Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to over Ten Years’ in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed multiple pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than ten years in federal prison.
Cody Jelinek, age 36, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 2, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Jelinek admitted that between 2013 and 2016, he was involved in a conspiracy to distribute ice methamphetamine. During the course of the conspiracy, Jelinek distributed more than three pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Jelinek was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Jelinek was sentenced to 130 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.
Jelinek 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-2026.
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Columbian Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Participating in Fraud that Scammed Iowa VictimRead the Press Release
A woman who participated in a scheme to defraud victims across the country, including Iowa, out of more than $450,000 was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.
Karina Henao, age 36, a Colombia citizen living in Florida, received the prison term after a November 5, 2018, guilty plea to wire fraud.
In a plea agreement, Henao admitted that from September through November 2017, she participated in a scheme to defraud businesses and individuals across the country. Henao admitted she controlled multiple bank accounts and that other participates of the scheme lied to businesses and individuals to get the victims to transfer money to Henao’s bank accounts. Henao also admitted she then wired some of the money to bank accounts in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan. In total, more than $450,000 in fraudulent money was wired into Henao’s bank accounts, though some of the money was recovered by authorities. Henao personally withdrew over $27,000 of the money during the time she participated in the scheme.
Henao was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Henao was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $297,099.72 in restitution the victims of the scheme. She must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Henao was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-3033.
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Former DuPont Employee Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Stealing Trade Secrets and Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
Josh Harry Isler, age 55, from St. Ansgar, Iowa, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids to serve 42 months’ imprisonment as a result of his July 11, 2018, pleas of guilty to one count of trade secret theft and one count of making a false statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As part of his guilty plea, Isler admitted that, during August 2013, while employed with DuPont, and after having accepted an offer of employment with a smaller competitor, he stole and misappropriated, without authorization, trade secrets of DuPont. According to admissions contained in a plea agreement and evidence presented at a prior hearing in the case, Isler was recruited by a competitor of DuPont in the ethanol fuel business to take a job with the competitor. The competitor offered Isler a new car and a significantly higher salary than Isler had been paid during his short tenure at DuPont, despite the fact that Isler had been underperforming and struggling to understand basic concepts while employed by DuPont.
On the same day Isler accepted a position with the competitor, the competitor’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) informed Isler that Isler would be servicing two particular ethanol plant customers, who had also been customers of DuPont, and asked Isler if he had seen “any baseline data” for those plants. Isler responded by stating, “let me see what I can before I can’t.” In a later message that day, the COO told Isler, “I think you made the right choice.”
Isler submitted his resignation letter to DuPont the following day. However, Isler did not leave DuPont until two weeks later. During the intervening two weeks, Isler downloaded and sent to the competitor numerous electronic files that contained proprietary and trade secret information of DuPont. This included test, yield, and pricing information for products and customers of DuPont.
A few days before leaving DuPont, Isler notified the competitor’s COO that he would be turning in his company phone to DuPont. The COO instructed Isler to “erase all texts with me before giving the phone back.”
During an exit interview with DuPont, Isler acknowledged that he understood a confidentiality agreement he signed before he started work with DuPont required that Isler keep DuPont’s intellectual property private even after he left the company.
A few months after Isler left DuPont, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at his residence and seized computers and other electronic storage devices that contained proprietary and trade secret information of DuPont. At that time, Isler falsely denied to the FBI that he had downloaded, to his DuPont or personal electronic storage devices, files containing proprietary information of DuPont.
At the sentencing hearing today, United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade emphasized that, although Isler had signed a confidentiality agreement and had been trained and counseled by DuPont concerning his obligation to protect trade secrets, he nonetheless committed several criminal violations of these obligations within about six months of being hired by DuPont. The court also expressed concern about the ethics of the competitor in receiving the stolen information.
Isler was sentenced to serve 42 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment and a $5000 fine. The court also ordered Isler to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following completion of the term of imprisonment.
“The theft of intellectual property is not only unfair, it is a serious crime with serious consequences,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. “Those who steal trade secrets seek to gain an unfair advantage over their victims and, in the process, their greedy acts damage our economy and stifle technological development. My office will continue to prosecute those who steal secrets from companies in the Northern District of Iowa.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Omaha Division Randall Thysse said, "The theft of trade secrets and other intellectual property harms individual companies and our economy, and the FBI will continue to aggressively investigate these activities."
Isler was allowed the privilege of self-surrender to the United States Bureau of Prisons.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2032-LRR.
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Media Advisory: United States Attorney’s Office and Center Point-Urbana High School to Host School Threats ForumRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa recently collaborated with prosecutors, law enforcement, mental health providers, and school officials to discuss how best to prevent and address school threats. The group gathered existing resources and developed their own materials to build a school threats prevention resource guide.
The group is now following that effort by moderating a School Threats Forum. The forum will be held at Center-Point Urbana High School and will include moderated discussion and audience questions detailing the prevention of and response to school threats. The forum will address mental health resources available in the community as well as behavioral indicators that may present cause for concern. Law enforcement officers and prosecutors will discuss how undeterred behavior can potentially lead to the involvement of the criminal justice system.
Numerous local agencies will be represented at the forum, including the United States Attorney’s Office, Center Point-Urbana High School, the Linn County Attorney’s Office, the Sixth Judicial District Juvenile Court Services, the Abbe Center for Community Mental Health, Foundation2, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Event Details
When: April 17, 2019
Where: CPU High School Gym, 145 Iowa St., Center Point, Iowa
Time: 7:00 P.M. to 8:15 P.M.
This is a camera friendly event and interview opportunities will be available. Media members please RSVP to Tony Morfitt at [email protected] if you plan to attend.
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Cedar Rapids Multiple Time Felon Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
A multi-time felon who committed a spree of car burglaries in Cedar Rapids in June and July 2018 was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Michael Shannon Adams, age 41, from Cedar Rapids, received the prison term after a September 28, 2018, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case established that, on June 24, 2018, Adams broke into a truck in Cedar Rapids and stole three guns and an $800 pool cue from the truck’s owner. Adams broke both driver side windows of the truck to get inside. On June 26, 2018, Adams returned to the scene, broke into the same truck a second time, and stole the owner’s garage door open. Then, on June 30, 2018, Adams broke into two more vehicles outside a union hall in Cedar Rapids and stole the owners’ purses. One of the victims jumped into her vehicle and chased Adams, but Adams escaped on foot around a chain-link fence.
On July 2, 2018, Adams broke into more vehicles in Cedar Rapids near Hawkeye Downs. Law enforcement officers responded and saw Adams discard a plastic bag into some greenery. Officers arrested Adams and found one of the three stolen firearms in the bag. The firearm was loaded and there was a round chambered. Officers also found knives on Adams’s person. Adams eventually confessed to stealing the three firearms on June 24, 2018, and officers found one of the two remaining stolen firearms in Adams’ residence. This second firearm was also loaded. Further, officers found over 300 rounds of ammunition, a small amount of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia in Adams’ residence. Officers were unable to recover the third firearm, which Adams said was in a “hiding spot” around his residence.
Adams has a lengthy criminal history, which dates back to 1996 and spans multiple states. Before his arrest and prosecution in this federal case, Adams was convicted of felonies in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Woodbury County, Iowa. Adams’ criminal history includes convictions for breaking and entering, second-degree burglary, receiving stolen goods, conspiracy to commit robbery, and theft. In 2005, Adams was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery in Woodbury County after he and two other individuals entered a residence to steal property. In that case, Adams and one of his coconspirators wore masks. The victim of the home invasion was held at knife-point during the robbery.
Adams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Adams was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $475.66 in restitution to one of his victims. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Adams 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-89-CJW.
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Waterloo Drug User Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing an Assault RifleRead the Press Release
A man who possessed an assault rifle while unlawfully using marijuana was sentenced today to seven months in federal prison. Daulton Graff, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 29, 2018, guilty plea to one count of being an unlawful user of marijuana in possession of a firearm.
Information at sentencing showed that Graff purchased an AR-15 assault rifle from a store in Cedar Falls, Iowa. During the purchase, Graff lied on an ATF form, committing perjury by claiming he was not a drug user. Law enforcement later searched Graff’s apartment, finding the assault rifle in Graff’s bedroom. The gun was loaded. Officers also found 25 grams of marijuana in the bedroom.
After being arrested, Graff was released pending trial. However, while on release, he failed to attend required substance abuse treatment appointments and tested positive for using marijuana. The Court revoked his release and ordered him detained pending today’s sentencing hearing.
Graff was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Graff was sentenced to seven 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. Graff is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2039. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
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.
Hilario Vicente-Vargas, age 29, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 14, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Vicente-Vargas admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in March 2017 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Vicente-Vargas was found by immigration agents in November 2018 after he was charged in Linn County, Iowa, with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). Vicente-Vargas was arrested for OWI on February 12, 2017, and on November 5, 2018. Vicente-Vargas was convicted of OWI in both cases on December 31, 2018.
Vicente-Vargas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Vicente-Vargas was sentenced to 86 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. Vicente-Vargas 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-01. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Justice Department Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with Events Throughout the CountryRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa is participating in multiple events throughout the state, including honoring an Algona, Iowa, police officer with the highest federal honor in Iowa for victim services by a law enforcement officer.
“Victims of crime deserve justice. This Department works every day to help them recover and to find, prosecute, and convict those who have done them harm,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “During this National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we pause to remember the millions of Americans who have been victims of crime and we thank public servants who have served them in especially heroic ways. This week the men and women of the Department recommit ourselves once again to ensuring that crime victims continue to have a voice in our legal system, to securing justice for them, and to preventing other Americans from suffering what they have endured."
“It is a crucial to our criminal justice system that we hear the voices of crime victims,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. “The events of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week give law enforcement and the public the chance to show victims of crime that others stand with them, hear their voices, and recognize their courage.”
Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys’ offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. In addition, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ offices organize events to honor the victims and advocates, as well as bring awareness to services available to victims of crime. This year’s observance takes place April 7-13, with the theme: Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.
The U.S. Department of Justice will host the Office for Victims of Crime’s annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 12, 2019, to honor outstanding individuals and programs that serve victims of crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa will participate in and encourages the public to attend the following events:
- On April 7, there will be an opening ceremony as the kick-off event for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2019. The ceremony will be held at Horizons, 819 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids at 1:00 P.M. This event will include a proclamation from Mayor Brad Hart declaring the week to honor victims of crime. The ceremony will feature the presentation of the Jennifer Clinton Domestic Violence Service Award. There will also be a keynote address given by a domestic violence survivor;
- On April 8, from 6:30 to 7:30 P.M. at Horizons, 819 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, there will be a Memorial Craft Night, where memorial boxes will be crafted to process trauma experience, honor loved ones lost, and share a safe space with others. Light refreshments and crafting materials will be provided;
- On April 11, there will be a candle-lighting ceremony and speakers as part of the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2019 Commemoration. The commemoration will occur at the Iowa Department of Corrections, 510 East 12th Street, in Des Moines, from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.;
- On April 12, there will be a Candle Light Vigil at Horizons, 819 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, from 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. The annual Survivor's candlelight vigil offers families of victims of crime, survivors of violent crime, and loved ones to join together in memorial. The event will share a slideshow of the victims, offer a chance to light memorial candles, and celebrate the lives of those lost. The candlelight vigil will have light refreshments, music, and spoken poetry;
- On April 13, the Go the Distance for Crime Victims 5K run/walk will be held at Thomas Park in Marion. Registration begins at 7:00 A.M. More information is available at http://GotheDistance5k.com.
Also, on April 12, United States Attorney Deegan will present the Law Enforcement Victim Services Award to Officer Marcus Bacha of the Algona Police Department in a ceremony beginning at 1:00 P.M. at the Algona Police Department, 121 W State St., Algona. This award is presented to law enforcement officers in Iowa who go beyond the call of duty to help crime victims. It is the highest federal honor in Iowa for victim services by a law enforcement officer.
“When a teen girl with special needs disclosed she was being abused by a family member, Algona Police Officer Marc Bacha investigated the victim’s complaint, and after a great deal of hard work and determination, secured the evidence, that led to a conviction,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “The perpetrator received a 15 year prison sentence and the victim is moving on with her life. Officer Bacha’s willingness to hear and act on the victim’s cries for help is what makes him an outstanding choice for a Victims’ Rights Award.”
The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week each year. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
The Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across America, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with these officers. More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victims’ Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/. You may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Victim Witness Program at (319)363-6333.
Marijuana User Who Illegally Possessed a Gun Sentenced to Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced April 3, 2019, to two years in federal prison.
Trevon Parham-Holmes, age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 30, 2019, guilty plea to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a drug user.
Evidence during the case established that police tried to stop a car in Waterloo after receiving that information that one of the occupants was fighting with an area gang. The car ignored the police, failed to stop, and led officers on a pursuit, during which the occupants of the vehicle, including Parham-Holmes, threw multiple guns from the car. The gun Parham-Holmes possessed had previously been stolen.
Parham-Holmes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Parham-Holmes was sentenced to 24 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.
Parham-Holmes was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by 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-2049.
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Cedar Rapids Heroin Dealer Sentenced to More than Two Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
A man who distributed heroin and fentanyl was sentenced April 3, 2019, to more than two years in federal prison.
Julius Sullivan, age 26, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after an October 25, 2018, guilty plea to distribution of heroin within a protected location. On July 31, 2018, Sullivan distributed heroin in Cedar Rapids, near a playground located at the Time Check Park.
Sullivan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Sullivan was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sullivan is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration 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-0080.
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Passing $300 in Funny Money at Six Cedar Rapids’ Businesses Leads to Nearly Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who passed $300 worth of counterfeit money to six Cedar Rapids businesses was sentenced on April 2, 2019, to 57 months in federal prison.
David Cummings, age 38, currently living in Waterloo, Iowa, and originally from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a September 27, 2018, guilty plea to passing counterfeit currency.
In June 2018, Cummings passed counterfeit $50 bills to six Cedar Rapids businesses. Cummings had a significant criminal history, including convictions for attempted murder and armed robbery and numerous parole and probation violations.
Cummings was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Cummings was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to make $300 in restitution. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cummings is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Cole and Justin Lightfoot and investigated by Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-79.
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Combatants in Gun Battle Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who feloniously exchanged gunfire on Sioux City, Iowa’s Near-North Side have been sentenced to federal prison. One was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison. Another was already sentenced on January 16, 2019 to more than a year in federal prison.
Donald Rashard Smith, Jr., 31, of Yankton, South Dakota, received his prison term of 77 months’ after a November 20, 2018, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm as a Prohibited Person. Henry Lee Booth, Jr., 25, of Sioux City, Iowa received a prison term of 18 months’ after a June 28, 2018, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm as a Prohibited Person and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea hearings and sentencings revealed that in the early morning hours of October 29, 2017, Smith, a felon, and Booth, a drug user and dealer, engaged in a gunfight sparked by a romantic quarrel. Smith approached a residence used by Booth, and called out, Booth stepped outside of the house and engaged Smith. The two then repeatedly fired at each other in the residential neighborhood. At least one bullet entered the Booth’s residence, where a family, including young children, were sleeping.
When the Sioux City Police arrived the gun fight was over. The ensuing investigation revealed evidence of Booth’s drug use, drug dealing, and firearm possession. It was also determined Booth and Smith were the combatants.
Smith was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Smith was sentenced to 77 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.
Booth was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Booth was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. Booth was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal.
The case was investigated by the USDOJ’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and 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 numbers are 18-CR-4030 and 18-CR-4026.
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Dubuquer Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who possessed a sawed-off shotgun and a pistol with an obliterated serial number was sentenced yesterday to more than three years in federal prison. Neil George Ness, also known as Neelon Ness, 66, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 7, 2018 guilty plea to one count of Possession of an Unregistered Short-Barreled Shotgun.
At Ness’s sentencing hearing, the district court found that, in August 2016, Dubuque Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Ness’s home in Dubuque after receiving information that another person was selling marijuana from the home. In the other person’s room, officers found three pounds of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, cocaine, and marijuana growing equipment. During the search, the officers also examined a locked cabinet in defendant’s bedroom. In the cabinet, officers found a number of firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun with a barrel length of approximately 14.5 inches. The firearm was not registered to Ness in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer record, and thus Ness’s possession of the firearm was illegal. Officers also found a pistol with an obliterated serial number. Ness admitted he knowingly possessed both illegal firearms.
Ness was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Ness was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment and fined $2,500. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ness was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney 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-1024.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Using Another Person’s Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who used another person’s name and social security number to get jobs was sentenced today to six months in federal prison.
Melvin Rodriguez-Barrios, age 44, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Clarion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 2, 2019, bench trial finding him guilty of three counts of unlawful use of an identification document and four counts of misuse of a social security number.
The evidence at trial showed that on May 23, 2014, August 21, 2014, June 24, 2015, and January 5, 2016, Rodriguez-Barrios, using an alias name, used a social security card bearing someone else’s name and social security number on employment and tax documents when applying for work at various businesses in Clarion and Forest City, Iowa. Rodriguez-Barrios also used a fraudulent Missouri State ID card to prove his stolen identity and falsely claimed to be a United States citizen when applying for work.
Rodriguez-Barrios had been a fugitive from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since he was ordered deported from the United States in August 2011. Rodriguez-Barrios first used the alias name and false identification documents when applying for work in Clarion in March 2012. Rodriguez-Barrios came to the attention of immigration officials during the course of an employment documents audit at a business in Clarion in November 2017. Information obtained during the audit showed Rodriguez-Barrios, an illegal alien, was working under an alias and used someone else’s social security number to obtain work.
Further investigation revealed that Rodriguez-Barrios’ wife, Cleotilde Puac-Gomez, also an illegal alien, was collecting food stamps and other state welfare benefits by not disclosing Rodriguez-Barrios’ income earned under the stolen identity. The failure to report Rodriguez-Barrios’ income resulted in Puac-Gomez receiving over $19,900 in over-payments in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds and Medicaid benefits between June 2012 and November 30, 2017. Puac-Gomez, age 46, has pled guilty to theft of government funds and is awaiting sentencing.
Rodriguez-Barrios was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Rodriguez-Barrios was sentenced to six 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.
Rodriguez-Barrios is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Investigation Division - Economic Fraud Control Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-3045.
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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 four months in federal prison.
Julian Pol-Xan, age 42, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 16, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Pol-Xan admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in August 2003 and illegally reentered the United States in 2005 without the permission of the United States government. Pol-Xan was deported after he was found to be working at a meat packing plant in Dakota City, Nebraska, under a fake name and using fraudulent identification documents.
In November 2018, Pol-Xan was found by immigration agents after he was detained by the Meskwaki Nation Police Department in Tama, Iowa, after Pol-Xan attempted to enter the Meskwaki Casino using a fraudulent identification card.
Pol-Xan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Pol-Xan was sentenced to 127 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.
Pol-Xan 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 18-CR-0115.
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Man with Extensive Criminal Record Sent Back to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man with an extensive criminal history, who was released from federal prison in October 2018 after having served nearly 18 years, was sentenced March 19, 2019, to serve an additional two years in prison.
Andre Tyrone Griffith, age 44, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after the court found he violated several conditions of his supervised release.
In December 2018, while on supervised release, Griffith was found to have illegally used marijuana and was ordered to serve two weekends in jail. At a hearing held in federal court on March 19, 2019, Griffith admitted he again violated the conditions of his supervised release by: interacting with a person engaged in criminal activity; failing to participate in drug abuse testing as ordered by the court; failing to follow his probation officer’s instructions; failing to report as directed by his probation officer; and by again unlawfully using marijuana. In addition, the court found Griffith had possessed a dangerous weapon and committed new violations of law by assaulting his girlfriend and preventing her from leaving her apartment or calling for help in the course of the assault.
Evidence presented at the hearing showed that on February 12, 2019, Griffith entered the residence of his girlfriend and became upset when she expressed displeasure with Griffith’s recent behavior. Griffith then began to choke his girlfriend, pulled her hair, hit her in the chest, and knocked her across the room onto a couch where he then sat on top of her. When the girlfriend attempted to use her cell phone to call for help, Griffith took the phone from her and covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming for help. At a later point during the encounter, Griffith held a butcher knife to his own throat, causing the girlfriend to fear that Griffith may turn the knife on her. After about two and a half hours, Griffith agreed to call a felon friend of his to take his girlfriend to the hospital. However, before allowing the girlfriend to be taken to the hospital, Griffith demanded she write him a check or give him something valuable to be held as insurance that the woman would not report his conduct to his probation officer.
On February 19, 2019, Griffith was charged in Iowa District Court in and for Linn County with one count of assault causing bodily injury (domestic abuse) (strangulation) and one count of obstruction of emergency communications. A no contact order was filed on February 23, 2019. The state charges remain pending.
Griffith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Griffith was sentenced to serve two years imprisonment, the maximum sentence the court could impose. The court also ordered that the sentence should be served consecutive to any sentence imposed in Iowa District Court.
In sentencing Griffith, Judge Reade noted she fully credited the victim’s account of the assault and having been prevented from leaving her apartment or seeking medical assistance for more than two and half hours. Judge Reade found that Griffith’s conduct was “outrageous” and that no one had a right to engage in such conduct. Judge Reade noted Griffith had an extensive criminal record. Griffith’s criminal record includes multiple burglary convictions, prior assaults, and other violent conduct, including an assault on a woman with whom he had cohabitated that included striking the woman and grabbing her by the throat, and had 22 disciplinary reports while in prison. The court also found that Griffith violated the terms of his supervision by associating with at least five convicted felons without permission, and that the sentence imposed was justified by all of Griffith’s violations of supervision, not just the assault of his girlfriend.
Griffith 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 Richard L. Murphy.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 01-04.
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Three Time Drug Trafficking Felon Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing firearms pled guilty March 21, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Brandon Lee Boone, 46, from Des Moines, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a stolen firearm. Boone was previously convicted of manufacture/deliver/possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in 2004 and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver in 2008, both in the Iowa District Court. Boone was also previously convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon in the United States District Court in 2009 and felony drug trafficking of methamphetamine in Minnesota in 2018.
At the plea hearing, Boone admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 15 kilograms of mixed methamphetamine from January 2018 through February 2018. During a traffic stop, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, of a vehicle Boone was a passenger in on February 6, 2018, law enforcement seized over 800 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine and three firearms, including a stolen AR-15 rifle with an extra capacity magazine. Boone admitted he and another possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it and aided and abetted another’s possession of firearms during the time and in furtherance of the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Boone remains in U.S. Marshals custody pending sentencing. Boone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and ten years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3004. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Witness to Shooting Who Lied to Grand Jury Sentenced to Two Years’ Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who lied to a federal grand jury about a shooting in Waterloo was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Karla Myles, age 51, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 8, 2018, guilty plea to false declarations before the grand jury.
Evidence during the case established that Myles was present at a residence in Waterloo when Eric Sallis shot a juvenile. Myles was subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury to testify about the shooting. Sallis, a felon, was under investigation for illegally possessing the firearm used in the shooting. During grand jury, Myles lied and claimed to have no knowledge about the shooting.
Myles was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey. Myles was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
At the sentencing Judge Jarvey noted that Myles told “blatant lies under oath” and that such conduct “strikes at the integrity of the grand jury to investigate and ferret out crime.”
Myles is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by 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-2020.
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Man with Assaultive History Who Illegally Possessed Firearms Sentenced to Four Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed firearms and ammunition was sentenced today to four years in federal prison.
Damon Montano, age 39, from Louisiana, Missouri, received the prison term after a December 3, 2018, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a person convicted of domestic violence.
Evidence during the case established that Montano was convicted of domestic violence assault in 2007. After that conviction he continued to possess three different firearms and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition. At sentencing, Montano stated that he was “terrified [he] would get eaten alive by bears” and possessed the firearms for protection.
Montano was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Montano was sentenced to 48 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.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Williams relied on testimony at the sentencing hearing which established that, in addition to Montano’s 2007 domestic assault conviction, Montano had committed multiple other assaults, causing serious injuries, including as recently as August 2018 while he was incarcerated in the Tama County Jail and assaulted another inmate.
Montano 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Meskwaki Nation Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-0092.
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Denison, Iowa Men Off to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Two men who conspired to distribute meth were sentenced to federal prison. Erick Corona Cardenas, 30, Denison, Iowa, but illegally in the United States, and Daniel Limon Bastidas, 23, from Denison, Iowa, received the prison terms after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location.
Evidence showed that Corona Cardenas and Limon Bastidas were involved in a conspiracy from January 2017 through February 2018 that distributed more than 2 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Denison, Iowa area. On two separate occasions, law enforcement executed search warrants at the men’s residences where approximately 1 pound and ½ pound quantities of methamphetamine were seized that the men intended to distribute to others. During two controlled drug transactions in the Hy-Vee parking lot in Denison, Corona Cardenas and Limon Bastidas first distributed ½ pound and later were in possession of one pound of methamphetamine. The parking lot for Hy-Vee is within the protected location of Washington Park, a public playground.
Both men were sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Corona Cardenas was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and Limon Bastidas was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. Each must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Denison Police Department, and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4016. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Webster City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty March 18, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jeremy Alan Frye, 35, from Webster City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Frye admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine from July 2017 through August 2018 in Webster City, Iowa. Frye also admitted that on four occasions in 2018 he distributed more than 53 grams of pure meth to law enforcement within a public park zone in undercover drug operations. During a search warrant at Frye’s residence (located within 1000 feet of a protected location, namely Nokomis Park and East Twin Park), law enforcement seized over 37 grams of pure meth. Frye further admitted that he intended to distribute this methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Frye remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. On the conspiracy conviction, Frye faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the possession conviction, Frye faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster City Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3035.
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New Hampton Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
William Rolen, age 56, of New Hampton, Iowa, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor and distribution, receipt, possession, and accessing child pornography. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on March 12, 2019, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between February 2018 and March 2018, Rolen attempted to entice a person who he believed to be under 18 to engage in criminal sexual activity. The Indictment also alleges that, between 2015 and 2018, Rolen distributed, received, possessed, and accessed child pornography.
If convicted, Rolen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,250,000 fine, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Rolen appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids for a detention hearing and was held without bond. Rolen’s next appearance for trial is set for May 13, 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, 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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Media Advisory: United States Attorney’s Office and Sioux City Human Rights Commission to Host Forum on Protecting Places of WorshipRead the Press Release
SIOUX CITY, IA –United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. and the Sioux City Human Rights Commission will host a community forum focused on protecting places of worship. Leaders of the interfaith community, representatives of houses of worship, and other community stakeholders and members are encouraged to attend to discuss hate crime laws, identifying and reporting hate crimes, and best practices for creating safe and secure houses of worship. The event will conclude with a panel discussion featuring officials from the FBI, DoJ, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Sioux City Police Department.
Event Details
When: 5:30PM-8:30PM, Thursday, April 25, 2019
Where: Sioux City Public Museum, 607 4th Street, Sioux City, IA
This event is open press. Photography permitted. A press release will be provided and interview opportunities will be available.
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Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed guns pled guilty March 12, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Wayne Allen Quillen, Jr. 49, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a felon. Quillen was convicted of possession of methamphetamine and/or amphetamine with intent to distribute in Webster County, Iowa in March 2001.
At the plea hearing, Quillen admitted that from about 2017 through July 2018, he and others conspired to distribute more than three pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. On December 27, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence Quillen and co-defendant Cody Groat resided at. At that time officers seized over ½ pound of methamphetamine, three handguns, a modified shotgun with no serial number, and assorted 9mm ammunition. It was later determined that two of the 9mm handguns had been stolen from a large scale firearm 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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Quillen remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the drug convictions, Quillen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, with a consecutive mandatory minimum 5 years’ imprisonment on one gun conviction, and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $24,500,000 in fines, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the 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.
Being Incarcerated in State Prison Does Not Stop New Hartford Man from Distributing Pounds of MethRead the Press Release
A man who was responsible for distributing pounds of ice methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than ten years in federal prison.
Duane Baker, age 28, from New Hartford, Iowa received the prison term after an October 29, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine by a convicted drug felon.
Evidence during the case established that while incarcerated in state prison for state felony drug charges, Baker became involved in a conspiracy to distribute ice methamphetamine. From prison, he recruited the mother of his child to distribute methamphetamine on his behalf. Once released from state prison, he continued his involvement in the conspiracy, ultimately distributing more than five founds of ice methamphetamine.
Baker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Baker was sentenced to 131 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.
Baker 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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Man Convicted of Unlawfully Possessing Guns for the Third Time Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who has a history of illegally possessing guns was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.
Duane Richard Fisher, age 48, from Rockford, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 9, 2018, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
In March 2018, law enforcement found a vehicle registered to Fisher’s girlfriend with a loaded rifle inside, but no occupants, in rural Rockford. Fisher was found hiding in the woods in the area and claimed to be looking for deer antlers. At the guilty plea, Fisher admitted possessing the rifle.
Fisher was previously convicted of possession of a firearm while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine in federal court in 2001 and possession of a firearm by a felon in state court in 2015. He was also convicted of harassment and assault causing bodily injury in 2018.
Fisher was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Fisher was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
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 Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from 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-02053.
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Man Who Distributed over 17 Pounds of Meth Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed more than 17 pounds of ice methamphetamine was sentenced on March 7, 2018, to more than ten years in federal prison.
Justin Lee Branon, age 35, from Clemons, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 1, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence during the case established that Branon received meth in pound or multiple pound quantities and distributed it throughout the Waterloo area.
Branon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Branon was sentenced to 126 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. Branon 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 17-cr-2002.
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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 almost four months in federal prison.
Victor Morales-Suar, age 42, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 16, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Morales-Suar admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in June 2003 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Morales-Suar was deported after he was found to be working at a meat packing plant in South Sioux City, Nebraska, under a fake name and using fraudulent identification documents.
In November 2018, Morales-Suar was found by immigration agents after he was detained by the Meskwaki Nation Police Department in Tama, Iowa, after Morales-Suar attempted to enter the Meskwaki Casino using a fraudulent identification card.
Morales-Suar was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Morales-Suar was sentenced to 112 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.
Morales-Suar 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 18-CR-0116.
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Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers Wins Outstanding Prosecutor AwardRead the Press Release
On March 14, 2019, Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jack Lammers will receive the Midwest HIDTA program’s outstanding prosecutor award from Jeff Stamm, the program director. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), first established in 1990, is a drug enforcement program run by the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy. The program’s mission is to enhance and coordinate America's drug-control efforts among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in order to eliminate or reduce drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States.
In addition to consistently working with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of drug related crimes in the Northern District of Iowa, AUSA Lammers recently led the investigation and prosecution of three individuals responsible for the sale and distribution of heroin which subsequently led to the death of Ty Olsen in October 2017. Shelton Oliver, Don Glen and Earl Jackson all from Chicago, Illinois, were arrested in early April 2018. Glen pled guilty and was sentenced to 113 months’ imprisonment, Jackson also pled guilty and is facing a lengthy prison sentence. Oliver took his case to trial, where he was convicted, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 300 months’ imprisonment.
“Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers represents the very best in public service,” said U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan. “Our entire office is very pleased that he is being honored with the Midwest HIDTA Outstanding Prosecutor Award. Jack has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to protect our communities from the dangers of drugs and violent drug dealers. He is an accomplished trial lawyer, a skilled mentor and instructor, and a valued friend and colleague. I offer my thanks to the Midwest HIDTA board for recognizing Jack with this well-deserved award.”
The award will be presented at 11:00 a.m. on March 14, 2019, at the United States Attorney’s Office in Sioux City.
Sanborn Woman to Federal Prison for MethRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced March 8, 2019, to 8 years in federal prison.
Jamie Williams, 33, from Sanborn, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 21, 2018, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a protected location.
Evidence at the guilty plea and sentencing showed that from 2015 through January 2018, Williams distributed more than six pounds of methamphetamine from her residence. Williams lived within 1000 feet of Hartley Melvin Sanborn Middle School. In January 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence and seized over 120 grams of pure methamphetamine from her purse.
Williams was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Williams was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4010. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Galva Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on March 7, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Lee Charles Mercer, 42, from Galva, Iowa, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on August 21, 2018. Mercer was previously convicted of three separate felony drug offenses in the Iowa District Court in 2013, 2004 and 1998.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings, showed that from November 2017 through March 2018, Mercer was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 2500 grams of methamphetamine near Galva, Iowa. On March 12, 2018, Mercer was stopped for a traffic violation in Woodbury County, Iowa, and found in possession of meth, and $5,000 in cash. Mercer admitted he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to other persons. Mercer further admitted that he planned to use the $5,000 to purchase a pound of methamphetamine in Sioux City, Iowa.
Mercer was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mercer was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a term of ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Mercer 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 Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux City Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4018.
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Estherville Man to Federal Prison for Meth and GunsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and possessed a gun while doing so was sentenced March 6, 2019, to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Todd Christopher Moritz, 47, from Estherville, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 11, 2018, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Evidence at the guilty plea and sentencing showed that in June 2017, Moritz, driving a motorcycle, attempted to evade police. Moritz crashed the motorcycle, then fled on foot. Once apprehended, officers seized over 7 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, a digital scale, and eight cell phones from Moritz. Despite Moritz’s prior conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, he also had a loaded gun with an obliterated serial number.
Moritz was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Moritz was sentenced to 189 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Moritz 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 Mikala M. Steenholdt and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Estherville Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3012. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and possessed firearms illegally pled guilty March 6, 2019 in federal court in Sioux City.
Tate Steburg, 47, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm. Steburg had previously been convicted of two felony drug trafficking convictions in the Iowa District Court.
At the plea hearing, Steburg admitted that from 2017 through February 2018, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 11 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Evidence at the plea hearing also showed that Steburg sold methamphetamine and a stolen gun to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. The gun was stolen in a Calhoun County, Iowa, burglary/arson case.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Steburg remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the drug conviction, Steburg faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and ten years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the firearm conviction, Steburg faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-3013. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cherokee Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced March 5, 2019, to 12 years in federal prison.
Raymond Andrew Kerns, 37, from Cherokee, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 10, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Kerns was previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance, third or subsequent offense in the Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County in August 2017.
Evidence at the guilty plea and sentencing showed that from January 2017 through February 2018, Kerns was involved in a conspiracy that distributed nearly three pounds of methamphetamine in and around the Cherokee, Iowa area. On February 27, 2018, Kerns was apprehended by law enforcement in Storm Lake, Iowa while attempting to meet with another meth dealer. Law enforcement seized $1,500 and 8 grams of methamphetamine from Kerns, which Kerns admitted he planned to distribute to other persons.
Kerns was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Kerns was sentenced to 144 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. Kerns 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 Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Storm Lake Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4025.
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Waterloo Gang Member Sentenced to over One Year for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed ammunition was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
Daejon Putman, age 22, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 23, 2018, guilty plea to being a drug user in possession of ammunition.
Evidence during the case showed police executed a search warrant at Putman’s residence and located a single round of .40 caliber ammunition in his bedroom. Putman was also involved in distributing marijuana and Xanax and was a member of the Del Mob street gang in Waterloo.
Putman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Putman was sentenced to 12 months’ and one day 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.
Putman 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 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-2048.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Two Prior DeportationsRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being twice deported was sentenced today to almost four months in federal prison.
Pedro Matom-Matom, age 31, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 2, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Matom-Matom admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in April 2006 and November 2014 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Matom-Matom was found by immigration agents in October 2018 after he was charged in Linn County, Iowa, with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. That case is still pending.
Matom-Matom was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Matom-Matom was sentenced to 113 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.
Matom-Matom 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 18-CR-112. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Storm Lake Man Convicted of Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography pled guilty March 4, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
James Gailey, 49, from Storm Lake, Iowa, was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Gailey admitted that in October 2017 he utilized a Dropbox account to receive child pornography. Gailey further admitted that in January 2018 he utilized a second Dropbox account to receive child pornography. Gailey also admitted that he received images and videos of sexual abuse or exploitation of victims as young as infants or toddlers.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Gailey was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Gailey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4065. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man with Violent History Involving Guns Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon and domestic abuser who possessed a gun during a domestic incident was sentenced February 26, 2019, to the maximum sentence allowed, ten years in federal prison.
Kenneth Lamont Sanders, age 38, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 13, 2018, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Sanders was prohibited from possessing guns because he was a convicted felon and domestic abuser.
Evidence presented at an earlier hearing showed Sanders was in an argument with his then-girlfriend when a minor in the residence heard her yelling “Put the gun down! Put the gun down!” After police arrived on the scene, they recovered a gun in the couch at the residence. The girlfriend had visible injuries to her face and neck. During sentencing, the judge found that Sanders obstructed justice by trying to influence the testimony of the victim.
Sanders’s criminal history includes an adjudication for murder when he shot and killed another male. Sanders’s history also includes convictions for battery, aggravated unlawful use of weapons, carrying weapons, domestic assault, domestic battery, aggravated assault, battery, criminal mischief, interference with official acts, assault, assault of a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of cocaine, resisting a peace officer, and numerous alcohol-related offenses. Both the prior domestic battery and the domestic assault convictions involved guns.
Sanders was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Sanders was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. This was the maximum sentence allowed by law. 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.
Sanders 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 Dubuque 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-1025.
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Five People Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Over the last week, five people have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in trafficking methamphetamine throughout central and northern Iowa.
Octavio Cortez Fierros, age 27, from Michoacán, Mexico, received a 420-month prison term after a September 4, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Mario Nava Zavala, age 26, from Michoacán, Mexico, received a 120-month prison term after an August 17, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Ulises Legorreta Chavez, age 30, from Michoacán, Mexico, received a 108-month prison term after an August 27, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Xiomara Gonzalez-Zambrano, age 38, from Atwater, California, received a 63-month prison term after an August 21, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Adilene Vanessa Garcia, age 21, from State Center, Iowa, received a 52-month prison term after an August 27, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at sentencing hearings showed that Fierros was the leader of a significant drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing ice methamphetamine to customers in Waterloo, Marshalltown, and Des Moines. Fierros organized a network of individuals including Zavala, Chavez, and Garcia to assist him with the distribution of methamphetamine. These individuals were responsible for delivering methamphetamine to Fierros’ customers, collecting money the customers owed for drug debts, translating for the Spanish speaking Fierros, and counting money.
Gonzalez-Zambrano transported multiple pounds of methamphetamine from Kansas City to Des Moines for delivery to Fierros. Fierros distributed methamphetamine to his customers in pound to multiple-pound quantities. Over the course of a few months, Fierros distributed over 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, or approximately 28 pounds of methamphetamine. This methamphetamine had a street value of over $1,000,000.
All five individuals were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. They must also each serve a term of supervised release after the prison term. All are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Methamphetamine is a highly dangerous drug that severely threatens the safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the public from dangerous drug dealers and hold accountable those who seek to profit from methamphetamine trafficking.”
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-2002.
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Drug Dealer and Convicted Burglar Pleads Guilty to Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty February 28, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Michael Halstead, 32, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegal possession of ammunition. Halstead was previously convicted of burglary in California in 2010.
At the plea hearing, Halstead admitted that from about August 2016 through November 2018, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than seven pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge and Webster County areas. Halstead arranged for his mother and other family members to transport methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine, by car and train, from California to Iowa.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Halstead remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the conspiracy conviction, Halstead faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and five years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the illegal possession of ammunition conviction, Halstead faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment; a $250,000 file, and up to three years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3046. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Drug Dealer Sentenced to over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Meth and Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who sold methamphetamine and was involved in a February 6, 2017 shooting in Cedar Rapids was sentenced today to more than 24 years in federal prison.
Jerry Dean Love, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 1, 2018, guilty plea to one count of distribution of methamphetamine after a prior felony drug conviction and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In a plea agreement and at the guilty plea, Love admitted he sold 99% pure methamphetamine to an individual working with law enforcement on October 26, 2016. Love also admitted that he had a firearm on February 6, 2017, when he drove to a gas station located on Edgewood Road SW, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and shot the gun in the direction of Johnson Avenue. Love admitted that when he was subsequently taken into custody by a Cedar Rapids police officer, he had the gun, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more methamphetamine he planned to sell. Love admitted he had prior state felony convictions for manufacture and delivery of cocaine base and extortion/ terrorism. Love also admitted he had a prior federal felony conviction for distribution of cocaine base near a school.
Love was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Love was sentenced to 292 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.
Love is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew Inman and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and 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.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-00012-LRR.
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Meth User and Dealer Sentenced to over a Year in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
An Ely woman who was a daily user of methamphetamine and possessed a gun was sentenced on February 22, 2019, to 16 months in federal prison.
Melissa Kurth, age 38, from Ely, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 19, 2018 guilty plea to one count of being an unlawful user of methamphetamine in possession of a firearm.
Kurth was driving a car in Cedar Rapids on January 26, 2018, when she was stopped by officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department for a traffic violation. During the stop, officers found a Savage Arms rifle and a BB gun in the trunk of the car. The rifle had previously been reported stolen. Officers also located drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine residue in the vehicle. Kurth admitted she was a daily user of methamphetamine and that she also sold up to an ounce of methamphetamine daily in the Cedar Rapids area.
In sentencing Kurth, the judge noted she had a lengthy criminal history which included over 20 criminal convictions. Kurth has prior convictions for driving offenses, thefts, OWI, and attempted burglary.
Kurth was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Kurth was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment, with the final 3 months to be served in a residential facility. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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.
Kurth is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to federal prison.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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-00056. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Brazilian Man Sentenced to Imprisonment for Intimidating and Interfering with a Flight Crew and Flight AttendantsRead the Press Release
Guilherme Alves De Melo (Alves), 34, a citizen of Brazil, was sentenced to serve over a year in prison today after an August 23, 2018 guilty plea to one count of intimidating a flight crew and flight attendants and lessening and interfering with their ability to perform their duties.
Information disclosed in the case shows that, on or about June 23, 2018, Alves was a passenger on an international American Airlines flight originating in Calgary, Canada, and bound for Chicago, Illinois. During the flight, Alves became disruptive and was repeatedly told by flight attendants that he needed to calm down and that his conduct was potentially in violation of federal law. The flight attendants brought the disruptive conduct to the attention of the captain. About one hour before the flight was to arrive in Chicago, Alves again became disruptive and was scaring other passengers. Less than a minute later, Alves was reported to have “lost it,” leading to some of the passengers needing to restrain him with zip ties provided by the flight crew.
Alves behavior on the plane included:
- Repeatedly hitting himself
- Singing loudly and stomping his feet
- Making strange hand gestures to a woman seated across the aisle from him and eventually moving to a seat next to her and placing his hand on her arm before being redirected to his seat by a flight attendant and another passenger
- Writing on his face with a black marker
- Tearing up several personal identification documents including a passport, visa, Brazilian driver’s license, and a boarding pass
- Breaking a pen and destroying his headphones and eyeglasses
- Feigning that others had hit him and that he was bleeding
- Making wrist-slitting motions
- Talking about “9-1-1” and asking a passenger “are you scared”?
As a result of Alves’s behavior, the flight attendants and crew were not able to attend to their normal duties and the flight was diverted to the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids after it had begun its final descent to Chicago.
After the aircraft landed in Cedar Rapids, Alves was removed from the plane by Cedar Rapids police. However, he again became loud and used expletives within sight and sound of other passengers, patrons, and employees at the airport. Alves was charged with disorderly conduct for these actions and, on June 24, 2018, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Linn County District Court.
Alves was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Linda Reade to a term of imprisonment of one year and one day. Alves was also ordered to pay restitution to American Airlines in the amount of $4,790 for cost incurred in diverting the flight. The Court ordered Alves to pay restitution totaling $455 to two passengers for counseling services resulting from Alves’s conduct.
The Court separately ordered that Alves would be removed from the United States to Brazil upon completion of his prison term.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-00071.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Using Another Person’s Social Security Number and Fraudulent “Green Card” to Get a JobRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who used another person’s social security number and a fraudulent “green card” to get a job was sentenced on February 21, 2019 to five months in federal prison.
Luis Gonzalez-Esparsa, age 46, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cascade, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 28, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of unlawful use of an identification document and one count of misuse of a social security number.
The evidence at trial showed that on June 14, 2018, Gonzalez-Esparsa used someone else’s social security number on employment and tax documents when applying for work in Peosta, Iowa. He also used a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” to claim he was legally present and authorized to work in the United States. The Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to another person, a female from Mexico.
Gonzalez-Esparsa came to the attention of immigration officials following his arrest in August 2018 in Anamosa, Iowa, for failure to appear for court on a state law driving violation. Gonzalez-Esparsa has been convicted of driving without a valid driver’s license eight times. He was also convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in Allamakee County, Iowa, in 2005. Gonzalez-Esparsa has illegally resided in the United States since 1996.
Gonzalez-Esparsa was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams. Gonzalez-Esparsa was sentenced to five 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.
Gonzalez-Esparsa 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-1035-CJW.
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Northern District of Iowa U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $4,000,000 in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2018Read the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. announced today that the Northern District of Iowa collected $4,488,405.85 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2018. Of this amount, $1,839,911.31 was collected in criminal actions and $2,648,494.54 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Northern District of Iowa worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $3,865,556.19 in civil cases pursued jointly with these offices.
As a whole, the Justice Department collected nearly $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2018. The $14,839,821,650 in collections in FY 2018 represents is nearly seven times the appropriated $2.13 billion ($2,136,750,000) budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices.
“This office is committed to holding wrongdoers financially responsible for their actions and their crimes,” Deegan said. “Collecting money from those who commit crimes and profit at the expense of others is a vital part of our mission. We will continue to work diligently to collect money for the federal treasury and return money to victims of crime.”
“The men and women of the U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country work diligently, day in and day out, to see that the citizens of our nation receive justice. The money that we are able to recover for victims and this country as a whole is a direct result of their hard work,” Director James A. Crowell, IV, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
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New Mexico Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A New Mexico man was sentenced on February 22, 2019, to federal prison after he was convicted in Sioux City on September 27, 2018, following a two day jury trial.
William Thomas Hill, age 41 from Bloomfield, New Mexico, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The evidence at trial showed that Hill was a leader in a conspiracy to distribute ice methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Hill recruited others to bring methamphetamine from California to sell in the Sioux City area. Hill, and others arranged large quantities of methamphetamine to be delivered to Sioux City on at least three occasions in the fall of 2017. On November 8, 2017, Hill, and co-defendant Kelvin Ross, were in possession 2 pounds of nearly pure methamphetamine from California. Hill was arrested while arranging the transfer of the drugs to a Sioux City man, and Ross was arrested at a local motel later that night. When Ross was arrested, officers of the Tri-State Drug Task Force found two pounds of high purity methamphetamine in the engine compartment of his car.
Hill was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hill was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5 year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hill is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jack Lammers and Mikala Steenholdt, and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa. The Tri-State Drug Task Force consists of law enforcement personal 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 17-CR-4071-LTS.
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Marijuana Manufacturer and Convicted Felon in Possession of Loaded Guns -- Sentenced to Six Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who had of multiple felony offenses, including an Iowa State conviction for dominion and control of a firearm as a felon in 1991, was sentenced February 20, 2019, to federal prison for, once again, unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Jon Merrit Draper, age 57, from Cherokee, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 18, 2018, guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a felon.
Evidence at Draper’s sentencing and change of plea hearings revealed on January 14, 2018 he was a marijuana manufacturer, distributor, and user who was also a felon in possession of three guns. It also revealed Draper’s marijuana operation fed the weekly habit of at least one person for approximately two years, the daily habit of others for an unknown time period.
Draper kept the guns in a bedroom adjacent to a parlor used for drug-use, and above a basement used to manufacture drugs. Two of the guns were loaded, none of them were cased. Ammunition was also found in the basement.
Draper’s criminal history included a conviction for dominion and control of a firearm as a felon in 1991 (for which he received a 15-year suspended sentence), two minor controlled substance related violations in 2003, and 2015, six OWI convictions, and an assault conviction.
Draper was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Draper was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment. 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.
Draper was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was investigated by Cherokee Police Department, Cherokee Sheriff’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-CR-4058.
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Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Gun During a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a handgun and methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Shane LaGrange, age 36, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
At the plea hearing, LaGrange admitted that on December 29, 2017, he possessed at least five grams of pure methamphetamine that he intended to distribute to others. He further admitted that he also possessed a gun in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime. Both the methamphetamine and the gun were found when defendant was arrested by officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge CJ Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. LaGrange remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. LaGrange faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $8,250,000.00 fine, and eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cole 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-00090.
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Possessing a Gun Leads to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Domestic Abuser with Six Previous Assault ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man with a lengthy and violent criminal history who illegally possessed a handgun was sentenced today to nearly four years in federal prison.
Cleveland Dwayne Smith, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 9, 2018 guilty plea to one count of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a crime of domestic violence.
At the guilty plea and in a plea agreement, Smith admitted he was driving a car in Cedar Rapids on August 3, 2017, when police stopped the car for a traffic violation. At the time of the stop, Smith possessed a .380 caliber handgun and a magazine with five live rounds of ammunition. Smith was prohibited from possessing guns because he had previously been convicted of a crime of domestic violence.
Information at Smith’s sentencing hearing showed that his conviction for domestic violence was one of six assault convictions on his record. In sentencing Smith, the judge noted he had a long and violent criminal history and the victims of his violence were often women. In addition to the assault convictions, Smith also had five previous convictions for interference with official acts, where he interfered with police while officers were performing official duties.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Smith was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the 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-63.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported four times was sentenced yesterday to 33 months in federal prison.
Jorge Gonzalez-Juarez, age 33, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Eagle Grove, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 26, 2018 guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after two prior felony convictions. Gonzalez-Juarez also received a prison term for violating the conditions of supervised release imposed on a conviction in the Western District of Texas in 2015 for illegal reentry.
At the guilty plea, Gonzalez-Juarez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States on August 27, 2008, October 14, 2009, December 2, 2014, and October 18, 2016, and illegally reentered the United States in 2016 without the permission of the United States government.
This was Gonzalez-Juarez’s third felony conviction for illegal reentry into the United States. Gonzalez-Juarez was also convicted of illegal entry into the United States in 2014 in the Northern District of Iowa and in 2015 in the Western District of Texas. Gonzalez-Juarez has also been convicted in Iowa of operating while intoxicated (OWI) in 2006, possession of methamphetamine under an alias name in 2007, criminal mischief in 2008, and fifth degree theft under an alias name in 2009. Gonzalez-Juarez most recently came to the attention of immigration officials following his arrest in July 2018 in Wright County, Iowa, for failure to appear on an OWI charge from 2014 where he was charged under an alias name. Gonzalez-Juarez was convicted of that state OWI offense in August 2018.
Gonzalez-Juarez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gonzalez-Juarez was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment on the illegal reentry conviction and 12 months’ imprisonment for violating the term of supervised release imposed on the conviction in the Western District of Texas. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term on the new conviction for illegal reentry. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gonzalez-Juarez 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-3037-CJW.
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