Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Probation for Using a Phone to Facilitate a Heroin DealRead the Press Release
A man who used a cell phone to facilitate a drug deal was sentenced on May 28, 2019, to three years’ probation.
Myles Schwitzer, age 38, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 21, 2018 guilty plea to one count of using a communications facility to commit a felony drug crime.
At the guilty plea, Schwitzer admitted he utilized a cellular telephone to help commit the felony crimes of possession of heroin and attempted possession of heroin.
Schwitzer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Schwitzer was sentenced to 3 years’ probation and fined $2,500.
The case was investigated by 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, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Greenwood and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-00107-CJW-MAR.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Nearly Two Years in Federal Prison for Escape from a Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who escaped from federal custody at the Gerald R. Hinzman Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 2018 was sentenced today to serve 22 months in federal prison.
Alan Ault, age 45, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 29, 2019 guilty plea to one count of escape from federal custody and a May 30, 2019 admission that he also violated the terms of his supervised release from a 2004 federal drug and firearm conviction by escaping from custody and committing other violations of his supervised release.
At the guilty plea and during the supervised release revocation hearing, Ault admitted he escaped from the Gerald R. Hinzman Center on March 27, 2018, where he was completing the last months of a twenty-year federal drug sentence. Ault was originally sentenced on January 13, 2005, and was moved to the Gerald R. Hinzman Center in Federal Bureau of Prisons custody in September of 2017. The Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force arrested Ault in Cedar Rapids on August 27, 2018.
Ault was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Ault was sentenced to serve 14 months’ imprisonment for his supervised release violation and an additional, consecutive term of 8 months’ imprisonment for the new escape charge. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Ault is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/. The case file numbers are 18-CR-00111 and 04-CR-0045.
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Man Who Was Subject to an Order of Protection and Illegally Possessed Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm while subject to an order of protection was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
Dishad Anthony Holmes, age 18, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2019, guilty plea to possession of a firearm while subject to an order of protection.
At the guilty plea, Holmes admitted in September 2018, he took an American Tactical Imports Omni Hybrid 5.56 rifle to another person’s home in Cedar Rapids. Probation officers later discovered the firearm, which was equipped with a high capacity magazine, in the home.
Holmes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Holmes was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Holmes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force and the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Probation Department. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-0118.
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Three People Charged with Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce and Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm Causing the Death of AnotherRead the Press Release
Matthew Barrett Robbins, age 46, William Leo Yancey, age 43, and Danielle Lynn Busch, age 29, have been charged with one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in murder. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, on or about May 31, 2014, Robbins, Yancey, and Busch conspired to and robbed another individual of methamphetamine and the proceeds of controlled substance transactions. The indictment further alleges that the three used and possessed a firearm in furtherance of the robbery, which they brandished and discharged, causing the death of another individual.
If convicted on all charges, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and eleven years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Busch appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Busch’s next appearance for a detention hearing is set for June 3, 2019.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Williams and Richard Murphy and was investigated by the Marion Police Department, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Davenport Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-53.
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Man Who Distributed Methamphetamine from Prison Sentenced to More Than Ten YearsRead the Press Release
A man who was responsible for distributing pounds of ice methamphetamine while he was in state prison was sentenced May 17, 2019, to ten years in federal prison.
Cash Burch, age 35, from Des Moines, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 4, 2019, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence during the case established that while incarcerated in state prison for state felony drug charges, Burch became involved in a conspiracy to distribute ice methamphetamine. Once released from state prison, he continued his involvement in the conspiracy, ultimately distributing more than ten pounds of ice methamphetamine
Burch was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Burch was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Burch is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (Waterloo Police Department; Cedar Falls Police Department; Waverly Police Department; Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; LaPorte City Police Department; Evansdale Police Department; Hudson Police Department), Mid Iowa Drug Task Force (Marshalltown Police Department; Marshall County Sheriff’s Office; Tama County), and Dubuque Drug Task Force (Dubuque Police Department; Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2024.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to over three months in federal prison.
Francisco Gomez-Tino, age 32, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Toledo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 15, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Gomez-Tino admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in June 2011 and August 2013 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Gomez-Tino was found by immigration agents in February 2019 after he was charged in Tama County, Iowa, with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and providing false identification information. That case is still pending.
Gomez-Tino has prior convictions providing false identification and failure to appear in July 2004 in Moore County, Texas, driving under the influence of alcohol in April 2011 and interference with law enforcement in August 2013, both in Cowley County, Kansas. Gomez-Tino used an alias in these prior cases.
Gomez-Tino also has cases pending in Kansas and Nebraska. Gomez-Tino was arrested in Cowley County, Kansas, in March 2014 and charged with domestic battery, driving under the influence, and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. Gomez-Tino was arrested in Dodge County, Nebraska, in August 2014 and charged with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.
Gomez-Tino was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gomez-Tino was sentenced to 102 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gomez-Tino is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-21.
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Crack Dealer Who Had Previously Been Convicted of a Felony Drug Offense Sent to Prison for More Than Five YearsRead the Press Release
A man who distributed crack cocaine in Waterloo was sentenced May 17, 2019, to more than five years in federal prison.
Edward Smart, age 56, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 2, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Smart had previously been convicted of a felony drug offense.
Smart was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Smart was sentenced to 68 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.
Smart 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 Drew Inman and investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (Waterloo Police Department; Cedar Falls Police Department; Waverly Police Department; Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; LaPorte City Police Department; Evansdale Police Department; Hudson Police Department).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2023.
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California Man Responsible for Sending More Than 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine to Iowa Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man responsible for running a complex drug trafficking organization was sentenced May 17, 2019, to more than 14 years in federal prison.
Michael Pineda, age 34, from San Ysidro, California, received the prison term after an August 6, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Evidence during the case established that Pineda served as a source of ice methamphetamine for numerous individuals. Pineda shipped the methamphetamine to Iowa from California, typically concealed in car stereo boxes. Once the methamphetamine arrived in Iowa, Pineda relied on various individuals to pick it up, repackage it, distribute it, and later collect money from its sale.
In order to conceal the money from the drug sales, Pineda directed others in the conspiracy, including his wife, to open bank accounts under fictitious business names. He then instructed his drug customers to deposit drug proceeds into these bank accounts. In less than two years, Pineda laundered more than $370,000 of drug money through these accounts. He also instructed other individuals to cash from the sales to California. One such individual was intercepted at the San Diego Airport carrying approximately $35,000 in drug proceeds.
Pineda was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Pineda was sentenced to 175 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.
Pineda is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (Waterloo Police Department; Cedar Falls Police Department; Waverly Police Department; Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; LaPorte City Police Department; Evansdale Police Department; Hudson Police Department).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2084.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to Nearly Two Years in Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed a firearm in a car in Waterloo in June 2018 was sentenced May 15, 2019, to nearly two years in federal prison.
Dereon Equwan Davenport, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 8, 2018, guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a drug user.
Evidence at sentencing showed that Davenport was driving a car in Waterloo on June 3, 3018, when the Waterloo Police Department stopped him for a traffic violation. When officers approached the vehicle, they smelled marijuana. During a search of the car, officers found an unloaded German .22 caliber revolver and marijuana in the front center console. At the time, Davenport was wanted in Winnebago County, Illinois, for probation violations arising out of an incident in which Davenport was found with dealer-quantity hydrocodone and other prescription pills at a school. There was also a warrant outstanding for Davenport’s arrest in Madison County, Illinois, after Davenport tried to punch his counselor with a closed fist and threatened to return to his health care provider’s place of business with a gun to “shoot the place up.”
Davenport was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Davenport was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Davenport was is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2055.
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Nora Springs Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Aaron Olson, age 35, of Nora Springs, Iowa, has been charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on May 9, 2019, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between 2017 and 2018, Olson used two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions.
If convicted, Olson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Olson appeared on May 9, 2019, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Olson’s next appearance for trial is set for July 8, 2019.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Nora Springs Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 19-2029.
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Monona County Man off to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 14, 2019, to ten years in federal prison.
Gary Gibbs, 48, from Soldier, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 13, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gibbs was previously convicted of four felony drug offenses in Nebraska.
At the plea hearing, Gibbs admitted that from January 2017 through February 2018, he and others were involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Gibbs further admitted to obtaining methamphetamine from sources in Omaha, Nebraska to sell in the Monona County area. On November 23, 2017, a Monona County Sheriff’s deputy traffic stopped Gibbs and found Gibbs with about ½ ounce of methamphetamine. The deputy also witnessed Gibbs throw a bag out the passenger door window. Deputies returned to the area where Gibbs had thrown out the bag and located about 3 ounces of methamphetamine, 1 ounce of marijuana, and other indicia of drug distribution in the bag. On June 12, 2018, when arrested on the federal charges in this case, Gibbs was found to be in possession of about ¼ ounce of methamphetamine, and approximately $1,400.
Gibbs was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gibbs was sentenced to 120 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. Gibbs is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Monona County Sheriff’s Office, 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 18-4047. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man Caught on Wiretap Buying Heroin Fined $3,000 and Sentenced to Federal ProbationRead the Press Release
A man whose phone calls and text messages were intercepted by police as he purchased heroin was fined and sentenced on May 14, 2019, to probation and home detention.
Ray Robertson, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a November 1, 2018, guilty plea to using a communication facility to commit a felony drug crime.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing indicates that law enforcement was conducting a court-authorized wiretap investigation when Robertson was intercepted, on multiple occasions, purchasing heroin. Robertson used his cell phone to make phone calls and text messages to arrange the purchases of the heroin. Because Robertson had prior drug-related convictions, his purchase and possession of heroin was a felony under federal law.
Robertson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Robertson must serve a three-year term of probation, a condition of which is that he serve a 60-day term of home detention. Robertson must also pay a fine of $3,000.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice, by 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 18-CR-105.
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Local Law Enforcement Officer Honored for Commitment to Drug Abuse PreventionRead the Press Release
A law enforcement officer from Sioux City, Iowa, is being honored by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for his commitment to reducing drug abuse. A recipient of the 2018 Enrique S. Camarena Award is Lieutenant Brad Bollinger of the Sioux City Police Department.
The award is named after Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was an 11-year veteran agent of the DEA before being kidnapped, brutally tortured and then murdered in Mexico in 1985 while working undercover gathering information and evidence about drug lords. This award is presented each year to local law enforcement officers who best exemplify the qualities and principles for which Agent Camarena gave his life—specifically, making their communities a safer place to live through outstanding drug prevention and enforcement efforts.
This year’s award recipient has gone above and beyond the call of duty in pursuit of a drug-free community:
- Lieutenant Brad Bollinger has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to fighting drug abuse and working with young people. Through his work for many years with the GREAT and DARE programs, Lieutenant Bollinger provided valuable anti-drug and anti-gang curriculum to young students in multiple schools. In his capacity leading the Department’s Youth Bureau and as the Community Policing Coordinator, Lieutenant Bollinger developed and coordinated numerous programming activities aimed at keeping young people involved in lawful activities and away from criminal activity and drug abuse. From creating programs such as the “Books for Kids” program, to securing grants to combat opioid abuse, to serving on various boards and advisory committees focused on combatting drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse among minors, Lieutenant Bollinger has demonstrated a robust passion for securing bright futures for young people in the community.
Peter E. Deegan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, stated, “Lieutenant Bollinger is a worthy recipient of the Enrique S. Camarena award. He is a true public servant who recognizes that there are certain problems that cannot be solved through criminal prosecution alone. Sioux City is safer due to his hard work and dedication to the young people in our community.”
“The Enrique S. Camarena award is given each year to law enforcement professionals who personify the strong character and values of our fallen colleague,” Darin Thimmesch, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Omaha Division said. “These award winners truly represent the best of Special Agent Camarena with their passion, commitment and generosity continuously on display in their work and home life. It is an honor to recognize these men for their outstanding investigative efforts that have aided in disrupting the illegal activities of drug trafficking organizations from in and around Iowa.”
U.S. Attorney Deegan will present Lt. Bollinger his award at the Sioux City Police Department’s Spring Awards and Promotions Ceremony on May 16, 2019. The ceremony will be held at 7:00p.m. at the Betty Strong Encounter Center.
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Fort Dodge Man to Federal Prison for Meth and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed firearms was sentenced May 15, 2019, to 15 years in federal prison.
Cody Groat, 25, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 16, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of firearms by a domestic abuser. Groat was previously convicted of domestic abuse assault in July of 2013.
At sentencing, the district court found that from about 2017 through July 2018, Groat and others conspired to distribute more than four pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. On December 27, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Groat’s residence. At that time officers seized about ¾ pound of methamphetamine, three handguns, a shotgun, and assorted 9mm ammunition. It was later determined that two of the 9mm handguns had been stolen from a large scale firearm (150+) burglary/arson case in Calhoun County, Iowa.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Groat was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Groat was sentenced to 180 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. Groat is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Webster County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3023. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Felon Who Sold Firearm Sentenced to over a Year in PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed and sold a firearm was sentenced on May 16, 2019, to more than one year in federal prison.
James Leroy Walter Kottman, age 42, from Luana, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 28, 2018, guilty plea possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the guilty plea, Kottman admitted that in November 2017 he sold a gun to his brother-in-law. The buyer later became concerned that the gun had been stolen and turned it into police. Kottman was a felon at the time of the sale, having previously been convicted of possession of heroin with intent to deliver. While state court charges were pending, Kottman obstructed justice by attempting to have the purchaser tell police that he obtained the gun from someone else.
Kottman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Kottman was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kottman is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1046.
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Evansdale Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Derek Clemens, age 31, of Evansdale, Iowa, has been charged with receipt and possession of child pornography. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on May 8, 2019, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in 2018, Clemens knowingly received child pornography and possessed child pornography on a cell phone.
If convicted, Clemens faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Clemens appeared on May 10, 2019, in federal court in Cedar Rapids for a detention hearing and was held without bond. Clemens’ next appearance for trial is set for July 8, 2019.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Evansdale Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 19-2030.
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Charter Oak Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 16, 2019, to 12 years in federal prison.
John Edward Willroth, 54, from Charter Oak, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine on November 16, 2018. Willroth was previously convicted of five felony drug offenses in Iowa.
At the guilty plea, Willroth admitted that from about 2016 through March 2018 he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Evidence at the hearing also showed that on three occasions, in 2016 and 2017, Willroth distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute about 30 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine to other persons.
Willroth was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Willroth was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Willroth is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by 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 18-4046. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Felon Who Tried to Rob Group at Gunpoint Found Guilty after Bench TrialRead the Press Release
A federal judge found a convicted felon who tried to rob a group of people at gunpoint guilty on May 16, 2019, after a bench trial.
Carl Anthony McArthur, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was found guilty after a May 14, 2019 bench trial. The judge found McArthur guilty of possessing a firearm as a felon and person convicted of a crime of domestic violence.
Evidence at trial showed that on March 17, 2018, McArthur and another individual went into a home on 20th Avenue in Cedar Rapids. In the home, they held at least four people at gunpoint while demanding money. Someone in the group called 9-1-1 and police responded a short time later. McArthur and the other individual hid the guns as officers came into the home. The other individual was able to get away from police and run. Officers found the two loaded guns underneath clothes and a blanket. Officers also found two baggies of methamphetamine in McArthur’s pockets. McArthur admitted he had been at the house earlier in the day to get methamphetamine. McArthur was prohibited from possessing firearms based on a 2003 domestic violence conviction and a 2009 conviction for unlawfully possessing a gun.
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.
McArthur is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be sentenced. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Pat Reinert and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-0102.
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Cedar Rapids Drug User Sentenced to Nearly Five Years for Possessing a Stolen GunRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids drug user who possessed a stolen gun was sentenced May 14, 2019, to nearly five years in federal prison.
Riley Neff-Gonzales, age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 2, 2018 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user.
Evidence at the sentencing and plea hearings showed that Neff-Gonzales unlawfully possessed a stolen gun, a .22 caliber revolver, on April 6, 2018, nearly two years after the gun had been reported stolen. Neff-Gonzales also admitted to knowing the gun had been stolen. At the time authorities found Neff-Gonzales with the gun, he tested positive for several drugs, including benzodiazepines, opiates, cocaine metabolites, and marijuana. Neff-Gonzales also has a prior conviction for assault while displaying a dangerous weapon.
Neff-Gonzales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Neff-Gonzales was sentenced to 57 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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Schunk and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-00074-CJW.
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California Woman to Federal Prison for Iowa Meth ConvictionRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on May 15, 2019, to more than two years in federal prison.
On November 15, 2018, Jocelyn Mendoza, 23, from Selma, California, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Mendoza admitted that from about September 2017 through July 2018, she was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 300 grams of methamphetamine. Evidence at the hearing showed that Mendoza traveled by bus from Fresno, California to Sioux City, Iowa with approximately ¼ pound of methamphetamine hidden inside of a neck rest which she and another co-conspirator intended to distribute in Sioux City. Mendoza and the co-conspirator had twice previously transported ½ lb of meth from California to Iowa for redistribution.
Mendoza was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mendoza was sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five year term of supervised release following her imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Mendoza remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service 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 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 18-4076. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
North Sioux City Man to Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who led law enforcement on a high speed chase after robbing a bank was sentenced May 14, 2019 to more than eight years in federal prison.
Brendon Daniel Reed, age, 43 from North Sioux City, South Dakota, received the prison term after a December 19, 2018, guilty plea to Bank Robbery.
Evidence presented by the United States at the change of plea and sentencing hearings reveal on March 20, 2018, defendant robbed the United Bank of Moville. He then fled the bank in a stolen car, at a high rate of speed creating a substantial risk of death or injury to the motoring public. Ultimately, defendant lost control of the stolen vehicle, left the roadway, and crashed destroying the stolen car. All the stolen money was recovered, and law enforcement arrested Reed.
Reed was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Reed was sentenced to105 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $13,821.00 in restitution the United Bank of Moville. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Reed 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 Moville, Iowa Police Department; the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, the FBI, the Kingsley, Iowa, Police Department, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4042.
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Waterloo Sex Offender Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Sawed Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
A Waterloo sex offender who possessed a sawed-off shotgun during a high-speed car chase in May 2018 was sentenced May 13, 2019, to eight years in federal prison.
Nicholas Allen Gilstrap, age 27, from Waterloo, received the prison term after an October 18, 2018, guilty plea to one count of possession of an unregistered national firearms act device.
Evidence at sentencing showed that, in the early morning hours of May 4, 2018, Gilstrap was driving a SUV in Waterloo, Iowa. Gilstrap was a fugitive, and his driver’s license was suspended. When officers spotted him, Gilstrap led the officers on a high-speed chase through the streets of Waterloo. The chase ended when Gilstrap crashed the SUV into a garage, severely damaging the garage, a car in the garage, and the SUV. Gilstrap ran from the scene. In the SUV, officers found a sawed-off shotgun, trazodone hydrochloride pills, and multiple debit cards belonging to other people. The sawed-off shotgun was loaded and had a slug in the chamber.
On May 10, 2018, officers arrested Gilstrap at a house in Waterloo. When officers knocked at the front door, Gilstrap tried to elude them by running out the back door. However, as Gilstrap tried to flee, he ran into a clothesline, splitting the bridge of his nose, and hastening his capture. Gilstrap is a sex offender with an extensive criminal history, including convictions for OWI, burglary, public intoxication, and failure to comply with sex offender registry requirements.
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.
Gilstrap was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gilstrap was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to pay $32,540.44 in restitution to the owner of the garage, the owner of the SUV, and an insurance company that covered some of damages. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gilstrap is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Waterloo 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 18-CR-2051.
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Dubuque Felon Who Shot a Pedestrian Multiple Times Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who shot a pedestrian multiple times in August 2017 was sentenced May 13, 2019, to nine years in federal prison.
Jevonne Martell Coleman, age 33, from Dubuque, received the prison term after a November 21, 2018, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Coleman had a verbal altercation with a pedestrian on August 9, 2017. Later that evening, Coleman and a friend were sitting on a stoop on Locust Street when the pedestrian walked to their location. Coleman’s friend “cold cocked” the pedestrian and the pedestrian ran away. Coleman ran after the pedestrian, raised a firearm, and shot a number of times. The pedestrian suffered multiple gunshot wounds but survived. Coleman then hid the firearm in a bush and hid himself in a bluff. Officers discovered Coleman in short order. Coleman’s blood alcohol content was .315% according to a preliminary breath test.
Coleman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Coleman was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
At sentencing, Judge Williams stressed the seriousness of the offense. Judge Williams found Coleman committed attempted murder, rejecting attempts by Coleman to justify the shooting, including Coleman’s invocation of Iowa’s “Stand Your Ground Law” at sentencing. Coleman has multiple prior convictions relating to controlled substances, including dealing drugs near a school, in Cook County, Illinois.
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.
Coleman is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the 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 18-CR-1017.
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Clarion Man Sentenced for Possessing Stolen MailRead the Press Release
A Clarion man who possessed stolen mail was sentenced May 13, 2019, to three years’ federal probation. Timothy Russell VanZweden, age 50, formerly from Belmond, Iowa, was sentenced after a November 9, 2018, guilty plea to one count of possession of stolen mail.
In a plea agreement, VanZweden admitted that he was residing with his wife in Belmond, Iowa, in November 2017. VanZweden’s wife was a U.S. Mail carrier. After receiving information that VanZweden was discarding a large trash bag in a dumpster outside a Clarion restaurant, in which mail was found, officers executed a search warrant at VanZweden’s home on November 17, 2017, and discovered five letters taken from his wife’s mail route in the home’s garbage. In VanZweden’s truck, officers found a counterfeit U.S. Postal Service “arrow key,” a special key used to unlock receptacles for U.S. Mail.
Less than two weeks later, on November 28, 2017, officers executed another search warrant at VanZweden’s home and found more stolen mail in the home’s garage. VanZweden admitted throwing a large garbage bag into the dumpster in Clarion, Iowa. He also admitted he burglarized two residences on his wife’s mail route in Belmond, Iowa, because the homeowners were “beautiful people” for whom everything in life came easily. VanZweden stated “one lady” was snotty to him when he walked through her grass, and the other lady had looked down upon him when he said “hi” to her in the pharmacy.
VanZweden was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. VanZweden was sentenced to three years’ probation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-3042.
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United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. Recognizes Police Week and Thanks All Law Enforcement Officers Serving Iowa CommunitiesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr., recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019.
In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which the President signed declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
“During Police Week, our nation takes time to specifically recognize the vital contributions of law enforcement officers to society. We recognize their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “Every time an officer goes on duty, that officer accepts personal risk that few in our society face. The United States Attorney’s Office salutes and thanks our law enforcement partners for all they do.”
To help recognize Police Week, U.S. Attorney Deegan is scheduled to attend a Police Memorial Ceremony in Waterloo on May 15, 2019, and the Sioux City Police Department’s Spring Awards and Promotions Ceremony on May 16, 2019. On May 11, 2019, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Reinert attended the Annual Cedar Rapids Police Department Awards Ceremony.
According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018. Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2018 https://ucr.fbi.gov/leoka/2018/ released this week by the FBI.
The names of all 106 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2019. No tickets are required and everyone is welcome. For additional information please call 202-737-3400.
The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2019.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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Escape from a Halfway House Leads to Additional Federal ConvictionRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who escaped from federal custody at the Gerald R. Hinzman Center in Cedar Rapids pled guilty on May 10, 2019, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Shaquandis Thurmond, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of escape from federal custody.
In a plea agreement, Thurmond admitted that he had previously been convicted of possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. On August 26, 2018, he was in federal custody at the Gerald R. Hinzman Center pursuant to federal court order as a condition of his supervised release sentence. Thurmond left the facility to attend religious services and never returned. Thurmond was arrested on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa on March 18, 2019.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Thurmond remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Thurmond faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. In the plea agreement Thurmond agreed any term of imprisonment will be imposed to be served consecutively to his supervised release revocation sentence.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by United States Marshals Service, the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force, with the assistance of the University of Northern Iowa Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR-19-00035. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Cedar Falls Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
A man who attempted to transfer obscene material to a minor was sentenced on May 8, 2019, to 27 months in federal prison.
Matthew Neberman, age 31, formerly of Cedar Falls, Iowa, received the sentence after an October 30, 2018, guilty plea to one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. In a plea agreement, Neberman admitted that, in 2016, he masturbated on webcam in order to persuade, induce, and entice a person who he believed was a 13-year-old girl to engage in sex acts with him and to produce sexually explicit depictions of herself and send these depictions to him.
Neberman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Neberman was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and Neberman must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 18-2045.
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Fifth Farmer Pleads Guilty in Connection with Organic Fraud Scheme Totaling Nearly $140 Million in Fraudulent SalesRead the Press Release
A Missouri man who conspired with others to sell grain fraudulently marketed as organic pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
John Burton, age 52, from Clarksdale, Missouri, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of the conspiracy, he admitted that grain grown on non-organic fields was marketed and sold as organic and that unapproved substances were used on fields certified as organic.
Burton’s plea is related to Randy Constant’s plea from December 20, 2018, when Constant, age 61, from Chillicothe, Missouri, pled guilty to an organic grain fraud scheme involving at least $142 million in grain sales with the vast majority of those sales being fraudulent. Constant made many of those sales through a brokerage that he owned and operated out of Ossian, Iowa, known as Jericho Solutions. In other related matters three farmers from Nebraska previously pled guilty to fraud involving the sale of grain fraudulently marketed as organic – Tom Brennan, age 70; James Brennan, age 40; and Mike Potter, age 41 – all from Overton, Nebraska.
Sentencing for Randy Constant, Tom Brennan, James Brennan, and Mike Potter is scheduled for August 16, 2019, before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams, at the United States Courthouse in Cedar Rapids. Burton’s sentencing will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Burton remains free on bond previously set. Burton faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a fine of at least $250,000, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jake Schunk and Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information is at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 19-CR-2025 (Burton), 18-CR-2034 (Constant), 18-CR-2058 (T. Brennan), 18-CR-2059 (J. Brennan), and 18-CR-2060 (Potter).
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Man Who Assaulted Girlfriend Sent Back to Prison for Two More YearsRead the Press Release
A man who assaulted his pregnant girlfriend while on federal supervision was sentenced on May 8, 2019, to two years in federal prison.
Codie Lee Allen Fisher, age 29, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a court found that he violated the terms of his supervised release by using a controlled substance and alcohol, failing to comply with remote alcohol testing, and committing a new law violation, specifically Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Air Flow, in violation of Iowa Code § 708.2A(2)(b).
Evidence at his revocation hearing showed Fisher, after consuming alcohol, got into a verbal argument with his pregnant girlfriend. The assault turned physical when Fisher placed his hands around her neck and throat and choked her multiple times. The victim reported almost blacking out twice during the assault. When police responded to the residence, they observed Fisher yelling at the victim, who was backed into a corner. At the time of the assault Fisher was serving a term of federal supervised release after pleading guilty to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm in 2016. Fisher was previously sentenced to a 21-month term of imprisonment and ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from Bureau of Prisons custody.
Fisher was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Fisher’s supervised release was revoked and he was ordered to serve an additional 24-month term of imprisonment. A no-contact order was also entered preventing Fisher from having any contact with the victim. Fisher must also serve an additional two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Fisher is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the United States Probation Office for the Northern District of Iowa and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-33.
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Fort Dodge Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty May 8, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Chelsea Kay Collins, 30, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Collins admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area from January 2018 through September 2018. In four separate transactions in July 2018, Collins distributed and aided others in the distribution of over 35 grams of pure methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Collins remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Collins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four 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 Fort Dodge Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Webster County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3041.
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A Car Ride Results in Three Months in Prison for Cedar Rapids WomanRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids woman who gave a fugitive a car ride to a hotel was sentenced today to three months in federal prison. Saudia Raquel Watkins, age 28, received the prison term after a November 7, 2018, guilty plea to one count of Misprision of a Felony.
In a plea agreement, Watkins admitted that, in November 2016, she provided a car ride to Kelsey Beckett, a federal fugitive felon, to a local motel. Watkins put the motel room in her name. A Deputy U.S. Marshal had warned Watkins in August 2016 that Beckett was a fugitive and that Watkins should contact the Deputy U.S. Marshal if she learned of Beckett’s whereabouts. The Deputy U.S. Marshal also told Watkins there could be criminal charges if she did not do so. Instead of contacting the Deputy U.S. Marshal, Watkins gave Beckett a ride to the motel and smoked marijuana with Beckett in the motel room.
Watkins was released pending her sentencing. In November 2018, after she pled guilty, Watkins tested positive for using marijuana. She then became a fugitive herself. U.S. Marshals apprehended Watkins in February 2018, after nearly two months on the lam.
Watkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Watkins was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Watkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-94.
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Idaho Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Obstruct Justice in IowaRead the Press Release
An Idaho man who conspired to obstruct justice pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. David Emerson Smith, from Pocatello, Idaho, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding.
At the plea hearing and in a plea agreement, David Smith admitted that, from June 2017 through 2018, he agreed with his brother, Darrell Smith, to obstruct, influence, and impede Darrell Smith’s federal sentencing hearing in late 2018. While awaiting his sentencing hearing at the Bremer County Jail in June 2017, Darrell Smith told David Smith in a recorded telephone call that one of the victims of his fraud scheme could “make it really hard” for Darrell Smith if she continued to “complain” to the government. Darrell Smith told David Smith it would be “two extra years” if the victim continued her complaint, but Darrell Smith could get the victim some stock shares within a year. At Darrell Smith’s request, David Smith agreed to contact the victim on the telephone and, in February 2018, David Smith sent a letter to the victim at Darrell Smith’s request. The letter indicated Darrell Smith had $40,000 for the victim, in her children’s names, in accounts at an investment company. The letter also reminded the victim she had “$350,000 in tax credits” and two million shares of an energy company available to her. In truth, the “tax credits” and shares lacked any basis in law or fact.
Law enforcement officers discovered the scheme to obstruct justice before Darrell Smith’s sentencing. In October 2018, the court found Darrell Smith stole $2.4 million from his investment clients, including $161,800 from the victim whom David Smith contacted at Darrell Smith’s request. The court also found Darrell Smith had obstructed justice and sentenced him to 175 months in federal prison.
Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. David Smith remains released on bond previously set pending sentencing. David Smith faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2071.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to almost three months in federal prison.
Juan Gerardo Rodriguez, age 22, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 1, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Rodriguez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in December 2015 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Rodriguez was found by immigration agents in January 2019 after he was charged in Linn County, Iowa, with domestic abuse assault with injury. That case is still pending.
Rodriguez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Rodriguez was sentenced to 85 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rodriguez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-13.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison Following Deportation and Document FraudRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who had been deported twice, illegally returned to the United States, and then used false identification documents to obtain a job was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison.
Cesar Solovi-Valle, age 33, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Decorah, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 28, 2019, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents and one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
In a plea agreement, Solovi-Valle admitted he had previously been deported two times from the United States and that he illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Solovi-Valle was deported in September 2004 following a conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal entry into the United States. Solovi-Valle was deported in August 2008 following convictions in June 2008 in Allamakee County, Iowa, for operating a motor vehicle under the influence (OWI), and in July 2008 in Clayton County, Iowa, for third degree criminal mischief.
Solovi-Valle also admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when he completed an employment form using an alias name in November 2016, at a business in Waukon, Iowa. The Social Security account number on the card used by Solovi-Valle belonged to another person. The Alien Registration number on the “green card” was issued to another person. On November 30, 2016, Solovi-Valle was arrested by immigration agents at the business in Waukon where Solovi-Valle was working under the alias name.
Solovi-Valle was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Solovi-Valle was sentenced to eight 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.
Solovi-Valle is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1047.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A two-time felon was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison today.
Roque Moreno, age 38, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an November 19, 2018, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence produced by the United States at the change of plea and sentencing hearings revealed Moreno had two prior felony convictions, and had used guns to threaten people on two occasions, once dry firing the weapon to scare an individual and on another occasion actually firing the weapon into the ground. Additionally, his criminal history revealed a history of dangerousness including five assault convictions, negligent child abuse, interference with official acts, Operating While Intoxicated, and other offenses.
Moreno was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Moreno was sentenced to 70 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. Moreno is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of the 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 violence crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violence offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-04068.
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Man Sentenced to an Additional Year in Prison for Escaping from a Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
A man who escaped from a halfway house he was in while finishing his federal prison term was sentenced April 29, 2019, to more than a year in federal prison.
Jermaine Roberts, age 44, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 20, 2018 guilty plea to escape from custody.
Evidence at sentencing showed that Roberts was in a halfway house finishing a federal prison sentence following his prior convictions for mail and wire fraud. Roberts left the halfway house, but failed to return when he was supposed to. The police located Roberts after receiving a call reporting that Roberts said there was going to be a shooting, warning a citizen to go into his home. When police arrived on scene, Roberts claimed to have a gun and ran from the officers. After a foot-chase, officers arrested him. Roberts stated that he had a gun and officers were going to have to find it. Officers searched the area and Roberts, but did not find a gun.
The sentencing judge noted that Robert’s criminal history included 29 adult convictions, including six violent crimes.
Roberts was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Roberts 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.
Roberts is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-00087.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Gun While Being a Meth UserRead the Press Release
An illegal alien was sentenced to 21 months’ in federal prison today.
Luis Alberto DeLoera Serna, age 40, received the prison term after a January 11, 2019, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence produced by the United States at the change of plea and sentencing hearings revealed DeLoera Serna, was not only an alien illegally in the United States and drug user in possession of a firearm, but that he was also an armed drug dealer with a criminal history. That history included traffic offenses, domestic violence, and seven illegal entries into the United States.
DeLoera Serna was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. DeLoera Serna was sentenced to 21 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. DeLoera Serna is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of the 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 violence crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violence offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-04091.
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Felon Who Shot a Gun He Illegally Possessed Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced on April 29, 2019, to more than five years in federal prison.
Dondre Minor, age 23, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 20, 2019 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence during the case established that Minor illegally possessed an AR556 .223 caliber semi-automatic firearm on February 21, 2018. Minor and two other individuals took various guns outside of Dubuque and fired multiple rounds from the guns while filming a video. Minor possessed the firearm after being convicted of criminal gang participation, a felony offense.
Minor was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Minor was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Minor is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1042.
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Drug User Who Illegally Possessed Gun Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced on April 29, 2019, to more than three years in federal prison.
Tondrell Darnez Gary, Jr., age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 5, 2018, guilty plea to being a drug user in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Gary admitted he possessed a Ruger 9mm handgun on June 11, 2018. Gary admitted that when police attempted to stop a car he was traveling in, he tossed the gun out of the car window into a residential area. Police eventually stopped the car and Gary admitted to being a regular marijuana user.
Gary was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gary was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Gary is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2047.
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Mexican Man Who Used a Fraudulent Social Security Card Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who used a false identification document to obtain a job was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.
Charly Martinez-Hernandez, age 19, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and living in Cascade, Iowa, received the prison term after an February 20, 2019, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document.
At the guilty plea, Martinez-Hernandez admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card bearing an alias name when he completed an employment form at a business in Dyersville, Iowa, on August 20, 2018. The Social Security number was assigned to someone else. Martinez-Hernandez also used a fraudulent state of California identification card with the same alias name bearing his photo as part of the application process.
Martinez-Hernandez was admitted into the United States in April 2018 on a visitor visa with authorization to remain in the United States until October 14, 2108. Martinez-Hernandez overstayed his visa and failed to leave the United States as required. Martinez-Hernandez was found by immigration agents on December 29, 2018, after he was charged in Dubuque, Iowa, with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). That charge is still pending.
Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced to 106 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Martinez-Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-1001.
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Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
A man who entered the United States illegally from Mexico was sentenced on April 26, 2019, to time served of 90 days.
Angel Bahena-Delgado, age 23, from Mexico, received the sentence after a February 15, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the guilty plea, Bahena-Delgado admitted he had illegally entered the United States from Mexico in August of 2018, after previously being deported on May 8, 2017.
Bahena-Delgado was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bahena-Delgado was sentenced to time served. He must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-04007.
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Jury Convicts Minnesota Man for Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute meth was convicted by a jury on April 25, 2019, after a four-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Raul Flores Marin, 47, from Bigelow, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, one count of possession with intent to distribute meth, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The verdict was returned following about 4 hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that in the early morning hours on July 19, 2017, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a suspicious pickup truck with Minnesota license plates trespassing on property in rural Osceola County. While traveling towards the residence, law enforcement observed a pickup bearing Minnesota plates heading away from the property. Shortly after following the truck, it veered onto the left-hand side of the gravel road and almost into the ditch and a traffic stop was initiated. Law enforcement encountered Marin and after a search of the truck, law enforcement located and seized a 9mm handgun along with over 15 grams of methamphetamine. Evidence at trial further showed that Marin was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine mixture in the Osceola County, Iowa area.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Marin was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Marin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Osceola County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4011. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Honduran Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who entered the United States illegally from Honduras was sentenced on April 26, 2019, to four months’ in prison.
Jose Palma-Murillo, age 31, from Honduras, received the sentence after a March 7, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the guilty plea Palma-Murillo admitted he had illegally entered the United States from Honduras on an unknown dated after previously being deported in June of 2013. On February 5, 2019, Palma-Murillo came to the attention of ICE authorities after his arrest in Emmetsburg for driving while license revoked and failure to provide proof on insurance.
Palma-Murillo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Palma-Murillo was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
Palma-Murillo 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 Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-03008.
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New Hampton Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who distributed and possessed child pornography pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
William Rolen, age 56, from New Hampton, Iowa, was convicted of one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Rolen admitted that, in 2018, he knowingly distributed child pornography. He also admitted that he possessed child pornography, including one or more depictions of prepubescent children.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rolen remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Rolen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $10,200 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Police Department, the New Hampton Police Department, and the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 19-2014.
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Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced April 15, 2019, to 15 years in federal prison.
Craig Eugene Essing, 59, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 26, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Essing and others in the conspiracy distributed over 100 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, area from June 2015 through September 2017. Essing obtained methamphetamine from sources in Des Moines, Iowa for redistribution in the Fort Dodge area. During a search warrant at Essing’s residence on September 8, 2017, law enforcement seized indicia of drug distribution, including approximately fourteen ounces of methamphetamine, eleven firearms, including a SKS rifle, numerous rounds of ammunition, $4,911, three digital scales, packaging material, and other drug paraphernalia.
Essing was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Essing was sentenced to 180 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. Essing is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, DCI Criminalistic Laboratory, Iowa State Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fort Dodge Police Department and the Central Iowa Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-3047. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
DEA Prepares for Prescription Drug Takeback DayRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing that on April 27th, DEA will hold its 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at thousands of collection sites around the country, including over 50 here in the Northern District of Iowa. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
“The DEA’s National Takeback Initiative has been very successful and offers an anonymous and free opportunity to get rid of dangerous and unwanted prescription pills,” U.S. Attorney Deegan stated. “Prescription drug abuse can and does lead to heroin and other opioid abuse. Heroin and opioids are extremely dangerous drugs and have caused overdose deaths here in our own communities. Takeback Day is a day our community can come together to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic by ensuring that unneeded prescription drugs are destroyed.”
Last October Americans turned in 457 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 6,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 11 million pounds—more than 5,400 tons—of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city, or state.
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Pair of Shooters Sentenced to Statutory MaximumRead the Press Release
Two men who discharged firearms in Marion were sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.
Mykael Robertson, age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 5, 2018, guilty plea to possessing ammunition after sustaining a conviction for domestic violence. Yecary Harris, age 19, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 5, 2018, guilty plea to possessing ammunition as a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that in May 2018, while at the Houby Days celebration, Robertson was assaulted by a group of men. On May 24, 2018, Robertson and Harris were passengers in a vehicle when they observed two vehicles, each driven by an individual they associated with the assault. Robertson and Harris had the driver of their vehicle position the vehicle in front of the other two cars. As the vehicles turned onto First Street in Marion, directly next to Thomas Moore Park, Robertson and Harris leaned out of their respective windows and began discharging their firearms at the two vehicles behind them. One bullet struck the windshield of one of the vehicles, causing injury to the driver. Officers eventually recovered six shell casings and multiple bullet fragments from the scene.
Robertson and Harris were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge CJ Williams. During the sentencing hearing, the Judge Williams noted that defendants’ acted in “an incredibly reckless manner that could have resulted in multiple fatalities.” Robertson and Harris were each sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. They must also each serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Robertson and Harris are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Marion Police Department, The High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial Probation Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-0060.
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Florida Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
A Florida man who formerly lived in Cresco, Iowa, was sentenced today to the maximum possible sentence of ten years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Patrick Colvin, age 29, from Lake Whales, Florida, received the prison term after a guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities found a loaded gun hidden under a blanket as part of a traffic stop in Waterloo on June 4, 2018. The gun’s serial number had been obliterated. Colvin has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions relating to drug use, drug distribution, theft, and robbery.
Colvin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Colvin was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Colvin 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 Jacob Schunk and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-002040-CJW.
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One-Pot Meth Cook Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to manufacture methamphetamine was sentenced April 18, 2019, to 15 years in federal prison.
Justin Michael Cinkan, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 20, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of conspiring to manufacture five grams or more of methamphetamine near a school and possessing pseudoephedrine for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine.
The evidence at trial showed that between September 2015 and May 2016, Cinkan purchased over 25 grams of pseudoephedrine for the purpose of cooking meth. On four other occasions during that time frame, he had been blocked from purchasing pseudoephedrine as a result of the State of Iowa’s electronic pseudoephedrine tracking system. Trial evidence also showed that Cinkan had other individuals purchase pseudoephedrine and other materials used for manufacturing meth. In the few days prior to May 1, 2016, Cinkan and a woman stockpiled materials to cook meth at a home in Marion. Cinkan and the woman got into an argument and he threatened to blow up the female by lighting an active one-pot meth lab on fire. After the woman’s brother found an apparent one-pot meth lab in the house and called police, the Marion Police Department discovered the one-pot lab and other meth-making materials in the house.
Cinkan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cinkan was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
At sentencing, Chief Judge Strand found that Cinkan had recruited others into the conspiracy, and also found that Cinkan had testified falsely at trial. The court also noted that Cinkan had gone on a “crime spree” in May 2016. Cinkan was convicted of three felonies after he stole, and then abandoned, three cars during the week after the discovery of his meth lab on May 1. The final stolen car was later found with materials for meth manufacturing still inside. Cinkan had also previously been convicted of a felony crime of possessing methamphetamine precursors.
Cinkan 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 Marion Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Kyndra Lundquist.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-00053-LTS.
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Jury Convicts Social Media Entrepreneur in Plot to Hijack Internet DomainRead the Press Release
A man who enlisted his cousin to break into a Cedar Rapids man’s home and order him at gunpoint to transfer an Internet domain was convicted by a jury on April 18, 2019. The jury’s verdict followed a four-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Rossi Lorathio Adams II, age 26, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, also known as “Polo,” was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force, threats, and violence. The verdict was returned after about an hour of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Adams founded the social media company “State Snaps” while a student at Iowa State University in 2015. State Snaps operates on a variety of social media platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter. At one time, Adams had over a million followers on his social media sites, which mostly contained images and videos of young adults engaged in crude behavior, drunkenness, and nudity. In 2015, a Des Moines area television station aired a news segment in which Adams, who in the interview would only identify himself as “Polo,” was continuing to operate his social media sites despite the objections of Iowa State University administrators and the policies of the social media platforms.
Adams’ followers often used the slogan, “Do It For State!” Adams tried to purchase the Internet domain “doitforstate.com” from a Cedar Rapids resident who had registered the domain with GoDaddy.com. Between 2015 and 2017, Adams repeatedly tried to obtain “doitforstate.com”, but the owner of the domain would not sell it. Adams also threatened one of the domain owner’s friends with “gun emojis” after the friend used the domain to promote concerts.
In June 2017, Adams enlisted his cousin, Sherman Hopkins, Jr., to break into the domain owner’s home and force him at gunpoint to transfer doitforstate.com to Adams. Hopkins was a convicted felon who lived in a homeless shelter at the time.
On June 21, 2017, Adams drove Hopkins to the domain owner’s house and provided Hopkins with a demand note, which contained instructions for transferring the domain to Adams’ GoDaddy account. When Hopkins entered the victim’s home in Cedar Rapids, he was carrying a cellular telephone, a stolen gun, a taser, and he was wearing a hat, pantyhose on his head, and dark sunglasses on his face.
The victim was upstairs and heard Hopkins enter the home. From the top of a staircase, the victim saw Hopkins with the gun on the first floor. Hopkins shouted at the victim, who then ran into an upstairs bedroom and shut the door, leaning up against the door to stop Hopkins from entering. Hopkins went upstairs and kicked the door open.
Hopkins grabbed the victim by the arm and demanded to know where he kept his computer. When the victim told Hopkins that he kept his computer in his home office, Hopkins forcibly moved the victim to the office. Hopkins ordered the victim to turn on his computer and connect to the Internet. Hopkins pulled out Adams’ demand note, which contained a series of directions on how to change an Internet domain name from the domain owner’s GoDaddy account to one of Adams’ GoDaddy accounts.
Hopkins put the firearm against the victim’s head and ordered him to follow the directions on the demand note. Hopkins then pistol whipped the victim several times in the head. Fearing for his life, the victim quickly turned to move the gun away from his head. The victim then managed to gain control of the gun, but during the struggle, he was shot in the leg. The victim shot Hopkins multiple times in the chest. He then contacted law enforcement.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Adams was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Adams faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Matthew J. Cole and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Hopkins was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in June 2018.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-86-CJW.
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