 3-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Ripka 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 Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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The case file number is 22-4041.
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Sioux City, Iowa Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Chad Moyle, 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced January 18, 2023, to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography on September 7, 2022. Moyle was additionally ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the victims of the sexually exploitative materials he possessed.
At the hearing, evidence showed, and Moyle admitted to possessing over 1,600 images of child pornography from December 2018, through February 2019. Moyle primarily utilized a smart phone and the instant messaging mobile app Kik to receive and possess the images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These images included depictions involving prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
Moyle was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 132 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a term of supervised release after the prison term of at least 5 years, up to life. There is no parole in the federal system. Moyle remains in custody of the United States Marshal’s 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
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The case file number is 22-4021. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Middle School Teacher Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Child Sex CrimeRead the Press Release
A Sioux City teacher pled guilty January 13, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.
Andrew John Heller, age 39, from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, was convicted of attempted enticement of a minor.
The FBI and Sioux City Police Department were conducting an undercover investigation to identify subjects engaged in human trafficking in Sioux City, Iowa. As part of the operation, law enforcement posted an advertisement for sex services on a frequently used dating website.
Andrew Heller, a middle school teacher and high school baseball coach, contacted an undercover phone number, responding to an ad purporting to be from a 19-year-old female offering sexual services on the website in exchange for money. What Heller did not know was that an undercover FBI agent was responding. The FBI agent immediately posed as a 14-year-old girl. Heller agreed to pay $200 cash and bring some Trulys in exchange for sex with someone he thought was an underage female. The meeting date was scheduled, and Heller showed up, as previously arranged, in his vehicle. He was searched by police, who found the cash and Trulys, along with condoms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Heller was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Heller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sioux City Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4059.
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Former Human Resources Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
A former human resources manager who stole over $95,000 from her employer and two state unemployment agencies was sentenced on January 11, 2023, to four months in federal prison. Holly Marie Jacobi, formerly known as Holly Marie Bemis, of Epworth, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty on July 20, 2022, to one count of wire fraud and two counts of theft of government funds.
In a plea agreement, and at her sentencing hearing, it was established that Jacobi was the human resources manager for a Peosta, Iowa, manufacturing company. Between June 2019 and July 2020, Jacobi falsified payroll expenses and health care reimbursements in the names of ten employees and directed the company’s payroll system to wire over $65,000 in falsified payments to two bank accounts that she controlled. Jacobi also filed a false and fraudulent application for federally funded COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits with the State of Iowa. Jacobi stated that she was unemployed from the company due to “[l]ayoff . . . lack of work,” when in truth she was still employed as the company’s human resources manager. As a result, Jacobi received over $17,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits from the State of Iowa. The company discovered Jacobi’s fraud and terminated her employment.
Jacobi also admitted that she later obtained and lost employment at a cheese company in Wisconsin. After losing that second job, Jacobi applied for federally funded unemployment benefits from the State of Wisconsin. Jacobi then obtained a job from a California-based company. From May 2021 through October 2021, Jacobi falsely certified to the State of Wisconsin on weekly reporting forms that she had received no weekly wages when, in truth, she was receiving weekly wages totaling between $1,100 and $6,000 from the California-based company. As a result, Jacobi fraudulently received more than $12,000 in federally funded unemployment benefits paid through the State of Wisconsin. Jacobi previously pled guilty in 2001 to felony forgery and misdemeanor theft charges in Scott County, Iowa.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department's response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Jacobi was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Jacobi was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and four months’ home confinement. Jacobi was also ordered to repay $6,000 in court-appointed attorney fees. She was ordered to make $95,567.69 in restitution to her former employer and the States of Iowa and Wisconsin. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jacobi was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Peosta Police Department and the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 22-CR-1008 and 22-CR-1026.
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Evansdale Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Pain Medication from Elderly Nursing Home Resident in WaterlooRead the Press Release
An Evansdale nurse who stole pain medication from an elderly nursing home resident in Waterloo was sentenced on January 4, 2023, to federal prison. Kelsey Ann Baxter, age 33, received the prison term after a July 19, 2022 guilty plea to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge.
In a plea agreement, Baxter admitted she was working at a Waterloo nursing home as a licensed practical nurse in the State of Iowa. In April 2021, Baxter was caught stealing and consuming two morphine pills that were intended for an elderly resident of the nursing home. The nursing home investigated and discovered that Baxter had diverted 43 morphine pills to her own use over a two-week period in April 2021. The elderly resident of the nursing home, who suffered pain from physical ailments, indicated that she had not received pain medication even though Baxter had documented in the elderly resident’s handwritten and electronic medical records that the resident had received the pain medication. The nursing home terminated Baxter’s employment after she tested positive for opiates without having a prescription for them. The nursing home had previously suspected Baxter of drug diversion as she was noticeably slurring her speech and disoriented while on the job. Baxter admitted she falsified the elderly nursing home resident’s physical and electronic medical records and the nursing home’s narcotics logs.
While this case was pending, Baxter repeatedly violated the terms of her pretrial release. Ultimately, a federal judge ordered Baxter confined in her home while awaiting her sentencing hearing, because she repeatedly used controlled substances while on pretrial release. In July 2022, Baxter was convicted in state court of making a false report to law enforcement before she was charged in federal court.
Baxter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Baxter was sentenced to one month imprisonment. She must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Baxter also agreed to forfeit her State of Iowa nursing license to the United States.
In 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of 10 districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/.
Baxter was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2040.
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Sioux City Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Kailey Olson, 30, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty January 12, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Olson admitted that from December 2020 through April 2021, she and others distributed more than 12 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Olson was an interstate transporter of substantial quantities of methamphetamine and cash in a Texas-based methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. The conspiracy included the importation of liquid (for lab-based methamphetamine conversion) plus traditional vehicle transport of drugs from Texas to Iowa and bulk transport of money to Texas in payment for the drugs.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Olson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Olson 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 five 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 is 21-4067. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Felon and Drug User Who Threatened Bar Patrons with a Gun Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man who threatened two women by pointing a loaded gun at them, thereby alarming other pub patrons, was sentenced today to more than 4 years in federal prison.
Luis Gomez, age 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 1, 2022, change of plea hearing.
Evidence in the case revealed Gomez was a drug user and felon in unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition on December 9, 2021. Gomez’s criminal possession of a firearm was discovered when he threatened two patrons at a Sioux City, Iowa bar by pointing a loaded gun at them, threatening to shoot them, and saying, among other things, "I'm going to air this place out." When the police were called, Gomez and another person, fled the scene at a high rate of speed.
While driving, Gomez repeatedly instructed the passenger to throw the weapon out of the window. Officers observed an object thrown out of the passenger side window during the chase. Officers deployed stop sticks which ultimately ended the pursuit. A firearm and a magazine were separately recovered from the path of the chase. The firearm contained 7 live rounds. Marijuana and other ammunition were also found in the car and/or on Gomez.
Gomez has a lengthy criminal history. He has committed over 34 offenses. His crimes include threats, weapons, drugs, violence, and other dangerous conduct.
Gomez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 49 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Gomez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-04012.
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Farnhamville, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Marcus Urelius, 36, from Farnhamville, Iowa, plead guilty January 10, 2023, in federal court to Possession of Child Pornography.
In a plea agreement, Urelius admitted that between April 2021, and January 2022, he used an Internet-based, peer-to-peer (P2P) network known as “Freenet” to knowingly receive and attempt to receive visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He further admitted to using the network to share child pornography with others.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set for a later date after a presentence report is prepared. Urelius remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Urelius faces a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a fine of not more than $250,000, a mandatory special assessment of $100 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years to life.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the FBI 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 22-3017. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Drug Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Maintaining Drug HousesRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man that maintained residences in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the purpose of distributing controlled substances was sentenced January 12, 2023, to 20 years in federal prison.
Corey Lamar Cullar, Sr., age 44, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 17, 2022 guilty plea to one count of maintaining a drug‑involved premises.
Evidence at sentencing showed that, in February 2016, Cullar was released from federal prison. Starting in the fall of 2017, and continuing until his arrest in August 2021, Cullar rented a series of residences in Cedar Rapids to be used to distribute controlled substances. Cullar and his associates, including family members, distributed marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, and ecstasy pills from these residences. Cullar involved minors in the distribution of controlled substances, including his children; he exercised a leadership role over several individuals; and he possessed firearms and provided them to others. Cullar obstructed justice by intimidating or attempting to intimidate a witness during his prosecution.
Cullar was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Cullar was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, which is the statutory maximum sentence allowed for his offense, and he must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cullar 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and 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 21-CR-00052-CJW.
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Woman Arrested for Voter Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An Iowa woman was arrested today in Sioux City for her role in an alleged voter fraud scheme during the Iowa 2020 primary and general elections.
Kim Phuong Taylor, 49, of Sioux City, made her initial court appearance today. According to court documents, Taylor allegedly perpetrated a scheme to generate votes in the primary election in June 2020, when her husband was an unsuccessful candidate for Iowa’s 4th U.S. Congressional District, and subsequently in the 2020 general election, when her husband was a successful candidate for Woodbury County Supervisor. Taylor allegedly submitted or caused others to submit dozens of voter registrations, absentee ballot request forms, and absentee ballots containing false information. For example, although these documents required the signer to affirm that he or she was the person named in them, Taylor signed them for voters without their permission and told others that they could sign on behalf of relatives who were not present.
Taylor is charged by indictment with 26 counts of providing false information in registering and voting, three counts of fraudulent registration, and 23 counts of fraudulent voting. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office, and Acting Inspector in Charge Brad Mahs of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Denver Division made the announcement.
The FBI Omaha Field Office and USPIS Denver Division are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Richard B. Evans of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons for the Northern District of Iowa are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.