Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Woman Who Drove Kilograms of Methamphetamine from Texas to Dubuque Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who drove over five kilograms of ice methamphetamine from Texas to Dubuque was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Veronica Marie Hinkle, age 34, from Dallas, Texas, received the prison term after a September 2, 2020 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that in about June 2017, Hinkle was recruited by her boyfriend, Jose Roberto Vazquez, to drive one kilogram of ice methamphetamine from Dallas to deliver to Jeremy Kieffer in Dubuque. Over the next six months, Hinkle made multiple similar trips to Dubuque, each time delivering at least a kilogram of ice methamphetamine to Kieffer and his associates. In January 2018, Hinkle helped package nearly a kilogram of 98% pure methamphetamine for her co‑conspirators, but the package was intercepted by law enforcement in Iowa. Kieffer and Vazquez were previously sentenced to 165 months’ imprisonment and 259 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy.
Hinkle was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hinkle was sentenced to 81 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hinkle is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew Inman.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-01027‑CJW‑MAR.
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Dubuque Man Who Sold Opioids that Caused Fatal Overdose Sentenced to 20 Years’ Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold a fatal opioid cocktail was sentenced October 14, 2020, to 20 years in federal prison.
Carl Ravon Watkins, age 30, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 17, 2020 guilty plea to one count of distribution of controlled substances resulting in death.
In a plea agreement, Watkins admitted that in August 2019, a woman called and texted him looking for heroin. Watkins met with the woman and her boyfriend in on Wilson Avenue in Dubuque. Watkins got into the woman’s car and sold her what was supposedly heroin. The woman took the mixture home, used it later that night, and lost consciousness. Her boyfriend found her hours later, unconscious and not breathing. Emergency responders arrived, but were unable to revive the woman and she was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that the woman’s death was caused by mixed drug toxicity, specifically from fentanyl and an analogue of fentanyl called acetyl fentanyl. During a search of the woman’s bedroom, officers found a chunky white substance that tested positive for fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl.
Watkins also admitted that the day after the woman’s death, the Dubuque Drug Task Force set up a controlled meeting with Watkins to attempt to purchase $80 of purported heroin from him. When Watkins arrived at the location on Wilson Avenue in Dubuque, officers arrested him. During his arrest, Wilson dropped a baggie containing about a quarter gram of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl.
Watkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Watkins was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $7,233 in restitution to the victim’s family for funeral expenses. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Watkins 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 Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-01043-CJW-MAR.
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U.S. Attorneys Peter Deegan and Marc Krickbaum Announce $661,955 to Advance Forensic Science in IowaRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan of the Northern District of Iowa and U.S. Attorney Marc Krickbaum of the Southern District of Iowa announced yesterday $661,955 in Department of Justice grants to the Iowa Department of Public Safety to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of $192 million in funding to advance forensic science nationwide.
“Developments in forensic science have given investigators an extraordinary array of tools that can be enlisted to solve crimes and bring answers to victims and survivors, often after many years and even decades,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These investments in crime- fighting technology, from DNA analysis to drug toxicology to forensic anthropology, will help identify and convict perpetrators, ensure justice for innocent victims and keep communities safe by deterring future criminal activity.”
“Our offices are committed to prosecuting dangerous and violent offenders,” said Deegan and Krickbaum. “This investment in the Iowa Department of Public Safety will allow our state and local law enforcement partners to better investigate violent crime and bring justice to victims across the state.”
Since 2004, the Office of Justice Programs has received an annual appropriation for DNA and other forensic science activities. The funding, administered through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Institute of Justice, supports DNA analysis, laboratory capacity enhancement and forensic science research that provides knowledge and tools to improve the quality and practice of forensic science.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and more information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
U.S. Attorneys Peter Deegan and Marc Krickbaum Announce $661,955 to Advance Forensic Science in IowaRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan of the Northern District of Iowa and U.S. Attorney Marc Krickbaum of the Southern District of Iowa today announced $661,955 in Department of Justice grants to the Iowa Department of Public Safety to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of $192 million in funding to advance forensic science nationwide.
“Developments in forensic science have given investigators an extraordinary array of tools that can be enlisted to solve crimes and bring answers to victims and survivors, often after many years and even decades,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These investments in crime-fighting technology, from DNA analysis to drug toxicology to forensic anthropology, will help identify and convict perpetrators, ensure justice for innocent victims and keep communities safe by deterring future criminal activity.”
“Our offices are committed to prosecuting dangerous and violent offenders,” said Deegan and Krickbaum. “This investment in the Iowa Department of Public Safety will allow our state and local law enforcement partners to better investigate violent crime and bring justice to victims across the state.”
Since 2004, the Office of Justice Programs has received an annual appropriation for DNA and other forensic science activities. The funding, administered through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Institute of Justice, supports DNA analysis, laboratory capacity enhancement and forensic science research that provides knowledge and tools to improve the quality and practice of forensic science.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and more information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Spencer, Iowa Man to Federal Prison for Meth and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
On October 9, 2020, Christopher Frerichs, 44, from Spencer, Iowa, plead guilty and was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Frerichs was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
Evidence at the hearing showed that between March 2019 and August 2019, Frerichs and others conspired to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in the Iowa Great Lakes area. On August 1, 2019, in Buena Vista County, Iowa, during a controlled drug buy operation, law enforcement seized approximately 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine and a loaded .45 caliber handgun from Frerichs. Later on the same date, law enforcement seized another 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine from Frerichs’ residence near Worthington, Minnesota. Evidence further showed that Frerichs obtained and distributed over 15 pounds of methamphetamine from the end of 2018 through 2019. During that time, Frerichs made at least three trips to his primary source of supply in Colorado, and one trip to another source of supply in Arizona.
Frerichs was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Frerichs was sentenced to 180 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. Frerichs is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Jackson County (MN) Sheriff’s Office, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office and DCI Criminalistics Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 19-4061. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
DOJ Charges More Than 14,200 Defendants with Firearms-Related Crimes in FY20Read the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Today, the Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID 19 and its impact on the criminal justice process. These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission,” commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts.”
“Unlawful gun possession leads to violence. And our office’s top priority is the safety of Iowa’s citizens,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “Our goal is to prevent gun violence by prosecuting those who unlawfully possess guns and ammunition -- including felons, drug users and domestic abusers. We will also hold accountable anyone who knowingly buys a gun for someone who cannot lawfully possess one.”
Of the more than 14,200 cases charged, 164 cases have been brought by the Northern District of Iowa, announced U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
Light Blub Rebate Fraud Scheme Costs Monticello Man Nearly Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Monticello man who forged the signatures of a Cedar Rapids utility company’s customers as part of a $300,000 light bulb rebate form fraud scheme was sentenced today to nearly two years in federal prison.
Anthony John Harms, age 35, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 9, 2020 guilty plea to one count of mail fraud.
At prior hearings, evidence showed that Dustin Hutcheson operated Hutch Energy, LLC, which was an energy-related services business in Marion, Iowa. Hutcheson recruited Harms into the light bulb scheme. In 2017 and 2018, Hutcheson and Harms approached small business customers of a Cedar Rapids utility company and offered to replace their existing lighting with more energy efficient LED lighting for free. They falsely claimed they could do so at no cost to the customer because of a rebate program that the utility company offered. They claimed all the customer needed to do was provide Hutcheson the paperwork, which he would complete. They told the customer to send Hutcheson the rebate check once the customer received it from the utility company. Hutcheson then submitted fraudulent invoices to the utility company, making it appear as if the customer had paid for the lighting and was entitled to a rebate. Hutcheson and Harms repeatedly forged the signatures of the utility company’s customers and Hutcheson inflated the number of bulbs installed on the rebate forms. Harms also repeatedly called the utility company’s customer service line and impersonated the customers in order to learn the status of rebate forms. In total, Hutcheson and Harms received over $300,000 in rebate moneys as a result of the fraud scheme.
Neither Hutcheson nor Harms was a licensed electrician. As a result, they risked the safety of their customers and clientele. In one case, Hutcheson’s light bulbs caused a fire in a nursing home, likely because the bulbs’ voltage was incorrect. The nursing home had to evacuate 23 residents, including elderly individuals on feeding tubes and with dementia.
Harms was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. He was ordered to make over $340,000 in restitution to the utility company, including paying the utility company’s attorney fees in responding to the government’s investigation and prosecution. Harms must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. In June 2020, Hutcheson was sentenced to 44 months’ imprisonment for his leadership role in the scheme.
As a result of having been caught using narcotics on multiple occasions while on pretrial release, Harms 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 Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-106.
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Sioux City Man Selling Meth, Cocaine, and Heroin Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sioux City man selling methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin from his home was sentenced October 8, 2020 to more than 32 years in federal prison.
Monee Yodprasit, age 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 18, 2020, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
In a plea agreement, Yodprasit admitted that between June of 2019 and November 2019, he conspired to sell more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. On November 7, 2019, after law enforcement intercepted over 9 pounds of methamphetamine on its way to Yodrapsit’s home, officers executed a search warrant on Yodprasit’s residence where they seized more than 2 pounds of cocaine, approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 55.8 grams of heroin, two loaded handguns in the vicinity of the drugs, and approximately $24,000 in cash. Yodprasit’s criminal history includes a conviction from the United States District Court for South Dakota, Southern Division, Case No. 98-CR-40170-1, for conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and distribution of a controlled substance. In that case, between May 1998 and November 1998, Yodprasit and codefendant, were distributing drugs, including multiple pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Both carried firearms during drug buys; and Yodprasit owned at least three firearms, including an AK-47 and two handguns. Yodprasit and the codefendant repeatedly traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and sold drugs out of hotel rooms.
Yodprasit was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Yodprasit was sentenced to 387 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Yodprasit was a major source of deadly methamphetamine in our community - but not anymore,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “Today’s sentence brings to justice an armed and dangerous predator who caused untold damage to so many, including those suffering from addiction, their families, and their loved ones. Through the outstanding work of our tireless law enforcement partners he is done poisoning others and threatening our community and will spend the next 32 years behind bars. I want to thank the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, the Sioux City Police Department and all other members of the Tri-State Drug Task Force for continuing to take the fight to methamphetamine traffickers. Today is a victory in our continuing battle against the plague of methamphetamine.”
DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Salter Jr. stated, “The DEA is fully committed to the unrelenting support of our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners in holding the line between decent citizens and families and those who traffic drugs and firearms and have no regard for civility,” DEA Special Agent in Charge Richard Salter Jr., said. “This case represents what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies and prosecutors combine and focus intelligence, technical and enforcement resources toward a common threat. Our collective missions are to protect our communities and prevent illegal drugs and drug traffickers from stealing the futures of our citizens.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. This case was 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Yodprasit is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4088.
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Man and Woman Caught with Methamphetamine Outside Marion High School Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years Each in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Iowa man and woman found with nearly two pounds of methamphetamine outside a local high school were both sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison.
Christin Campbell-Martin, age 40, from Ames, Iowa, received the prison sentence on September 30, 2020, following a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance near a protected location.
Adam Scott Leiva, age 28, from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison sentence yesterday, October 7, 2020, following a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance near a protected location
Information disclosed at their sentencing and plea hearings showed that on May 25, 2018, Campbell-Martin and Leiva were confronted by Marion, Iowa, police officers. The officers located Campbell-Martin’s car, which was stopped in the Marion High School parking lot late at night. Both Campbell-Martin and Leiva provided fake names to officers. Officers determined their correct names and learned that both had outstanding arrest warrants. Both Campbell-Martin and Leiva were arrested.
During a subsequent search of the car, officers located 906.5 grams of “ice” methamphetamine. Officers learned that Campbell-Martin and Leiva had been driving around Iowa for two to three days selling methamphetamine to people they knew. The two also intended to sell the 906.5 gram of methamphetamine to people in the Cedar Rapids area, but were caught before they could sell it. Both have extensive criminal histories. Campbell-Martin has 25 prior criminal convictions and Leiva has 13.
Campbell-Martin and Leiva were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Campbell-Martin was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment. Leiva was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment. Both were ordered to make payment of $100 to the special assessment fund. They must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marion Police Department, and the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-00079.
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DoJ Charges 500+ Domestic Violence-Related Firearm Cases in FY20Read the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Today, the Department of Justice announced it has charged more than 500 domestic violence cases involving firearms during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. A Department priority since 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr created the Department of Justice’s first ever-Domestic Violence Working Group, these charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made domestic violence firearms-related investigations a priority.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminal offenders is one of the Department of Justice’s top priorities,” said Attorney General Barr. “This is especially important when it comes to individuals with prior domestic violence convictions. The statistics are clear that when domestic violence offenders have access to guns, their partners and their families are at much greater risk of falling victim to gun violence. In fact, in some communities across America, roughly half of the homicides are related to domestic violence. The Department of Justice is committed to keeping guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from having them, and we will continue investigating and prosecuting all domestic violence firearms related crimes.”
“According to the CDC, data suggests that about one in six homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner,” said ATF Acting Director Lombardo. “Nearly half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male intimate partner. ATF is committed to aggressively pursuing prohibited possession of firearms due to domestic violence convictions and certain protective orders. It is another way we prevent violent gun crime within our communities.”
Of the more than 500 cases charged, twenty cases have been brought by the Northern District of Iowa, announced U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan.
“Our office is dedicated to making our community safer by prosecuting the most dangerous offenders,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “That includes domestic abusers who unlawfully possess guns or ammunition. Like felons and drug users, convicted domestic abusers simply cannot have guns or ammunition. If they do so, they are violating federal law and risk being sent to federal prison. The twenty cases our office has charged in the last year demonstrate our commitment to holding accountable armed domestic abusers.”
Under federal law, individuals with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions, as well as individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders, are prohibited from possessing firearms. The data shows that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a high risk of homicide. In fact, domestic violence abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners.
The Working Group, chaired by U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox, of the Northern District of Texas, disseminates legal guidance on keeping guns out of the hands of domestic violence abusers using three federal statutes:
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(1), felon in possession of a firearm
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(9), possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (misdemeanor crime of domestic violence)
- 18 USC § 922 (g)(8), possession of a firearm while subject to a domestic violence protective order
Based on the Working Group’s guidance, in FY 2020, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide brought 337 domestic violence felon-in-possession charges, 54 possession while subject to a protective order charges, and 142 possession by a prohibited person charges.
For more information on domestic violence or to get help, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website or call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Waterloo Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Loaded GunRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who unlawfully possessed a loaded gun as a felon and an unlawful drug user was sentenced October 6, 2020, to 15 months in federal prison.
Garrett Tomlinson, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 26, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, when officers arrived to the scene of a domestic disturbance, Tomlinson tried to run to the upstairs of his residence while carrying a backpack with a loaded gun inside of it. Statements at sentencing also showed that, in addition to possessing the gun unlawfully, Tomlinson also unlawfully sold drugs.
Tomlinson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Tomlinson was sentenced to 15 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. Tomlinson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Schunk and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2010.
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Rural Decorah Drug User Sentenced to Prison Term for Unlawfully Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A drug user from rural Decorah, Iowa, who unlawfully possessed ammunition was sentenced in federal court on October 5, 2020.
In a plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, William Fredric Harrison, Jr., age 60, admitted that, on November 23, 2018, he purchased an assault rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition in Onalaska, Wisconsin. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System delayed the sale. Harrison was only able to take the ammunition home to Iowa on that day. On November 24, 2018, Harrison made multiple telephone calls from his rural Decorah residence to the emergency room at a Decorah hospital. In one of the calls, Harrison expressed frustration with one of the doctors at the hospital and stated, “I want to come down there and make all of you feel the terror that I am feeling. All of you will be dead.” The calls triggered a two-day lockdown of the hospital.
On November 26, 2018, Harrison filled out an application in the Iowa District Court for Allamakee County seeking the return of three firearms and ammunition that law enforcement officers had seized from his residence in 2016 arising out of an incident in which Harrison was later convicted of assaulting his wife. On November 29, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Harrison’s home and located the 200 rounds of ammunition that Harrison had purchased in Wisconsin. Officers also found marijuana paraphernalia.
Harrison was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Harrison was sentenced to over ten months of imprisonment. The district court also ordered Harrison pay $10,000 for his court-appointed attorney. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. As a result of this federal conviction, Harrison is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office and the Decorah Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-1048.
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Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
Methamphetamine remains a dangerous drug that adversely affects the health and safety of our communities. Methamphetamine trafficking also often involves the use of firearms and violence. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who profit from trafficking and selling this poison. Two ongoing cases in federal district court in Sioux City demonstrate both the dangers methamphetamine represent and the importance of prosecuting these dangerous drug traffickers.
On October 8, 2020, Monee Yodprasit will be sentenced in federal district court in Sioux City, Iowa, following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition, another defendant, Liborio Martinez-Rubio, is pending sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On October 8, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Sioux City Police Department will hold a press conference in front of the Sioux City Police Department, 601 Douglas St., in Sioux City, Iowa, to discuss the cases.
Event Details
When: October 8, 2020
Where: Sioux City Police Department, 601 Douglas St.
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Press releases and interview opportunities will be available.
To RSVP, please email Timothy Duax at [email protected] or call 712-202-1712.
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Waterloo Home Invasion Results in Decade Long Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
A man who led a group invading a Waterloo home was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.
James Welton, age 41, from Independence, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 19, 2020 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Welton led a group of individuals into a Waterloo home on the evening of October 21, 2019. The group was armed with two stolen firearms. Once they got into the residence, they attempted to kidnap one of the residents, assaulted one person, and discharged both guns.
Welton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Welton was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and fined $50,000. He was also ordered to prepay the Court $8500 for the cost of his court appointed attorney. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Welton 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 Reinert and was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2006.
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Sioux City Man Sent to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A felon and illegal user of controlled substances who unlawfully possessed a firearm was sentenced to more than three years in prison.
Robert Schonrock, age 50, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a March 23, 2020, guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
Information presented by the United States at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on or about April 30, 2019, Rodolfo Velasco absconded from supervised release in United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. On or about May 30, 2019, Velasco was found, in possession of drugs and a handgun, at the home of Schonrock, in Sioux City, Iowa. Schonrock, a thrice convicted felon himself, was found in possession of a loaded handgun that had been reported stolen.
Schonrock was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Schonrock was sentenced to 41 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.
On May 29, 2020, Velasco was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Velasco was sentenced to 77 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Schonrock is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from our Project Guardian partners. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Sioux City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4058.
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Escape from Halfway House Lands Waterloo Man Back in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who escaped from a halfway house where he had been ordered to reside by a federal court was sentenced today to an additional four months in federal prison.
Zavyon Nix, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of escape from federal custody. Nix was originally sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids on June 6, 2017, with a term of supervised release to follow. As a condition of Nix’s supervised release, he was required to reside in the Waterloo Residential Correctional Facility. He walked away from the facility and was missing for approximately a month. The United States Marshal’s Service apprehended Nix at his mother’s residence.
Nix was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Nix was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Nix 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 investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2027-CJW.
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Drug Use and an Illegal Sawed-Off Shotgun Send Two to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two Iowa men were sentenced to federal prison for firearms charges.
Christopher Anthony Craig, age 27, from Duncombe, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 18, 2020, guilty plea to one-count of Receipt and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.
Deacon Smith-Downs, age 29, from Ogden, Iowa, received his prison term after a May 18, 2020, guilty plea to one-count of Possession of a Firearm by a Drug User and one count of Receipt and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.
Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings in this case revealed the following: Sometime between about September 1, 2018 and February 21, 2019, Smith-Downs and Craig were unlawful users of controlled substances and Smith-Downs acquired an illegal sawed-off shotgun. On or about February 20 and 21, 2019, the two men, and Smith-Downs’ wife, got high together and handled the shotgun. On or about February 21, 2019, Smith-Downs informed 911 that his wife had killed herself with the sawed-off shotgun. When law enforcement arrived they found the deceased woman, Smith-Downs, Craig, and the illegal shotgun. Smith-Downs eventually (during a subsequent interview) admitted to being a user of methamphetamine and marijuana and that he, his wife, and Craig had all handled the weapon within 12 hours of the fatal shooting.
On August 18, 2020, Craig was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Craig was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a twelve-month term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
On September 22, 2020, Smith-Downs was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Smith-Downs was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 24-month term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Craig and Smith Downs are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-3048..
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Mail and Identity Thief Sent Back to Federal Prison After Escaping from Waterloo Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who was previously convicted of mail and identity theft and who signed out of a Waterloo halfway house for work and never returned was sentenced October 1, 2020, to nearly two years in federal prison.
Darrell Clark Turner, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after his guilty plea to one count of escape from custody.
In a plea agreement, Turner admitted that, in October 2017, he was sentenced to 38 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in federal court to possessing stolen mail matter and aggravated identity theft. Turner was released from prison in June 2019. After Turner violated his supervised release conditions, a federal judge ordered Turner to reside in a Waterloo halfway house. On February 25, 2019, while a resident of the halfway house, Turner signed out for work but was a “no call, no show” for work. He never returned to the halfway house. The United States Marshal’s Service arrested Turner on March 10, 2020.
Turner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Turner was sentenced to 23 months of imprisonment. Turner must also serve a new three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Turner has an extensive criminal history, including more than 35 convictions. Turner committed more than ten of those crimes while under court-ordered supervision for other crimes. This is Turner’s third escape conviction.
Turner 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 Tim Vavricek and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 20-CR-2019 and 17-CR-17.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Prison for Possessing Sawed-Off WeaponRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced on September 30, 2020, to nearly a decade in federal prison.
Richard Jacobson, age 56, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a guilty plea to unlawful possession of a sawed-off shotgun. Statements at sentencing showed that Jacobson, while high on methamphetamine, repeatedly racked or cocked the weapon while threatening to shoot at least one other person. The judge who sentenced Jacobson, United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams, characterized Jacobson’s conduct as both “threatening and terrifying.” The judge also noted that Jacobson had a “remarkably high number of adult felony convictions.”
Jacobson has previously been convicted of fourteen felony offenses. Those include multiple convictions for burglary and other violent crimes. He also has multiple prior convictions related to unlawfully possessing dangerous weapons.
Jacobson was sentenced to 115 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-2068.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Gun and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who unlawfully possessed a firearm and possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced on September 28, 2020, to almost four years in federal prison.
Corvelous Devontae Caston, age 30, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 4, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after having previously been convicted of a felony drug offense.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, on September 11, 2019, Caston was the backseat passenger of a car stopped by police. As officers approached the car, Caston opened his door and fled on foot. Officers pursued and eventually apprehended Caston. Officers recovered a loaded firearm with no serial number from Caston’s waistband and a mason jar containing a number of multi-colored pills that contained methamphetamine.
Caston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Caston was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Caston is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk Count Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-02072.
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Storm Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing firearms pled guilty September 16, 2020, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jacob Hernandez, 26, from Storm Lake, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
At the plea hearing, Hernandez admitted that from January 2020 through March 2020, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the Storm Lake and Fonda areas. In March 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence. During the search, officers seized $5,010 cash on Hernandez, cell phone, torch lighter, and vape pen. Officers also searched Hernandez’s garage and found: a Kimber .45 caliber pistol and a 20 gauge shotgun; approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine and 1.4 pounds of marijuana, 3 ounces of marijuana, drug ledgers, drug paraphernalia, various types of ammunition, vacuum seal bags, vacuum sealer, and two ballistic vests.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hernandez will remain in custody pending sentencing. Hernandez 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 drug conviction. On the firearm conviction, Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, which must be served consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed on the drug conviction and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 file, and up to five years of supervised release.
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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Sac County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3029. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Kansas City Man to Federal Prison for Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jason Clark, 47, from Kansas City, KS, pled guilty and was sentenced on September 23, 2020, to more than 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the hearing showed that Clark was involved in a distribution conspiracy that included more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. On or about May 18, 2019, in Woodbury County, Iowa, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Clark. During the traffic stop, officers observed a loaded handgun magazine in the vehicle. A subsequent pat-down of Clark revealed a knife in his pocket. Officers seized roughly a half-pound of methamphetamine from Clark’s vehicle.
Clark was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Clark was sentenced to 128 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. Clark 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 Patrick T. Greenwood and 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 20-4002. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Butler County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a gun pled guilty September 24, 2020, in federal court in Sioux City.
Michael Limkemann, 35, Clarksville, IA, was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon and user of controlled substances. Limkemann was previously convicted of felony drug and weapons crimes which made it illegal for him to possess a gun.
At the plea hearing, Limkemann admitted that sometime in either May or September 2019, Limkemann had given a .22 rifle to another drug user. Limkemann further admitted to possessing the .22 rifle while he was a user of methamphetamine and marijuana.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Limkemann remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Limkemann faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Clarksville Police Department, Butler County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3010. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Heroin Sale Near Truck Stop Results in Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
A man who distributed heroin near a truck stop was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Orlando Wash, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 21, 2020 guilty plea to one count of distribution of heroin near a truck stop after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense.
At the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, information showed that Wash sold heroin in the Cedar Rapids area from 2016 through 2019. Specifically on November 8, 2018, Wash sold heroin to an individual working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department near a truck stop located near I-380 in Cedar Rapids. Wash admitted he was responsible for possessing of a firearm during the period he was selling heroin.
Wash was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Wash was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Wash 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 Reinert and investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice by 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 19-CR-00127. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Felon and Drug User Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who unlawfully possessed a firearm was sentenced yesterday to fifteen years in federal prison.
Carlos Dejuan Hutchinson, age 41, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, on October 12, 2019, Hutchinson was the front-seat passenger in a truck that was stopped by police. Hutchinson and the driver were both removed from the truck. Officers found a pistol in the right rear pocket of Hutchinson’s pants. Hutchinson was arrested and placed in the back of a police car, where he attempted to ditch a methamphetamine pipe. At the guilty plea, Hutchinson admitted he possessed the firearm while he was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and after he had previously been convicted of three burglaries. He faced a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence because of his three prior burglary convictions.
Hutchinson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hutchinson was sentenced to 180 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. Hutchinson 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-00129.
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Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm After Shots Fired Call in Cedar RapidsRead the Press Release
A felon who was found in possession of a firearm following a shots fired call pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Kendall J. Willis, age 25, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Evidence at a prior hearing showed that on May 21, 2020, a call was made to the Cedar Rapids 911 line. The caller reported shots fired at an apartment complex on North Towne Court in Cedar Rapids. Police officers arrived at the scene and spoke with multiple witnesses. One witness saw two individuals, one of whom was later identified as Willis, walk into an apartment after the shots were fired. The witness saw that each individual was holding a handgun. Officers searched the ground near where the shots were fired and found three 9mm shell casings. Willis and Johnson then left the apartment that witnesses had seen them enter and were detained. During a later search of that apartment, officers found marijuana, drug packaging, and two 9mm pistols, one of which had an extended magazine. Ballistics testing determined that two of the shell casings found outside the apartment were fired by one of the pistols and that the other shell casing had been fired by the other pistol. Willis had previously been convicted of felony armed robbery charge in Chicago in 2014.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Willis remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Willis faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three 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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20‑CR‑00058‑CJW‑MAR.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Gun Following a ShootingRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed a gun as a felon and while being a marijuana user was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison.
Shakur Demir Todd-Ellis, age 22, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence following a March 17, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a prohibited person.
Information disclosed at sentencing and at his plea hearing revealed that on March 25, 2019, a shooting occurred outside an apartment complex in Waterloo, Iowa. Two different people fired shots during the incident. Todd-Ellis was not one of the shooters, but was present during the shootings. After the shooting, one of the shooters handed Todd-Ellis his firearm and Todd-Ellis went into the nearby apartment complex with it. Officers surrounded the area and had Todd-Ellis and other occupants of the apartment unit come out. Officers then searched the apartment unit where Todd-Ellis was located. Inside the unit, officers located three firearms, including the one Todd-Ellis took from the shooter. Officers also located multiple cell phone videos of Todd-Ellis holding firearms. Todd-Ellis admitted he has used marijuana since the 6th grade. He was also convicted of felony burglary in 2017.
Todd-Ellis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Todd-Ellis was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. Todd-Ellis was ordered to make payment of $100 to the special assessment fund. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) through a cooperative effort of the Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations Safe Streets Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2009.
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Former Executive Director of Daycare in Tama County Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing from her EmployerRead the Press Release
The former director of a daycare in Tama County, Iowa, was sentenced today to eight months of imprisonment.
Kristine Daniel, age 49, from Kellogg, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 31, 2019 guilty plea to theft from a federal program.
At the guilty plea, Daniel admitted she stole money from a daycare operating in Tama County. She further admitted that the daycare received federal funds as part of its operating budget. Part of the money she stole from the daycare came from those federal funds.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Daniel stole, embezzled, or misappropriated $113,829.73 from the daycare while she was employed as the Executive Director of the daycare from December 2009 through April 2016. Daniel obtained the money in various ways. She misappropriated approximately $33,000 by using daycare credit cards to buy items for her own personal use, including video games, clothing, and home furnishings. Daniel also issued herself over $34,000 in gross pay to which she was not entitled. Further, Daniel stole cash payments that parents gave to the daycare to pay for childcare. She stole over $42,000 in cash payments that she then deposited into her own bank account. During the time she was stealing from the daycare, Daniel was making approximately $40,000 a year in salary from the daycare.
Daniel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Daniel was sentenced to eight months’ confinement, four months of which must be spent in prison and four months of which will be spent in home detention. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. She was also ordered to pay $113,829.73 in restitution to the daycare. There is no parole in the federal system.
Daniel was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Auditor’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-109.
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Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A felon who possessed a firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Anthony Rush, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Rush admitted that, in May 2020, he knowingly possessed a .380 auto caliber pistol after having been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. According to the indictment, Rush was convicted of attempted burglary in the second degree in Linn County in 2012.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rush remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Rush faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three 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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 20-62.
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Man in Possession of Sawed-Off Shotgun Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Francisco Rubio, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act device.
In a plea agreement, Rubio admitted that on October 11, 2019, he knowingly possessed a Mossberg 500, 20 gauge sawed-off shotgun with an overall barrel length of less than 18 inches. That day, Waterloo police officers were dispatched to an alleyway behind a residence after receiving a report that individuals were attempting to break into a car. When an officer arrived, he observed Rubio seated in the passenger side of a red car. The driver of the red vehicle was running away from a different vehicle. The driver got into the red car and backed down the alley. Ignoring police commands to stop, the driver continued backing her car down the alley until she reached the roadway. The driver then turned her car onto the road and attempted to flee from the police. During the pursuit, the driver turned her car onto another alleyway. While they were traveling down this alleyway, Rubio threw the sawed-off shotgun out of his passenger window
Rubio was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Rubio was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Rubio is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2001.
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Le Mars Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Related Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
A Le Mars, Iowa man who stole government funds using a COVID-19 unemployment scheme pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.
Dennis George Chinn, age 54, from Le Mars, Iowa, was convicted of theft of government funds.
In a plea agreement, Chinn admitted to falsely reporting his income, stating it was $150 per week so he could get an additional $600 weekly payment, and fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits related to COVID-19 relief funds to which he was not entitled. In total, Chinn obtained over $13,000 in COVID-19 pandemic CARES Act Iowa unemployment funds.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Chinn remains free on bond pending sentencing. Chinn faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the United States Department of Labor and the Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Rooting out COVID-19 fraud is a priority of the Department of Justice. On March 27, 2020, the President signed the CARES Act, which provides emergency assistance to individuals, families, and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased unemployment benefits.
These prosecutions are an example of the Department of Justice’s strong commitment to combating fraud and criminal activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-4082.
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Iowa Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography was sentenced today to over six years in federal prison.
Shawn Kuhse, age 37, of Wadena, Iowa, received the sentence after a March 13, 2020 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography. In a plea agreement, Kuhse admitted that between October 2018 and April 2019 he received child pornography. Kuhse admitted he used a messaging app on his phone to receive child pornography from other users of the app.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Kuhse received over 700 images and 300 videos containing child pornography. The child pornography contained images of prepubescent girls involved in sex acts with adult men, adult women, and animals. Kuhse’s sentence was increased because the child pornography he received depicted sadistic, masochistic, or violent conduct.
Kuhse was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Kuhse was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. Kuhse must also serve a five-year term of supervised release, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 19-2073.
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Illinois Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
A woman who filed 36 fraudulent tax returns, some using the identities of other people, over a two-year period and stole the subsequent refunds was sentenced today to over a year in federal prison.
Toniece King, age 37, from Evanston, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 16, 2020 guilty plea to one count of theft of government property and one count of false claim for refund of taxes.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, King used her own name and the names and social security numbers of others to file fraudulent tax returns from January 2015 through January 2017. In total, she filed 36 fraudulent returns, claiming over $160,000 in refunds. Over $65,000 of the fraudulently claimed refunds was paid out. King received some of these refunds on prepaid debit cards that were found in her possession in March 2016.
King was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. King was sentenced to fourteen months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $65,481 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
King was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations and the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-118.
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Woman Who Helped a Man Get Dose of Heroin and Fentanyl that Caused His Death Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who helped a man obtain a fatal quantity of opioids and then delayed calling for help after he overdosed was sentenced on September 16, 2020, to four years in federal prison.
Jacqueline Margarett Birch, age 23, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 7, 2020 guilty plea to aiding and abetting the distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Birch drove her boyfriend, Mateusz Syryjczyk, and another individual to a residence in Dubuque, Iowa, during the early morning of May 27, 2019. Birch and the other individual went into the residence, and returned a short time later with purported heroin they had purchased from a dealer inside the residence. The three then drove to a hotel in Dubuque, where they all used the purported heroin. The other individual began to overdose in the room. Birch and Syryjczyk did not immediately call 911, but, over the course of multiple hours, Birch occasionally performed CPR on the individual to restore some breathing function, though the person never regained consciousness. Court records reflect that Birch also occasionally kicked the individual when he stopped breathing. Eventually, Birch and Syryjczyk decided they needed to call 911, and Syryjczyk took the remaining drug paraphernalia from the room to prevent law enforcement from finding it. Birch and Syryjczyk also made false statements to the responding police officers about the cause of the individual’s condition. That individual was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later determined the cause of death was use of heroin, fentanyl, and valeryl fentanyl. Syryjczyk previously pled guilty to misprision of a felony for his role in the incident, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Court documents also reflect that Birch had previously cleaned up an overdose death scene and lied to the police about it in Peosta, Iowa, in 2016.
Birch was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Birch was sentenced to 48 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.
Birch is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and 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 19-CR-1041-CJW-MAR.
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Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin that Caused OverdoseRead the Press Release
A man who sold heroin that caused a near-fatal overdose pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Michael Jerome Greenwood, age 26, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of distributing heroin near a playground.
In a plea agreement, Greenwood admitted that he sold heroin in Dubuque between 2016 and 2018. In August 2018, Greenwood sold $100 worth of heroin to two women. After using the heroin, one of the women lost consciousness and started having trouble breathing. The woman’s family members rushed her to the hospital, where she was revived with Narcan, saving her life. Greenwood also admitted in the plea agreement that he sometimes requested sexual favors from his customers in exchange for heroin.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Greenwood remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Greenwood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 1 year imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Dupuich, Dan Chatham, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Geocaris.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-1044-CJW.
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Convicted Felon from Dyersville, Iowa, Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A multiple-time convicted felon who unlawfully possessed guns was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.
Allen Osterkamp, age 29, from Dyersville, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 5, 2020, guilty plea to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Osterkamp admitted he unlawfully possessed a stolen gun in March 2017. At the sentencing hearing, Osterkamp admitted he actually possessed more than eight guns around March 2017. Osterkamp had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including possessing a precursor with intent to manufacture meth, operating a motor vehicle without consent, and multiple convictions for theft. Osterkamp also had two prior convictions for domestic abuse.
Osterkamp was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Osterkamp was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Osterkamp is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-65.
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Cedar Rapids Woman Who Lied to the Grand Jury Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who lied to a federal grand jury about her boyfriend’s drug use was sentenced to federal prison on September 16, 2020.
Paula Lynn Cole, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 2, 2020 guilty plea to one count of making a false declaration before a grand jury.
In a plea agreement, Cole admitted that she testified before a federal grand jury in September 2018 regarding an investigation of her boyfriend for a firearms charge. During her grand jury testimony, Cole testified that she did not know whether her boyfriend was a marijuana user and that there was nothing that ever indicated to her that he used marijuana. Cole admitted in her plea agreement that her grand jury testimony was false and that she knew that her boyfriend was a marijuana user because she had previously seen him use marijuana.
Cole was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Cole was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, four months of which will be served in prison, and four months of which will be served in home detention. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cole 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 investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cedar Rapids Police Department, and 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 19-CR‑00107‑CJW‑MAR.
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Carroll Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography pled guilty today, in federal court in Sioux City.
Kyler Colten Cook, age 29, from Carroll, IA, pled guilty to receipt of child pornography.
In a plea agreement, Cook admitted that between February 8, 2019 and December 3, 2019, he knowingly received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
While released pending trial, Cook was caught sending graphic texts and visual images to a female and was then detained in federal custody pending trial.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Cook remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Cook faces a minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-3023.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Conspiracy Caught Transporting 10 Pounds of Meth to IowaRead the Press Release
A California man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Iowa pled guilty on September 17, 2020, in federal court in Sioux City.
Gabriel Mata-Becerra, 37, from Hayward, California, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Mata-Becerra admitted that beginning on or about March 2019 and continuing to on or about May 2019, he and others had an agreement to distribute more than 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine. In furtherance of that agreement, on or about April 21, 2019, Mata-Becerra was traffic stopped in Wyoming and law enforcement seized approximately ten pounds of ice methamphetamine from inside an unconnected speaker box in the trunk of his vehicle. Mata-Becerra further admitted that he had acquired the methamphetamine in California and was traveling from California to Hawarden, Iowa to deliver the methamphetamine to another person.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mata-Becerra remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mata-Becerra 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 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office; the Wyoming State Patrol; and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4054. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man who Unlawfully Possessed Handgun During Violent Melee Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who was involved in a melee at a friend’s house, and later found with guns and knives, was sentenced today to two years in prison.
Andrew Monroe, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a drug user. On August 29, 2019, police responded to a call to a home in Marion, Iowa. The police discovered that there had been a violent melee at the house. The melee ultimately resulted in the hospitalization of multiple individuals with life-threatening stab wounds. Monroe admitted to being present and police found him with a pistol while under the influence of marijuana.
Monroe was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Monroe was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background
Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Monroe is set to surrender to the United States Marshal on October 13, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. and will be 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 investigated by Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-05-CJW.
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Cedar Rapids Man that Unlawfully Possessed Three Guns Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who illegally possessed a different firearm on multiple occasions was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Michael Gene Hodges, Jr., age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one-count of possession of a firearm as a drug user.
In a plea agreement, Hodges admitted that he illegally possessed three firearms as a drug user: one on March 24, 2019, another on May 11, 2019, and a third on February 6, 2020. Evidence at sentencing showed that Hodges discharged the firearm he possessed on March 24, 2019, during an incident that occurred in the parking lot of Woody’s Show Club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Hodges was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hodges was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Hodges 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-00130.
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Drug User Who Unlawfully Possessed a Firearm Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A drug user who unlawfully possessed a rifle was sentenced September 10, 2020, to more than seven months in federal prison.
Isaiah Roy Mixon, age 21, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user.
Information provided at his detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed that on January 6, 2019, Spencer, Iowa police officers responded to a request for a welfare check of defendant at his residence. Mixon was found in possession of 12 grams of marijuana, packaging materials, grinders, recently opened odorless bags that had been mailed to him, $12,000 in cash, and a DPMS .223 rifle and ammunition.
Mixon was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mixon was sentenced to 7 months’ 28 days imprisonment. He must also serve a 6-month term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
Mixon 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 Spencer, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-4074.
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Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
On September 11, 2020, an Iowa farmer was sentenced for his role in a scheme to defraud financial institutions.
Michael Throne, age 61, from Scarville, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 12, 2020 guilty plea to one count of False Statement to a Financial Institution.
During his change of plea and sentencing hearings, it was revealed that sometime before January 2018 – and before he obtained his 2018 operating loans, Throne began stealing from, and lying to, his banks. He began converting the property that had been pledged to the banks as collateral, and began overstating the value of the remaining collateral in order to obtain additional funds. He even altered futures contracts to inflate his anticipated income streams. When his scheme collapsed and was detected by the bank, he confessed his crimes to the bank.
Throne was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Throne was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $1,474,964.61 in restitution to the First State Bank of Kiester and $625,445.48 in restitution to the Farm Service Agency (FSA). He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Throne was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prison on a date yet to be set.
The case was investigated by the USDA, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Forde Fairchild, Ajay Alexander, Matt Cole, and Marty McLaughlin.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-3003.
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Belle Plaine Man Charged with Distributing, Receiving, and Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jared Daily, age 34, of Belle Plaine, Iowa, has been charged with distribution, receipt, and accessing of child pornography. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on September 3, 2020, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between January and June 2020, Daily knowingly distributed child pornography, received child pornography, and accessed child pornography on a cell phone.
If convicted, Daily faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $102,300 in special assessments, and at least 5 years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Daily appeared on September 9, 2020, in federal court in Cedar Rapids for a detention hearing and was released on bond. Daily’s next appearance for trial is set for November 2, 2020.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 20-73.
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Spencer Woman to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced September 3, 2020, to more than 6 years in federal prison. Shana Mull, 33, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 19, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between June 2019 through August 2019, Mull and others conspired to distribute over 10 pounds of methamphetamine in the Iowa Great Lakes area. Mull was responsible for the distribution of smaller (sub ounce) quantities of methamphetamine. Mull further admitted her association with and assistance to a larger methamphetamine dealer in the acquisition of ten pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of cocaine. In late August 2019, on two separate occasions, Mull engaged in extremely reckless conduct in her attempts to elude law enforcement, causing substantial property damage while erratically operating a motor vehicle at excessive speeds. During the time period of the conspiracy Mull associated with others who possessed firearms. Mull was ultimately captured in Okoboji, Iowa, in a self-storage unit where she and her boyfriend were temporarily residing.
Mull was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mull was sentenced to 82 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Mull is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Okoboji Police Department, Milford Police Department, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, Spencer Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4075. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Following a Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported two times was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison.
Omar Acosta-Ruiz, age 35, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on June 29, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for a felony.
At the guilty plea, Acosta-Ruiz admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Acosta-Ruiz was first deported in August 2009. He was also deported in March 2017 following a conviction in the Northern District of Iowa for illegal reentry, a felony.
On May 29, 2020, Acosta-Ruiz was convicted in Tama County, Iowa, of false imprisonment and assault causing bodily injury. He also has Iowa convictions for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in 2008 and operating a motor vehicle while barred in 2015. Acosta-Ruiz also illegally used the Social Security number of U.S. citizens when he completed employment forms in September 2010 at a business in Sibley, Iowa, and in December 2018 at a business in Malcom, Iowa. Acosta-Ruiz illegally worked at the business in Malcom until his arrest on April 25, 2020, in Tama County, Iowa, on the false imprisonment and assault causing bodily injury charges.
Acosta-Ruiz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Acosta-Ruiz 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.
Acosta-Ruiz 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 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 20-CR-42.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Following a Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to three months in federal prison.
Marcos Guico-Macario, age 43, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on July 15, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for an aggravated felony.
In a plea agreement, Guico-Macario admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Guico-Macario was deported in February 2003 following a May 2001 conviction in the District Court for Finney County, Kansas, for attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child, an aggravated felony. Guico-Macario also admitted he illegally used the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen when he completed employment forms in September 2018 at a business in Tama, Iowa. Guico-Macario illegally worked at the business using the alias until his arrest on May 24, 2020, in Tama County, Iowa, for providing false identification information.
Guico-Macario was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Guico-Macario was sentenced to 96 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.
Guico-Macario 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 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 20-CR-41.
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Guatemalan 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 three months in federal prison.
Victor Sajcap-Agreda, age 40, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Allamakee County, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on July 15, 2020, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Sajcap-Agreda admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Sajcap-Agreda was deported in March 2014 following a misdemeanor conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States. Sajcap-Agreda most recently came to the attention of immigration agents following his arrest on May 31, 2020, in Allamakee County, Iowa, for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. These charges are still pending.
Sajcap-Agreda was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Sajcap-Agreda was sentenced to 90 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.
Sajcap-Agreda 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 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 20-CR-1017.
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Onawa Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced September 4, 2020, to 7 years in federal prison.
Nathan Wagner, 34, from Onawa, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location.
At the hearing, Wagner admitted that from about June 2017 through December 2018 he along with others distributed more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine in Sioux City. Wagner admitted that he and another individual involved in the conspiracy regularly traveled to Omaha, NE to obtain methamphetamine, which they brought back to a residence in Sioux City to split up and sell to others. This residence was within 1000 feet of Cook Park.
Wagner was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Wagner was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Wagner is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by 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 19-4062.
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Illegal Drug User in Possession of a Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Rodney Cook, age 40, of Starke, Florida, received the prison term after an August 24, 2020 guilty plea and sentencing on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal drug user.
Information disclosed during the change of plea and sentencing hearings revealed that on May 5, 2019, law enforcement was dispatched to the Park Motel in Denison, Iowa, in response to reports that a man had fired a gun from inside his room into the parking lot on the south side of the motel. When police responded they did not see the shooter but noticed that the door to a particular hotel room was open and the window had been broken out. As law enforcement approached that room, they observed Cook standing in his hotel room reloading a revolver. Cook told one officer he had used methamphetamine earlier and there was meth in the room. Cook told another officer he had fired the revolver in an attempt to scare some people away. A subsequent search of his room revealed methamphetamine and a second handgun. Cook has twice before been convicted of misdemeanor violence, including an assault and battery on a law enforcement officer.
Cook was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cook was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cook is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe 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 also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.
The case was investigated by the Denison, Iowa Police Department and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa (that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation), and 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 19-CR-4070.
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