Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Permanent Resident of the United States Sentenced to Prison After Defrauding the Government through the Diversity Visa Lottery SystemRead the Press Release
A man who came to the United States in 2013 and claimed asylum was sentenced Friday for his involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the government.
Joseph Longanga Okoko, age 69, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, received the prison term on January 30, 2026, after a guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
In June 2013, Okoko entered the United States on a visa and later applied for asylum. He then petitioned for several of his children, who were living in Congo, to join him in the United States. In his application, Okoko listed one of his children as unmarried. In a plea agreement, Okoko admitted that in May 2019 his child married Bienvenu Saido Binyangi prior to coming to the United States. Okoko never updated his petition to show that his child was married. Additionally, when filing out an application to adjust his status, Okoko falsely stated that he had never been charged with, committed, or convicted of a crime. However, on December 5, 2019, Okoko was convicted of disorderly conduct, fighting, or violent behavior, in Black Hawk County, Iowa.
Okoko also admitted to assisting individuals in the Congo to illegally enter the United States. Okoko provided false information in immigration paperwork, and assisted diversity visa lottery winners in entering fake marriages so they could enter the United States illegally. Okoko also paid for people to enter the United States but then required repayment at a hundred to three hundred percent of his cost.
Okoko was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Okoko was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Okoko was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on a date yet to be set. Medard Lotahe Elonge, Joseph Onolenga Okamba, and Bienvenu Saido Binyangi, who were charged in the same indictment and have also pled guilty to crimes in the indictment, have yet to be sentenced.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Cole and Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, the United States Postal Inspection, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Waterloo Police Department, the Sioux City Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2052.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Aaron StandsAndLooksBack, a/k/a Aaron Woodman, 42, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced on January 29, 2026, to 300 months’ imprisonment. StandsAndLooksBack pled guilty June 4, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between December 2020 and December 2023, StandsAndLooksBack and others conspired to distribute at least 45 kilograms of methamphetamine. Evidence also showed that StandsAndLooksBack obtained methamphetamine, by buying or stealing it from sources to distribute to others. StandsAndLooksBack specifically admitted that he stole sizable amounts of methamphetamine from his mother, who was also sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking, then re-distributed the methamphetamine to others in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. StandsAndLooksBack was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. StandsAndLooksBack remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Iowa Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Marshalltown Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed nearly three kilograms of methamphetamine was sentenced January 28, 2026, to more than twelve years in federal prison.
Marcos Servin, age 23, from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 3, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that law enforcement officers stopped Servin as he was driving on October 23, 2024. During the traffic stop, a narcotic detection K9 positively indicated the presence of an odor of a controlled substance within Servin’s car. Officers searched Servin’s car and located over 900 grams of ice methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers later searched a Des Moines home that Servin had left earlier that day. Officers located over 1,900 grams of ice methamphetamine inside the home.
Servin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Servin was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Servin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-97.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Illinois Woman Sentenced to over 25 Years in Prison for Her Role in Iowa Drug RingRead the Press Release
Nichole Marie Schmidt, age 43, from Galesburg, Illinois, was sentenced today to over 25 years in federal prison.
Schmidt received the prison term after a June 3, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and 50 grams of pure methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice.”
Evidence at the sentencing showed that between February 2024 and September 2024, Schmidt received pound quantities of methamphetamine from her source in Chicago, Illinois. Schmidt then distributed the methamphetamine to others in Iowa, knowing they would redistribute the drugs throughout the state.
In September 2024, Schmidt met her ex-husband in Davenport, Iowa,
where Schmidt rented a car. Schmidt’s ex-husband drove the rental car to Chicago, where he picked up drugs and a gun for Schmidt and a co-conspirator. Schmidt’s ex-husband then returned to Davenport, where he gave the drugs and gun to Schmidt and the co-conspirator. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers stopped the car Schmidt was driving. Her co-conspirator was in the passenger seat. During a search of the car, officers found approximately 12 pounds of pure methamphetamine, oxycodone, LSD, MDMA, cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded gun. Schmidt admitted that she intended to distribute the drugs to people throughout Iowa. In total, the court found Schmidt’s role in the conspiracy involved over 9,000,000 kilograms of converted drug weight, which included over 450 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, an amount the judge described as “astronomical.”
Schmidt has two prior felony drug convictions, including a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
Schmidt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Schmidt was sentenced to 304 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.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery, and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1021.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Illinois Woman Sentenced to over 25 Years in Prison for Her Role in Iowa Drug RingRead the Press Release
Nichole Marie Schmidt, age 43, from Galesburg, Illinois, was sentenced today to over 25 years in federal prison.
Schmidt received the prison term after a June 3, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and 50 grams of pure methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice.”
Evidence at the sentencing showed that between February 2024 and September 2024, Schmidt received pound quantities of methamphetamine from her source in Chicago, Illinois. Schmidt then distributed the methamphetamine to others in Iowa, knowing they would redistribute the drugs throughout the state.
In September 2024, Schmidt met her ex-husband in Davenport, Iowa,
where Schmidt rented a car. Schmidt’s ex-husband drove the rental car to Chicago, where he picked up drugs and a gun for Schmidt and a co-conspirator. Schmidt’s ex-husband then returned to Davenport, where he gave the drugs and gun to Schmidt and the co-conspirator. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers stopped the car Schmidt was driving. Her co-conspirator was in the passenger seat. During a search of the car, officers found approximately 12 pounds of pure methamphetamine, oxycodone, LSD, MDMA, cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded gun. Schmidt admitted that she intended to distribute the drugs to people throughout Iowa. In total, the court found Schmidt’s role in the conspiracy involved over 9,000,000 kilograms of converted drug weight, which included over 450 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, an amount the judge described as “astronomical.”
Schmidt has two prior felony drug convictions, including a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
Schmidt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Schmidt was sentenced to 304 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.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery, and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1021.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to a Year in Federal Prison for Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Honduran citizen who illegally reentered the United States and cut off an ankle monitor and fled after getting caught was sentenced today to a year in federal prison.
Oscar Lopez-Martinez, age 46, from Honduras, received the prison term after a November 5, 2025, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry.
Information at sentencing showed that Lopez-Martinez was arrested for OWI in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in December 2022. After he was in the Linn County jail, ICE officers arrested Lopez-Martinez for having reentered the country illegally. Lopez-Martinez had been removed from the country six times. He was also convicted of illegal entry in 2016 in federal court in Arizona.
Lopez-Martinez was released pending his trial for illegal reentry. An ankle monitor was placed on him so that the probation office could monitor his location. Days after being released, Lopez-Martinez cut off the ankle monitor and fled. His whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested by the United States Marshals Service in September 2025.
Lopez-Martinez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Lopez-Martinez was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Lopez-Martinez 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 Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the United States Marshals Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-cr-101.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Financial Planner Who Did Not File Tax Returns or Pay Income Tax on Nearly $1,500,000 in Income Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A financial planner who failed to file income tax returns for eight years after failing to do so for seven earlier years was sentenced today to three months in federal prison.
Matthew Westberry, age 43, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 22, 2025, guilty plea to two counts of failure to file a tax return.
In a plea agreement, Westberry admitted that he did not file a tax return from 2006 to 2012. After being contacted by tax authorities in 2013, Westberry filed delinquent returns for those years and a tax return for 2013. However, he did not pay the income tax he owed for 2008 through 2013.
After filing a tax return in 2013, Westberry stopped filing tax returns. He did not file a tax return for any year between 2014 and 2021. During those years, Westberry had gross income of nearly $1,500,000 from his work as a financial planner. He paid no income tax on those earnings during those years. Westberry should have paid more than $250,000 in federal income tax for that income.
As a result of his failure to pay income taxes for 2008 to 2013, the IRS placed two liens on a piece of property Westberry had agreed to purchase. Westberry did not go through with the purchase but did not have the liens removed from the property. When the property owner tried to sell the property to someone else, the owner discovered the IRS liens in Westberry’s name. To get the liens off the property, Westberry filed false lien releases with the Linn County Recorder’s Office. He prepared the lien releases to look like they came from the IRS. Westberry was convicted of forgery in state court for filing the false lien releases.
Westberry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States Magistrate Judge Mark Roberts. Westberry was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Once he is released from prison, he will have to serve an additional three months of home confinement. He was ordered to make $264,502 in restitution to the IRS. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Westberry had paid approximately $36,000 towards restitution prior to his sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.
Westberry 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 and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-00054.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $27 million for Federal Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Leif Olson announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa collected almost $27 million on behalf of federal taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2025. This amount is made up of civil and criminal debts owed to the federal government, restitution to be paid to victims of crime, and assets forfeited because they were used in criminal activity.
The Office collected $2,675,113.02 in criminal actions, $23,640,993.02 in civil actions, and $647,230 in forfeited assets. The forfeited assets, $9,163,842.42 in civil cases, and $2,668,589.60 in criminal cases were recovered by the Office alone. The remaining amounts were recovered jointly with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice.
“Holding wrongdoers responsible for their actions is a crucial part of our mission,” Olson said. “That means making sure that people make good on the amounts they owe to the federal government, especially criminals who’ve been ordered to pay fines and victim restitution. We will continue to work diligently to collect money for the federal treasury and return money to victims of crime.”
U.S. Attorney’s Offices are among the Department of Justice components responsible for enforcing and collecting debts owed to the federal government and criminal debts owed to victims of federal crimes. Those convicted of certain federal crimes must pay restitution to victims who suffered a physical or financial injury. Criminal fines and assessments go to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes funds to federal and state victim-compensation and victim-assistance programs. Forfeited assets go to the Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund, which is used for crime victims and a variety of other law-enforcement purposes.
Five-Time Convicted Felon and Domestic Abuser Sentenced After Police Find Him with a GunRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who possessed a gun after having five felony convictions and a conviction for a misdemeanor domestic abuse offense was sentenced January 26, 2026, to seven and a half years in federal prison.
Kirby Joe Truesdell, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a jury verdict finding him guilty of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The jury verdict came after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
The evidence at trial showed that on November 25, 2024, Truesdell was seen in an unoccupied home in Cedar Rapids. When police officers arrived on scene to investigate, they found Truesdell coming out of the detached garage. Truesdell was not cooperative with officers, and they took him into custody. Officers found a loaded revolver inside a backpack in Truesdell’s possession. Truesdell was previously convicted of five felony offenses, including OWI 3rd Offense, burglary, theft, and forgery. He was also previously convicted of assault causing bodily injury - domestic abuse-penalty enhanced.
Truesdell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Truesdell was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Nydle and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the US Marshal Service and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-00006.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Career Offender Sentenced to over 16 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine During a Traffic AccidentRead the Press Release
A man who possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced January 27, 2026, to more than 16 years in federal prison.
Mark Allen Mendenhall, age 53, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 16, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Mendenhall admitted that on September 19, 2024, in Dickinson County, Iowa, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute approximately 40 grams of pure methamphetamine. At that time, despite being a fugitive from the Iowa Department of Corrections, Mendenhall was working as a patient transport driver. While driving a patient to an appointment, he crossed the center lane and struck a semitruck. After being transported to a local hospital, he was found to have approximately 40 grams of pure methamphetamine concealed on his body. A search of the vehicle he was driving revealed syringes, fake identification cards, fake United States currency, and other indicia of drug use. Mendenhall has an extensive criminal history which includes 24 prior convictions, spanning over 25 years. Due to having at least two prior felony convictions that are crimes of violence or controlled substance offenses, Mendenhall was categorized for sentencing purposes as a career offender.
Mendenhall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mendenhall was sentenced to 199 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spirit Lake Police Department and the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-04082. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Iowa Woman to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Starr Ledford, 43, from Manson and Atlantic, Iowa, was sentenced on January 21, 2026, to 60 months’ imprisonment. Ledford pled guilty July 22, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2024 through May 2024, Ledford and others were involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least three pounds of pure methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, Iowa, area. Evidence further showed that on two occasions in April 2024, Ledford distributed a total of more than 300 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. In May 2024, law enforcement conducted surveillance of Ledford as she traveled to Omaha, Nebraska and it was later determined she obtained about ½ pound of methamphetamine from her source of supply in Omaha. Ledford obtained methamphetamine multiple times from her source in Omaha to re-distribute in and around Fort Dodge.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Ledford to 60 months’ imprisonment. Ledford must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Ledford remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dow City Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Bryce White, 42, from Dow City, Iowa, pled guilty January 21, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receipt of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, White admitted that between August 1, 2023, and August 2024, he coerced minor females into sending him depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. White used Snapchat to pose as a minor and solicited and received nude images and videos of minor females from across the United States and overseas. In September 2023, a Midland, Michigan, law enforcement agency began investigating White based on a complaint from a minor female’s parents. The parents discovered inappropriate messages on Snapchat between their daughter and White. Law enforcement traced the Snapchat account back to White in Dow City. Agents in Iowa obtained and executed search warrants for White’s electronics. Forensic examination revealed 14 videos, 180 images of child sexual abuse material, and over 20,000 images of child erotica in White’s possession. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. White remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. White faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Midland County Michigan Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4079. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Andrew Gross, 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on January 16, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Gross pled guilty September 11, 2025, to possession of child pornography.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Sioux City Police received a report from the parents of a 15-year-old that Gross was having conversations with their child that were sexual in nature. Further investigation revealed that Gross and the minor victim discussed sexually explicit messages which also contained photographs of the minor victim. Evidence also showed that Gross received child pornography from April 1–May 14, 2024, and that Gross possessed thousands of other images and videos of child pornography on his cell phone. In 2021, Gross had been convicted of offenses relating to aggravated sexual abuse involving a minor in Minnesota.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Gross to 120 months’ imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Gross must also pay $3,000 in restitution to the victims of his crimes and an additional $1,100 in fines and assessments. Gross remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by Sioux City and South Sioux City Police Departments and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information is at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-4021. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Daniel Kaler, 38, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced today to 64 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty on September 8, 2025, to possessing child pornography.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from November 2023 to October 2024, Kaler received and possessed over 7,000 images and videos of child pornography. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers. A CyberTip from Verizon’s cloud storage company to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children connected downloads of child pornography to Kaler’s account. Law enforcement officers searched Kaler’s electronic devices pursuant to a search warrant. Analysis of Kaler’s devices showed he utilized third-party web browsers called “Brave” and “Yandex” to search for and download child pornography.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Kaler was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment, and he must serve a term of five-years of supervised release following imprisonment. He was ordered to pay $6,600 in fines and restitution. Kaler remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4016. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Storm Lake City Employee Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A former Storm Lake city employee was sentenced today to seven years’ imprisonment for possessing child pornography.
Brian Oakleaf, age 52, from Storm Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 9, 2025, guilty plea to two counts of possession of child pornography.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, from March 1, 2022, through July 29, 2024, Oakleaf received, distributed, and possessed child pornography, including depictions involving prepubescent minors, on two separate cell phones. In May 2024, law enforcement officers were investigating an online filesharing program and directed their focus on an IP address that was sharing child sexual abuse material. Investigators focused on the owner of the IP address, which led them to Oakleaf, a Storm Lake city employee.
On July 29, 2024, investigators searched Oakleaf’s home and his office at the Storm Lake City Hall. Officers seized cell phones and electronic devices. Analysis of Oakleaf’s devices showed that he used the filesharing program investigators were targeting. He also searched for many known child exploitation search terms to obtain child sexual abuse material. Evidence further showed that Oakleaf had used the alias Dan Dyle to look at and trade child sexual abuse material.
In the plea agreement, Oakleaf admitted he possessed a video that was over 90 minutes in length and over 20,000 images of child sexual abuse material on his two phones. The videos and images included depictions of toddlers, bondage, and sadistic and masochistic conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Oakleaf was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Oakleaf must also pay $54,000 in restitution to the victims in this case and an additional $1,200 in fines and assessments. Oakleaf remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4020.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Jared Stuart Stratton, age 46, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 20, 2025, guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that Stratton sold methamphetamine on three separate occasions between September and October of 2024 to an individual who was working with law enforcement.
Stratton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Stratton was sentenced to 80 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Stratton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Kansas City is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, covering Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. HSTF Kansas City is composed of agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the State Investigative Agencies for Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
This HSTF case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by HSTF Kansas City, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-44.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who recorded himself sexually abusing a child was sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison.
Kevin Patrick Sullivan, age 43, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 20, 2025, guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
Evidence at sentencing showed that between 2013 and 2015, Sullivan recorded himself sexually abusing a child and recorded the child when the child was nude. Sullivan stored these recordings on hard drives, which law enforcement officers found when they searched his home in January 2025. Sullivan physically and sexually abused the child in numerous other ways between 2005 and 2016. Between 2013 and January 2025, Sullivan also received and possessed thousands of images and videos of child pornography, including depictions involving infants and sadistic and masochistic conduct.
Sullivan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to make $15,000 in restitution. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.”
Sullivan is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-30.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon and Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed a firearm while also possessing drugs that he intended to distribute was sentenced today to more than eight years in federal prison.
Darius Caston, age 33, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 28, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
In a plea agreement, Caston admitted that officers found marijuana, methamphetamine, and a stolen and loaded gun in Caston’s car after stopping him on January 1, 2025. Caston admitted that he intended to distribute the marijuana and methamphetamine that was in the car. Caston also admitted that it was illegal for him to possess a gun because he had previously been convicted of a felony offense.
Caston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Caston was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Caston is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-56.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who possessed and distributed fentanyl was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Justin Jawuan Members, age 28, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 29, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
In a plea agreement, Members admitted that law enforcement officers saw him distribute fentanyl twice. After the distributions, law enforcement officers searched a home that Members stayed at and located over 300 fentanyl pills and a firearm.
Members was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Members was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Members is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1022.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Woman with Lengthy Criminal History Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Illegally Possessing a Stolen GunRead the Press Release
A woman who illegally possessed a stolen gun after being convicted of a felony offense was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Daisha Rae Bradshaw, age 33, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 12, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the guilty plea, Bradshaw admitted she illegally possessed a gun on May 16, 2025. On that date, police located a stolen gun and methamphetamine in her purse during a traffic stop. Bradshaw was prohibited from possessing firearms because of felony convictions from 2017 and 2018. She has prior convictions for assault, including assaulting police officers, domestic abuse assault, and felony theft. Bradshaw also has multiple convictions for eluding, where she led officers on high-speed car chases that involved traveling at speeds exceeding the posted speed limit by 25 mph, driving on the wrong direction of an exit ramp off of Interstate 380, and ending in vehicle collisions.
Bradshaw was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bradshaw was sentenced to 78 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. In imposing the sentence, Judge Strand noted Bradshaw’s criminal history was “relentless and obnoxious” and that “it was amazing she hasn’t killed somebody.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Bradshaw 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 Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-0066.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Felon Involved in a Shooting Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who shot at another person was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison.
Anthony Isiah Pennell, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 30, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that, on October 9, 2024, in a mall parking lot in Cedar Rapids, Pennell fired a gun. Following an argument between an individual who was with Pennell and another person, Pennell grabbed a gun out of a purse belonging to a woman who he was also with, and he began shooting at the other person. Pennell’s gunfire hit the back of the other person’s car, and it also hit another car that was parked in the parking lot. As officers were responding to the shooting, they saw Pennell running from the area. Pennell threw the gun into a storm drain as he was running. Pennell was prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior assault-related felony conviction from 2018.
Pennell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Pennell 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Pennell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-10.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Domestic Abuser Who Possessed Firearms with High Capacity Magazines Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted domestic abuser who possessed guns illegally was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Chad Michael Newell, age 51, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 4, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a person convicted of domestic violence.
In 2020, Newell was convicted of domestic abuse assault by strangulation and domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury. Based on these convictions, Newell was prohibited from possessing guns. On February 11, 2025, police searched Newell’s garage and located three guns in Newell’s inside a car. Two of the guns had a magazine with a 30-round capacity.
Newell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Newell was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Newell was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Waterloo Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-02029.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Michigan Man Who Caused Plane to Make Emergency Landing in Cedar Rapids Sentenced to over a Year in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was flying from Omaha to Detroit who disrupted the flight, causing the plane to divert to Cedar Rapids and make an emergency landing, was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.
Mario Nikprelaj, age 24, from Shelby Township, Michigan, received the prison term after a September 23, 2025, guilty plea to one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.
Information at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on July 17, 2025, Nikprelaj boarded a plane in Omaha, Nebraska, bound for Detroit, Michigan. Even before the plane left the gate, Nikprelaj began making disruptive and rude statements to passengers and flight crew. Nikprelaj refused to put his seatbelt on, but a flight attendant eventually convinced him to do so and the plane took off.
Once in the air, Nikprelaj began disrupting the flight and interfering with the flight crew’s performance of their duties. He repeatedly took off his seat belt and had to be told to put it back on. He flipped off the flight attendant telling him to put his seat belt on and stood up repeatedly while the plane was ascending. Eventually, Nikprelaj poked the flight attendant in the chest. The flight attendant told Nikprelaj that the flight attendant would report him to law enforcement. Nikprelaj threatened to kill the flight attendant.
Eventually, Nikprelaj appeared to have fallen asleep in his seat. The two flight attendants began service for the passengers. However, several passengers pressed their emergency call buttons when Nikprelaj began manipulating the emergency exit door near his seat. Passengers believed he was trying to open the door. The flight attendant Nikprelaj had threated, who was 80 years old, approached him again to stop him. Nikprelaj pushed the flight attendant away, swore at the flight attendant, and continued to threaten to kill him.
After this incident was reported to him, the captain of the plane decided to make an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As the plane was descending, Nikprelaj again stood up, took his shirt off, and began walking up and down the aisle. The flight crew asked for help from the passengers. Three passengers approached Nikprelaj, and he became belligerent with them. Nikprelaj took a swing at them. He eventually returned to his seat. While the plane was landing, Nikprelaj continued to flip off the flight attendant and other passengers.
Officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department were waiting for the plane to land. After it landed, they boarded the plane and took Nikprelaj into custody. When officers searched him, they found a prescription bottle containing 41 pills of purported Xanax. The prescription on the bottle was not in Nikprelaj’s name.
Nikprelaj has a criminal history including a conviction for assaulting, resisting, or obstructing a police officer. In that situation, Nikprelaj ran from, resisted even when tasered, and fought with law enforcement officers. He also has convictions for domestic violence, disorderly conduct, breaking and entering, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Nikprelaj was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Nikprelaj was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-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 Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Eastern Iowa Airport Public Safety Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-61.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Arthur, Iowa, Man Sentenced to 8 years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography was sentenced on January 9, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Wesley Ham, 32, from Arthur, Iowa, pled guilty on August 20, 2025, to receipt of child pornography. At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that between March 2022, and September 2023, Ham received and possessed more than 94 images and 79 videos of child pornography. A forensic review of Ham’s computer and phone showed he possessed 370 images and 99 videos of child pornography, some of which included infants and toddlers as well as sadistic and masochistic conduct. Ham admitted to receiving and possessing child pornography. Ham also admitted to distributing child pornography in a state of Iowa case in 2022. In connection with his 2022 case, Ham admitted to lingering around coffee shops and other public spaces in attempts to generate encounters with minor children and admitted to being on bike trails in residential areas in hopes of finding people in their houses to secretly watch them.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ham was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Ham must also pay $10,500 in restitution to the victims in this case. Ham remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (Cyber Crime Bureau) and the Ida County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3017. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Victor Villarreal, 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced today, to more than 3 years in federal prison, after a September 16, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed on May 3, 2025, Villarreal, the mother of his children, and others went out for dinner and drinks, leaving Villarreal’s minor children under the care of a 15-year old babysitter. He became intoxicated, agitated, and returned home. When the mother of the children attempted to stop Villarreal from driving the children away while he was intoxicated, he became violent and pulled a gun. The babysitter called 911 for help. In the early morning hours of May 4, 2025, law enforcement responded to the report of an angry, intoxicated, man waving a firearm in the air and threatening others, including minors. Villarreal fled the scene in another person’s car prior to officers’ arrival. Law enforcement learned he was a felon and also subject to an active no contact order both of which precluded his lawful possession of a firearm. Officers found Villarreal, attempted to stop him, but he fled leading officers on a pursuit. Villarreal drove through residential neighborhoods in Sioux City at a high rate of speed, eventually hitting a wooden fence where he exited the vehicle and was taken into custody.
Villarreal was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Villarreal is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4044.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon Who Illegally Possessed Firearm Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced on January 8, 2026, to 30 months’ imprisonment.
Taxavier Ford, 29, from Alta, Iowa, pled guilty on August 11, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ford was previously convicted of possession of a narcotic drug, in the State of Indiana in 2017, and possession of marijuana, with intent to deliver and possession of a firearm by a felon, in the Iowa District Court for Buena Vista County in 2021. Both of these convictions prohibit a person from possessing any firearm.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on March 14, 2025, in Storm Lake, Iowa, law enforcement observed a vehicle, driven by Ford, with illegal window tint and initiated a traffic stop. Officers measured the window tint which revealed it was in excess of Iowa state law. When measuring the window tint, officers smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle and Ford, officers found a metal object in Ford’s waistline. Ford admitted he had a loaded firearm in his waistline.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ford was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Ford remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Storm Lake Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4028. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man involved in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine pled guilty January 6, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Matthew Groat, 41, from Fort Dodge, Iowa admitted that from August 2025 through November 2025 he and others distributed over 2,200 grams of methamphetamine and at least 10 grams of cocaine to individuals in the Fort Dodge area. Groat also admitted that on two occasions in September 2025 he distributed about 10 grams of cocaine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement and on two other occasions in September 2025 and three times in October 2025, he distributed a total of more than 130 grams of pure methamphetamine. Groat further admitted to obtaining 5 to 10 pounds of methamphetamine from a local source during the four months of the conspiracy and selling it to people around Fort Dodge.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Groat remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Groat faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3054. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Mason City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Charles Robinson, 44, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison, after a September 2, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Between at least May 2023 and continuing through September 2024, Robinson was involved in an ongoing methamphetamine distribution conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa, where law enforcement documented Robinson actively engaged in drug trafficking. Robinson has an extensive criminal history, including numerous assault and domestic abuse-related convictions.
Robinson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Robinson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3032.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
La Motte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sending Threatening Text Messages and Possessing an Unregistered Short-Barreled Rifle and SilencerRead the Press Release
A man who sent multiple threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend and who possessed an unregistered short-barreled rifle and silencer was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Steven Michael Conroy, age 34, from La Motte, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 9, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce.
In a plea agreement, Conroy admitted that, following a child support hearing on July 19, 2024, he sent threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend. In some of the messages, Conroy said that he wanted to “pay the child support in lead and flesh,” he told her that her “days are numbered,” and he threatened to shoot her if he ever saw her again. In another text message, Conroy sent her a photograph of himself with a gun. Later that same day, as Conroy was driving towards his ex‑girlfriend’s home in Minnesota, Conroy sent additional threatening text messages to her, including that he would be seeing her and her “bodyguard police officer very soon” and asking if the officer’s “plates are rated for level 4.” On July 22, 2024, officers searched Conroy’s home in La Motte, Iowa. During the search, officers found multiple firearms, including a short-barreled rifle that was not properly registered to Conroy. An unregistered homemade silencer was attached to the short‑barreled rifle.
Conroy was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Conroy was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Conroy is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Jackson County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa State Patrol, the Sabula, Iowa, Police Department, and the Winona County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1036.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Two-Time Felon Sentenced to Two Decades in Federal Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who formerly operated a used appliance business in Marion, Iowa, was sentenced on December 30, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison.
Cordell Maleec Mayfield, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 15, 2025, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The evidence at trial showed that Mayfield had a gun with an obliterated serial number in his Marion business on September 19, 2024, when Marion police arrived late in the evening to perform a welfare check. The welfare check came after a 911 call to Marion Police to have officers check on a child who was with Mayfield at his business. Officers saw the gun in Mayfield’s hand and later found it in a search. Evidence further showed that a few months before the firearm seizure, Mayfield stated in a recording that he preferred guns with obliterated serial numbers.
At sentencing, the evidence showed Mayfield’s very lengthy criminal history started at age 10 and continued into adulthood with numerous drug-related and violent offenses. The sentencing judge noted that Mayfield’s criminal conduct occurred while he was under supervision and while incarcerated, including within the last month while awaiting sentencing by possessing weapons and fighting.
Mayfield was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Mayfield was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, fined $2,000, and ordered to forfeit the firearm seized from him. He must also pay special assessments of $200 and serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mayfield is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Reinert and Ashley Corkery and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Marion Iowa Police Department, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00094.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced December 30, 2025, to more than four years in federal prison.
Brandon Hentz, age 37, from Galena, Illinois, received the prison term after a July 25, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
On January 12, 2025, an officer with the Dubuque Police Department stopped a car that Hentz was driving for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, officers located marijuana, pills, and a loaded gun in the car. Hentz was prohibited from possessing firearms based on two prior felony convictions.
Hentz was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Hentz was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Hentz is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1026.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon to Federal Prison for Carrying Stolen Firearm in a Rideshare CarRead the Press Release
A man who was previously sentenced in state court for obstruction of justice based on his involvement with a murder was sentenced on December 29, 2025, to more than three years in federal prison. Marshawn Ladarius Jeffries, age 22, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 5, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from the plea and sentencing showed that on February 28, 2025, Jeffries was a passenger in a rideshare car when the driver was pulled over for a nonworking taillight. Officers smelled marijuana coming from the car and had Jeffries step out. Officers patted Jeffries down after noticing that he seemed nervous and as if he was trying to conceal his waistband. An officer located a 9mm pistol equipped with a high-capacity magazine in Jeffries’s waistband. The firearm had been previously reported stolen. Earlier that month, on February 2, 2025, Jeffries led police officers on a high-speed chase before he crashed his car into the wall of an apartment building.
In sentencing Jeffries, Chief Judge C.J. Williams noted that this was Jeffries’s fifth criminal involvement with a gun and that he was a real and present danger to the community. Jeffries was previously convicted of obstruction of justice for his involvement in a murder that took place at a home in Cedar Rapids in June 2020. Jeffries’s associate shot and killed the victim. Jeffries was also carrying a gun on the night of the murder. After Jeffries’s associate killed the victim, Jeffries fled with the murderer, disposed of clothing, and made false denials to police officers.
Jeffries was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jeffries 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.
Jeffries is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa State Patrol.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-0038.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A felon who possessed a gun was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison. Nathan Lee Armstrong, age 42, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 13, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
In October 2024, police searched Armstrong’s home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, during a theft investigation. While searching his bedroom, officers found a gun with a loaded magazine. Armstrong admitted to using methamphetamine the day before police searched his home. Armstrong was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction for intent to manufacture/deliver methamphetamine.
Armstrong was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Armstrong was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Armstrong is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-00021.
Federally Convicted Felon Sentenced to Additional Prison for Escaping from CustodyRead the Press Release
A previously convicted drug trafficker who escaped from a halfway house was sentenced on December 30, 2025, to a year in federal prison.
Paul Dean White, age 35, from Center Point, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 16, 2025, guilty plea to escape from custody.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that White was convicted in August 2019 for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Overall, White was involved in trafficking more than 18 kilograms of ice methamphetamine. White was eventually sentenced to 126 months in federal prison.
In August 2025, White was completing his prison sentence at a halfway house in Waterloo, Iowa. White left the facility with permission, but did not return at the scheduled time. Staff contacted White. White told staff that he was not coming back and would rather go back to prison than be in the halfway house. A week later, the United States Marshals Service arrested White.
White was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. White was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. White is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-2049.
Convicted Felon from Mexico Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A twice convicted felon who was previously deported eight times from the United States was sentenced on December 30, 2025, to more than a year in federal prison.
Odilon Fuentes-Avila, age 43, from Mexico City, Mexico, received the prison term after a September 18, 2025, guilty plea to illegal reentry into the United States.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Fuentes-Avila, a Mexican citizen, was removed from the United States after a 2009 conviction for illegally entering the country. At some point, he reentered the country without permission. In 2020, he was convicted of two drug-related felony offenses and two driving while impaired offenses in Minnesota. He was then removed again in January 2020. Overall, he has been ordered removed from the country eight times. At some point after January 2020, he again reentered the United States without permission. On August 1, 2025, ICE agents found Fuentes-Avila in a county jail in Iowa after he was arrested on a warrant from Minnesota.
Fuentes-Avila was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. White was sentenced to 14 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.
Fuentes-Avila is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-1037.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
Omar Barrientos, 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on December 19, 2025, to over 17 years’ imprisonment. Barrientos pled guilty August 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence in the case showed that on June 20, 2024, law enforcement responded to remove an individual sleeping in a vehicle in the Thompson Electric parking lot in Sioux City. Law enforcement arrived and knocked on the driver’s window eventually waking up Barrientos. Barrientos was the sole occupant of the vehicle and exhibited strange behavior and signs of impairment. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found a bag under the driver’s seat containing just under a pound of methamphetamine. Barrientos admitted that he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
Barrientos had previously been convicted of willful injury and criminal gang participation in 2009, and in 2016 he was again convicted of willful injury along with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Barrientos was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of ten years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Barrientos remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4065. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Individuals involved in Diversity Visa Lottery Corruption Plead Guilty to Conspiracy and Visa Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Joseph Longanga Okoko, Medard Lotahe Elonge, Joseph Onolenga Okamba pled guilty on August 7, 2025, September 8, 2025, and November 13, 2025, respectively, to conspiracy to defraud the United States in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Bienvenu Saido Binyangi pled guilty on December 11, 2025, to visa fraud.
All four men were charged in a ten-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa. The indictment alleged a fraudulent conspiracy related to the diversity visa lottery system in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as aiding and abetting marriage fraud, other types of visa fraud, and obstructive conduct. There are various types of fraud that may occur in the diversity visa lottery process, specifically related to marriage. If a diversity visa lottery winner was not married at the time they won the lottery, they may engage in “coupling.” “Coupling” is where an individual falsely claims that they have a “spouse,” so that they can later petition to bring their “spouse” to the United States.
In plea agreements, Okoko, Elonge, and Okamba admitted to assisting individuals in the Congo who won the diversity visa lottery to enter contracts of fake marriages to help additional individuals who would not be eligible for entry come to the United States. Binyangi also admitted to obtaining a non-immigrant visa by fraud so that he could come to the United States. Binyangi admitted in his plea that when in Congo, he was in a relationship with Okoko’s daughter. Okoko’s daughter, who also came to the United States, gave birth to Binyangi’s child in the United States. After Binyangi entered the United States, he reunited with Okoko’s daughter and their shared child. Okoko’s daughter and Binyangi are married.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams has been set for January 30, 2026, at 1:30 P.M., for Okoko. Sentencing for Elonge, Okamba, and Binyangi will be set after a presentence report is prepared. All men remain free on bond. Okoko, Elonge, and Okamba face a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Binyangi faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Matt L. Cole and Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the United States Postal Inspection, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Waterloo Police Department, the Sioux City Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2052.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Badger, Iowa, Volunteer Firefighter to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Kenneth Brown, 60, from Badger, Iowa, was sentenced on December 19, 2025, to 4 years’ imprisonment. Brown pled guilty on July 22, 2025, to one count of possession of child pornography in a Sioux City federal court.
Evidence in the case showed that from early May 2023, through April 3, 2024, Brown received and possessed child pornography. A CyberTip to law enforcement revealed 32 files of child pornography had been uploaded to the internet from Brown’s cell phone. Brown was a volunteer firefighter with Badger Fire and Rescue. During a forensic examination of Brown’s phone, 27 videos and 28 images of child pornography were found, some containing materials depicting sadistic and masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Brown was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Brown remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. Brown was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution to the victims in this case, as well as $1,100 in fines and assessments.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3013. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Who Illegally Possessed a Firearm Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Joshua Solis, age 37, from Sioux City, was sentenced December 17, 2025, to 8 years in federal prison after a September 9, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed on May 9, 2025, law enforcement responded to a report of a motor vehicle stopped in a turn lane, with a witness reporting the driver of the vehicle appeared to be slumped over the steering wheel. Solis was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Law enforcement observed Solis displaying signs of drug impairment. Solis consented to a search, where law enforcement located a baggie containing methamphetamine, as well a loaded handgun, magazines, several other rounds of ammunition, and further drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on state charges for these crimes and later formally charged in state court with possession of a firearm as a felon and possession of a controlled substances.
He paid a bond and was released on the state charges prior to trial. However, on June 3, 2025, Solis was observed walking in the middle of a roadway. Law enforcement contacted Solis and found him in possession of another handgun, more methamphetamine, a digital scale, and $750 in cash. He was then charged federally for his criminal conduct.
Solis was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 96 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively to any state sentence, if one is imposed. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Solis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4034.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
Jarrami Berndt, 46, from Sioux City, Iowa, who, on two separate occasions, possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty December 16, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 10, 2024, Sioux City police stopped Berndt’s vehicle and observed Berndt throw something out of the window of the vehicle during the traffic stop. Officers found the thrown object, a black bag which contained a scale, marijuana and over 13 grams of pure methamphetamine. On May 1, 2025, Sioux City police conducted a traffic stop of a taxi occupied by Berndt. Berndt admitted ownership of a bag found in the back seat which contained over 16 grams of pure methamphetamine. Berndt admitted that on both occasions, he intended to distribute some or all the drugs to another person or persons.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Berndt remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.
On October 4, 1999, Berndt was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, terrorism, going armed with intent, possession and use of an offense weapon (firearm) in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County. These convictions constitute a serious violent felony conviction which subjects Berndt to a sentencing enhancement. Berndt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $8,000,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4029. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man to Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who distributed methamphetamine on two occasions while on state probation was sentenced yesterday to more than seven years in federal prison.
Desmond Collins, age 34, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 13, 2025, guilty plea to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
At his plea and sentencing hearings, Collins admitted that in October 2024, he distributed a total of approximately three ounces of methamphetamine to a person cooperating with law enforcement in Fort Dodge, Iowa. At the time of the distribution, Collins was on state probation for three separate crimes: assault with a dangerous weapon and criminal mischief; driving while barred; and possession of marijuana. Collins has an extensive criminal history including multiple eluding convictions and four domestic assault convictions.
Collins was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Collins was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment for each count, to be served concurrently. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Collins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-03021. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Domestic Abuser and Drug User Who Illegally Possessed a Firearm Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Brandon Mitchell, 29, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced December 18, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa. Mitchell pled guilty April 30, 2025, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Mitchell was previously convicted twice for domestic abuse assault in the Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County. The convictions prevented Mitchell from legally possessing firearms.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Mitchell had two prior convictions for misdemeanor domestic violence and was an unlawful user of marijuana. Evidence further showed that on February 24, 2024, when Mitchell possessed the 9mm pistol, he was under state felony indictment for attempted murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a domestic abuser. Mitchell also admitted that during a search warrant at his residence he discarded the 9mm pistol out of a bedroom window in an attempt to avoid being found in possession of a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mitchell was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 2-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Mitchell remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, and Mason City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3038. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Iowa Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty December 16, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Cori Benson, 36, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Benson admitted that from August 2024 through October 2024, she and others conspired to distribute at least 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. In October 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle Benson was driving and found over ½ pound of pure methamphetamine in Benson’s purse, and two firearms in the vehicle. Benson admitted that she and another transported about one kilogram of methamphetamine from Des Moines, Iowa, to Pierre, South Dakota, for distribution.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Benson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Benson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4080. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
On November 25, 2025, Carlos Zamudio-Hernandez, 43, from Mexico, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. Zamudio-Hernandez pled guilty on September 10, 2025, to illegal re-entry of a previously removed alien, in federal court in Sioux City.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Zamudio-Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico. Zamudio-Hernandez was previously deported from the United States in September 2020, after serving a 10-year term in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking. Zamudio-Hernandez admitted that he illegally reentered the United States and was later found in the United States in November 2024 in Twin Falls, Idaho, then in June 2025 in California.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Zamudio-Hernandez was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Zamudio-Hernandez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4049. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Melvin Boone, 46, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty December 15, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location.
At the plea hearing, Boone admitted that between October 2023, and March 2025, he and others conspired to distribute over 5 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Evidence also showed that in July 2024, Boone distributed 2 ounces of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement within 1,000 feet of St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge. Boone admitted to receiving and distributing methamphetamine with a number of individuals in Fort Dodge.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand [will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Boone remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Boone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Iowa DCI Criminalistic Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3027. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Woman Who Pointed Gun and Threatened to Kill Social Security Protective Security Officer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who pointed a gun at a Social Security Office and repeatedly threatened a security guard with the gun was sentenced October 30, 2025, to 4 years in federal prison.
Stella Ross, age 28, from Louisiana, received the prison term after a May 15, 2025, guilty plea to one count of assault, threatened assault, attempted assault of a federal officer, and one count of influencing a federal official by threat.
Evidence in the case revealed on September 3, 2024, Ross pulled a gun on a Protective Security Officer (PSO) at the Sioux City, Iowa, Social Security office, and threatened to kill him. When the PSO pulled his weapon in response, Ross withdrew, but remained at the scene until she saw Sioux City Police arrive, then she drove away. Ross began a Facebook live post detailing her interaction at the Social Security Office and making additional death threats, racial slurs, and other complaints against law enforcement. Responding officers located Ross at a residence, and after communicating with her via phone at the scene, she was peacefully taken into state custody without further incident. The firearm, magazine and ammunition were located along with items belonging to Ross in the residence. After being released from state custody she repeated her threats against the PSO and law enforcement.
Ross was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 48 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ross is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Police Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, Federal protective Service and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4071.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Armed Meth Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man convicted of drug trafficking, who fled from police two times, was sentenced today to 17 years in federal prison.
Pablo Elias-Lopez age 35, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a July 2, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, methamphetamine, after having been convicted of a serious drug felony.
Evidence in the case revealed on or about December 11, 2024, during a traffic stop, Elias-Lopez was found to be in possession of a Taurus .44 Revolver, and a Sig Sauer P320 9mm Pistol, and ammunition, as well as 225 grams of methamphetamine and more than $10,000 cash. On January 11, 2025, Elias-Lopez was again subject to a traffic stop, and this time he fled law enforcement. During the short pursuit, law enforcement was able to maneuver and stop his vehicle. Elias-Lopez was found with a bag of cash totaling $27,005 and $600 in his wallet. On March 21, 2025, as officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Elias-Lopez, he again fled, ramming into a police vehicle. During the eluding, Elias-Lopez also hit another individual head-on. As Elias-Lopez sped through neighborhoods, his vehicle ended in a wooded area where he then fled on foot. Officers were able to locate him nearby where he was taken into custody. Officers located 112 grams of methamphetamine and more than $2,200 in cash.
Elias-Lopez’s criminal history includes multiple charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, eluding, and participating in a felony or resulting in serious injury.
Elias-Lopez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 204 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Elias-Lopez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, and Sgt. Bluff, Iowa Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4018.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Cuban Military Sergeant Sentenced to Federal Prison in Pandemic Benefits Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former sergeant in the Cuban military, who obtained fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans and recruited others to do so, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, to four years in federal prison. Yovany Ciero, age 48, from Mason City, Iowa, formerly of Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela, received the prison term after a May 8, 2025, jury verdict finding him guilty of three counts of wire fraud, 23 counts of money laundering, one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
Evidence at Ciero’s trial and sentencing showed that Ciero is a former sergeant in the Cuban military who crossed the Mexican border nearly twenty years ago after his request for a visa to enter the United States was denied. In 2020, Ciero was working at an Algona meatpacking plant when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Beginning in July 2020, Ciero and over one hundred other immigrants from Cuba obtained fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by falsely claiming that they were self-employed and each had earned approximately $100,000 in gross income in 2019 when they actually worked at the meatpacking plant or elsewhere.
Ciero was one of six “bundlers” in the fraudulent PPP loan scheme. Ciero’s role was to recruit individuals into the scheme, obtain their personal identifying information for the fraudulent loan applications, and then pass that information to others who submitted the fraudulent loan applications to lenders who were participating in the PPP. The evidence established that over $4 million in fraudulent loan PPP applications were submitted, and the government lost over $2.4 million as a result.
Once the individuals received their fraudulent PPP loan funds, typically $20,000 each, Ciero served as a “funnel” in a money laundering conspiracy. Ciero collected fees that the organizers of the scheme charged the applicants, typically $3,000 per $20,000 fraudulent loan.
Ciero also obtained two fraudulent PPP loans for himself and his paramour. Ciero used most of this PPP loan money to purchase a semi-truck. After obtaining the PPP money, Ciero also obtained a Federal Housing Administration loan for the purchase of a home in Mason City. The district court judge found that Ciero had obstructed justice when he testified falsely at trial.
Ciero is the fifth former Iowa meatpacking plant worker sentenced in the PPP scheme:
● In December 2024, Dinneris Matos Delgado, age 41, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, formerly of Storm Lake and Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to ten months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $60,744 in restitution, after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.
● In December 2024, Ada Irma Rodriguez Fontaine, age 59, from Auburndale, Florida, formerly of Storm Lake, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $75,417 in restitution, after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.
● In May 2025, Yordanis Perez Velazquez, age 41, from Tampa, Florida, formerly of Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to five months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $111,195 in restitution, after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.
● In July 2025, Maikel Sanchez Garcia, age 44, from Tampa, Florida, formerly of Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to 11 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $138,662 in restitution, after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Ciero was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ciero was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $212,293 in restitution to the SBA. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Ciero is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Daniel A. Chatham and investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Storm Lake Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-3013.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
A man who possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl pled guilty on December 4, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Alfredo Soberanes, age 31, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
At the plea hearing, pursuant to a plea agreement, Soberanes admitted that around midnight on August 31, 2023, in Sioux City, Iowa, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on his vehicle. Soberanes first stopped his vehicle, however, when law enforcement began to approach, he drove away. Law enforcement did not pursue the vehicle but went to the address in Sioux City associated with the vehicle registration. Another person answered the door, and stated they knew Soberanes, but that he was not at the residence. Law enforcement was given permission to search the residence. Soberanes was ultimately located hiding in the basement, and he was arrested. Found in Soberanes’ possession at arrest was, amongst other illicit items, a digital scale, a firearm, and over 2,500 pills containing fentanyl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Soberanes remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Soberanes faces a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and four years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-04046. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Three Men Sentenced for Involvement in ATM Jackpotting SchemeRead the Press Release
Three men from South America were sentenced for their involvement in an ATM jackpotting scheme in Iowa.
Jhonger Suarez, age 23, from Venezuela, was sentenced on November 3, 2025, after a September 4, 2025, guilty plea to one count of aiding and abetting bank larceny. Ysmael Martinez Jimenez, age 38, from Venezuela, was sentenced on November 13, 2025, after a September 24, 2025, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank larceny and one count of bank larceny. Cristian Guillermo Canas Gomez, age 22, from Columbia, was sentenced on December 1, 2025, after an October 1, 2025, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank larceny and one count of bank larceny.
At his plea hearing, Suarez admitted to assisting a bank larceny from a bank in Dubuque, Iowa, on May 25, 2025. At Martinez Jimenez’s and Canas Gomez’s respective plea hearings, they both admitted that they had conspired to commit the bank larceny. Martinez Jimenez and Canas Gomez both admitted that they carried out a jackpotting scheme on an ATM at a bank in Dubuque. A jackpotting scheme is a type of cyberattack where vulnerabilities of an ATM’s software are exploited, causing an ATM to dispense cash without debiting an account. Martinez Jimenez and Canas Gomez obtained approximately $33,600 from the jackpotting scheme on the ATM in Dubuque. Suarez was acting as a lookout in the area while they were conducting the jackpotting scheme.
Suarez, Martinez Jimenez, and Canas Gomez were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Suarez was sentenced to 125 days’ imprisonment. Martinez Jimenez and Canas Gomez were each sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. They were ordered to make $33,600 in restitution. All three men must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after their prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Suarez has been turned over to immigration officials. Martinez Jimenez and Canas Gomez are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be turned over to immigration officials.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, and Enforcement and Removal Operations of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1028.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.