Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty November 26, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Craig Eugene Essing, 59, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Essing admitted that from June 2015 through September 2017, he and others in the conspiracy distributed over 100 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Essing was obtaining methamphetamine from sources in Des Moines, Iowa for redistribution in the Fort Dodge area. During a search warrant at Essing’s residence on September 8, 2017, law enforcement seized approximately fourteen ounces of methamphetamine, eleven firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, approximately $4,900, three digital scales, packaging material, and other drug paraphernalia.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Essing remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Essing faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ajay Alexander and Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, DCI Criminalist Laboratory, Iowa State Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fort Dodge Police Department and the Central Iowa Drug Task Force.
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The case file number is 17-3047. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
“Car Hopping” Lands Felon in Federal Prison for over Seven Years for Possessing a Stolen GunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who went “car hopping” with others in Alburnett, Iowa, and possessed a stolen gun was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.
Sejuan Walker, age 22, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 25, 2018, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that on January 28, 2018, Walker and two others went “car hopping” in Alburnett, a town in rural Linn County, Iowa. Their “car hopping” involved going from parked car to parked car to see which cars were unlocked. After finding an unlocked car, the three searched the car to find any valuables. One of the three found a handgun in a pickup truck and stole it and a wallet from the truck. Walker later used a debit card from that wallet to make purchases at the Wal-Mart in Anamosa.
Law enforcement officers located Walker at an apartment building in Coralville, Iowa, on February 1, 2018. As officers were approaching him, Walker went into the apartment building and then out a back door. Officers later located the handgun stolen from Alburnett in a clothes dryer located in the common area of the apartment building. At his plea hearing, Walker admitted he possessed that handgun on February 1.
Walker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Walker was sentenced to 87 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), 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. The Department of Justice has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department of Justice announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Walker 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 Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
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The case file number is 18-cr-55.
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Two Waverly Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for “Dark Web” Counterfeit Carfentanil PillsRead the Press Release
Two men who possessed and sold counterfeit carfentanil pills were sentenced today to a total of more than 11 years in federal prison.
Cameron James Lensmeyer, age 20, and Evan Paul Sage, age 20, both from Waverly, Iowa, received the prison terms after their May 2018 guilty pleas. Lensmeyer pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute carfentanil and marijuana. Sage pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute carfentanil, cocaine, and marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In a plea agreement, Lensmeyer admitted that he and Sage purchased hundreds of purported prescription pills, including purported oxycodone and alprazolam pills, through a “dark web” marketplace. Evidence at an earlier hearing showed that, during a search of Lensmeyer’s and Sage’s shared Cedar Falls residence in June 2017, investigators seized over 800 blue pills that appeared to be prescription oxycodone pills (depicted below), over $20,000 in cash, over 30 grams of cocaine, over 600 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .32 caliber handgun. Later testing determined that most of the blue pills contained carfentanil, while a smaller amount contained another synthetic fentanyl called cyclopropyl fentanyl. Carfentanil is a powerful narcotic that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl. It is not approved for use by humans, but is used as an elephant tranquilizer.
Lensmeyer and Sage were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Lensmeyer was sentenced to 52 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Sage was sentenced to 85 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.
Both men are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2004-LRR.
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Two Members of Heroin Trafficking Group Each Sentenced to at Least a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who worked with each other and others to sell heroin throughout the Cedar Rapids area, were sentenced on November 19, 2018, to lengthy federal prison terms.
Garland Lightfoot, age 28, and Rolando Brown, age 30, both from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison sentences after their guilty pleas to heroin-related crimes. Lightfoot pled guilty on June 25, 2018, to the distribution of heroin after a prior drug felony conviction, and was sentenced to over fifteen years in prison. Brown received a sentence of ten years in prison after his June 19, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin near a protected location after a prior drug felony conviction.
According to sentencing documents and information disclosed during the sentencing hearing, Lightfoot and Brown were involved with a group of heroin dealers from at least February 2018 through April 2018. During that time, the group had at least eighty customers and made, on average, twenty sales of heroin per day. One additional member of this group, Eddy Watt, was previously sentenced to more than five years’ imprisonment.
Lightfoot and Brown were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Lightfoot was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment followed by a six-year term of supervised release. Brown was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment, and must serve an eight-year term of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Lightfoot and Brown are both being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-42. The case file number for Eddy Watt is 18-CR-43.
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Local Law Enforcement Officers Honored for Commitment to Drug Abuse PreventionRead the Press Release
Three law enforcement officers from Iowa are being honored by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for their commitment to reducing drug abuse. The recipients of the 2018 Enrique S. Camarena Award are Special Agent Carlos Lavastida of the DEA, Lieutenant Brad Bollinger of the Sioux City Police Department, and Officer Justin Brandt of the Waterloo Police Department.
The award is named after Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was an 11-year veteran agent of the DEA before being kidnapped, brutally tortured and then murdered in Mexico in 1985 while working undercover gathering information and evidence about drug lords. This award is presented each year to local law enforcement officers who best exemplify the qualities and principles for which Agent Camarena gave his life—specifically, making their communities a safer place to live through outstanding drug prevention and enforcement efforts.
This year’s award recipients have gone above and beyond the call of duty in pursuit of a drug-free community:
- Special Agent Carlos Lavastida saved the lives of two young girls who were the victims of sex trafficking within a crack cocaine distribution organization. Through Special Agent Lavastida’s hard work, passion, and dedication, these young girls were provided the services they needed to help them deal with the traumatic experiences they endured at the hands of the crack cocaine traffickers. The case resulted in two consecutive life sentences and an order requiring the payment of over $700,000 in restitution.
- Lieutenant Brad Bollinger has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to fighting drug abuse and working with young people. Through his work for many years with the GREAT and DARE programs, Lieutenant Bollinger provided valuable anti-drug and anti-gang curriculum to young students in multiple schools. In his capacity leading the Department’s Youth Bureau and as the Community Policing Coordinator, Lieutenant Bollinger developed and coordinated a numerous programming activities aimed at keeping young people involved in lawful activities and away from criminal activity and drug abuse. From creating programs such as the “Books for Kids” program, to securing grants to combat opioid abuse, to serving on various boards and advisory committees focused on combatting drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse among minors, Lieutenant Bollinger has demonstrated a robust passion for securing bright futures for young people in the community.
- Officer Justin Brandt’s leadership, passion, and vision resulted in the development of the Hail Mary Project, a program focused on providing positive social, emotional, and academic support to at‑risk students in the Waterloo community. The young men served by this program all had prior juvenile court involvement and were at high risk to continue to commit crimes and use illegal drugs. Twenty young men have already been helped by this program, and Officer Brandt has demonstrated a determination to expand the reach of the program to many more students.
Peter E. Deegan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, stated, “Lieutenant Bollinger and Officer Brandt are both worthy recipients of the Enrique S. Camarena award. These officers are true public servants who recognize that there are certain problems that cannot be solved through criminal prosecution alone. Sioux City and Waterloo are safer due to their hard work and dedication to the young people in our state.”Southern District United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum added, “Special Agent Lavastida is most deserving of this prestigious honor. Through his tireless efforts, he positively impacted the lives of two young girls and helped ensure that a dangerous criminal would never terrorize the community again. The Southern District of Iowa appreciates Special Agent Lavastida’s commitment to assisting crime victims.”
“The Enrique S. Camarena award is given each year to law enforcement professionals who personify the strong character and values of our fallen colleague,” Darin Thimmesch, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Omaha Division said. “These three individuals truly represent the best of Special Agent Camarena with their passion, commitment and generosity continuously on display in their work and home life. It is an honor to recognize these men for their outstanding investigative efforts that have aided in disrupting the illegal activities of drug trafficking organizations from in and around Iowa.”
The Enrique S. Camarena Award is awarded each year during Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week, observed this year from October 23-31, is an alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention awareness campaign observed annually in the United States and was established in Agent Camarena’s memory.
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- Special Agent Carlos Lavastida saved the lives of two young girls who were the victims of sex trafficking within a crack cocaine distribution organization. Through Special Agent Lavastida’s hard work, passion, and dedication, these young girls were provided the services they needed to help them deal with the traumatic experiences they endured at the hands of the crack cocaine traffickers. The case resulted in two consecutive life sentences and an order requiring the payment of over $700,000 in restitution.
Illegal Alien Who Used Another Person’s Social Security Number Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who used another person’s Social Security number to get a job was sentenced November 20, 2018, to more than six months in federal prison.
Jeremias Sanchez-Velasco, age 26, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 23, 2018, guilty plea to one count of misuse of a social security number.
In a plea agreement, Sanchez-Velasco admitted that on October 30, 2014, he used someone else’s social security number on employment and tax documents when applying for work in Hiawatha, Iowa. He also used a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when he completed the employment forms. The Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to another person.
Sanchez-Velasco came to the attention of immigration officials when he used the social security number in attempt to title a vehicle in Linn County, Iowa. Sanchez-Velasco was arrested at the Linn County Treasurer’s Office in April 2018 after a clerk discovered that the social security number did not belong to Sanchez-Velasco.
Sanchez-Velasco was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Sanchez-Velasco was sentenced to 195 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sanchez-Velasco 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, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-54-LRR.
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Husband and Wife Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
A married couple who worked together to sell heroin on a daily basis were each sentenced on November 19, 2018, to federal prison terms.
Dino Harrington, age 32, received a sentence of over fifteen years in prison following his May 14, 2018, guilty plea to distribution of heroin within 1,000 feet of a protected location. His wife, Tiffany Youngblood, age 40, received a sentence of over three years in prison following her June 19, 2018, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
In plea agreements, Harrington and Youngblood admitted that, in early March 2018, they sold heroin to an individual at a gas station in Cedar Rapids. Harrington met the individual in the gas station’s restroom, while Youngblood waited outside. Law enforcement stopped Harrington and Youngblood after the sale and Youngblood had a heroin and fentanyl mixture. Harrington and Youngblood both admitted that they intended to sell the heroin and fentanyl mixture. Officers found a loaded handgun in Youngblood’s purse.
According to sentencing documents and information disclosed at the sentencing hearings, Harrington and Youngblood started selling heroin in the Cedar Rapids area in approximately February 2017, and continued to do so until their arrests in March 2018. Harrington had multiple prior drug felony convictions. Youngblood had no prior criminal record.
Harrington and Youngblood were each sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Harrington was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment and Youngblood was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment. Harrington must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after his prison term, while Youngblood is required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Harrington and Youngblood are both being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-28.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced November 20, 2018, to four months in federal prison.
Jorvic Mendez-Mendez, age 26, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Webster City, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 23, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Mendez-Mendez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in April 2012 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Mendez-Mendez was found by immigration agents in July 2018 after Mendez-Mendez was charged in Franklin County, Iowa with driving while barred. Mendez-Mendez admitted he illegally returned to the United States in 2014.
Mendez-Mendez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mendez-Mendez was sentenced to 121 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.
Mendez-Mendez 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.
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The case file number is 18-CR-3031-LTS. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Convicted of Conspiring to Manufacture One-Pot Meth Near a Marion SchoolRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who conspired to make meth was convicted by a jury on November 20, 2018, after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Justin Michael Cinkan, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of conspiring to manufacture five grams or more of methamphetamine near a school and possessing pseudoephedrine for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine. He was found not guilty of a third charge, manufacturing methamphetamine near a school. The verdict was returned following about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that between September 2015 and May 2016, Cinkan purchased over 25 grams of pseudoephedrine for the purpose of cooking into meth. On four other occasions during that time, Cinkan was blocked from purchasing pseudoephedrine as a result of the State of Iowa’s electronic pseudoephedrine tracking system. Trial evidence also showed that Cinkan had other people buy pseudoephedrine and other materials for manufacturing methamphetamine. In the few days prior to May 1, 2016, Cinkan and a woman gathered materials to cook meth at a home in Marion. Cinkan and the woman got into an argument, during which Cinkan threatened to blow up the woman by lighting an active one-pot meth lab on fire. After the woman’s brother found an apparent one-pot meth lab in the house and called authorities, the Marion Police Department discovered the one-pot lab and other meth-making materials in the house.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Cinkan remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Cinkan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $16,250,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-00053-LTS.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to four months in federal prison.
Pedro Macias-Torres, age 38, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Postville, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 21, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Macias-Torres admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in April 2002 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Macias-Torres was found by immigration agents at the Fayette County, Iowa, jail in July 2018 after Macias-Torres was arrested for traffic violations. Macias-Torres has prior convictions for operating while intoxicated in Des Moines County, Iowa in 2002, and Allamakee County, Iowa in 2007.
Macias-Torres was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Macias-Torres was sentenced to 121 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.
Macias-Torres 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.
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The case file number is 18-CR-2037-CJW. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Honduran Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man entered the United States illegally from Honduras was sentenced on November 13, 2018, to three months’ in prison.
Denis Orlando Orellana-Martinez, age 32, from Honduras, received the sentence after a September 18, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the guilty plea, Orellana-Martinez admitted he had illegally entered the United States from Honduras in 2012, after previously being deported. On August 23, 2018, Orellana-Martinez was arrested for public intoxication in Sioux County, Iowa.
Orellana-Martinez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Orellana-Martinez was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
Orellana-Martinez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-04077.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who entered the United States illegally from Guatemala was sentenced on November 13, 2018, to 10 months’ in prison.
Elmer Martinez-Niz, age 24, from Guatemala, received the sentence after a September 17, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the guilty plea, Martinez-Niz admitted he had illegally entered the United States from Guatemala in 2012, after previously being deported from the U.S. On February 15, 2017, Martinez-Niz was arrested in Osceola County for possession of controlled substance (meth), and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also has subsequent arrests in Osceola County for OWI 2nd and driving without a license.
Martinez-Niz was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Martinez-Niz was sentenced to ten months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively with any terms of imprisonment he may receive from the State of Iowa, Osceola County offenses. He must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
Martinez-Niz is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-04011.
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Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty November 15, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Torre Ashton Mosley, 25, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the plea hearing, Mosley admitted that in November, 2017 he possessed a .40 caliber Glock for protection. Mosley further admitted to being dealer of cocaine and marijuana. Mosley was previously convicted of possession and/or introduction of contraband into a detention facility, in the Iowa District Court for Webster County, on or about September 21, 2015.
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 Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mosley remains free on bond previously set. Mosley 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 Mikala M. Steenholdt and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3019. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Second Federal Conviction for Possessing a Gun and Drugs Nets Cedar Rapids Felon over Thirty Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who tossed a loaded semi-automatic pistol and a bag of marijuana into a wooded area near the I-380 and Glass Road interchange in Cedar Rapids after a car accident in July 2017 was sentenced November 7, 2018, to more than 33 years in federal prison.
David Tachay Heard, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 24, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence at trial showed that on July 30, 2017, Heard ran a red light and crashed into another car at the Glass Road and I-380 interchange. Heard drove his car to a more secluded spot on Redbud Road and tossed a bag of marijuana and a gun into the nearby brush. Someone driving by in a car saw him do so and called 911. The evidence at trial also showed that after Heard was arrested, the witness received calls from a girlfriend of an associate of Heard, telling the witness that Heard had his name and address.
Heard’s cousin purchased the gun that Heard possessed in 2013. Heard’s cousin testified at trial that he did not give Heard permission to have the gun, because he knew Heard was a felon.
In 2000, Heard was convicted in federal court in Cedar Rapids of possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He was sentenced to more than ten years in prison. While in federal prison in 2005, Heard was convicted of possessing a weapon in the prison.
Heard was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Heard was sentenced to 397 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.
Heard 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 Tim Vavricek and Lyndie Freeman and investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
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. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address the tide of rising violent crime in America, the Department of Justice announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-83-LRR.
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Fort Dodge Man Sentenced for Meth and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing a firearm was sentenced November 7, 2018, to twenty years in federal prison.
Carl Douglas Lambert, Jr. 47, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
At the plea hearing, Lambert, Jr. admitted that from January 2017 through December 2017 he and others distributed more than 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area. On November 4, 2017, officers found Lambert, Jr. possessed a .22 caliber pistol in his waistband and over 46 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine. Lambert, Jr. admitted he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to other person(s) and that he carried the pistol for protection.
Lambert, Jr. was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lambert, Jr. was sentenced to 240 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. Lambert, Jr. is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-3056. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Anamosa Man Sentenced to over Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who possessed child pornography was sentenced today to over eleven years in federal prison.
Austin Marek, age 23, of Anamosa, Iowa, received the sentence after a June 4, 2018, guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Marek admitted that, in 2016, he knowingly possessed child pornography, including at least one image of prepubescent children.
Marek was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Marek was sentenced to 136 months’ imprisonment. Special assessments of $5,100 were imposed, and Marek must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 18-34.
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Eagle Grove Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced November 2, 2018, to seven years in federal prison.
Gregory Stockdale, 52, from Eagle Grove, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 12, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Stockdale admitted that from about February 2017 through November 2017, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed 1.5 kilograms of actual (pure) methamphetamine in the Eagle Grove, Iowa area. Evidence showed Stockdale was involved in meth dealing for over ten years. In addition, Stockdale and a co-conspirator each possessed a firearm during an attempted drug deal. A search warrant was executed at Stockdale’s residence where officers seized over 8 grams of pure methamphetamine, $600 in cash, and other indicia of drug distribution including a drug scale and packaging materials.
Stockdale was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Stockdale was sentenced to 84 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. Stockdale 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 Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Division of Criminalistic Laboratory, Eagle Grove Police Department, and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-3057.
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United States Attorneys Announce Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorneys Peter Deegan and Marc Krickbaum announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Daniel Tvedt and Virginia Bruner will lead the efforts of their respective Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. In that capacity, AUSA Tvedt and AUSA Bruner are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa Krickbaum said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Deegan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of all members of the public. I am asking that anyone with specific information about discrimination or election fraud immediately contact my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. We all must do our part to safeguard the integrity of our elections and protect everyone’s right to vote.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Tvedt and Bruner will be on duty while the polls are open. AUSA Tvedt can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 319-363-6333. AUSA Bruner can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 515-473-9300.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at 319-366-2461 (Cedar Rapids) or 515-223-4278 (Des Moines).
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
United States Attorneys Announce Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorneys Peter Deegan and Marc Krickbaum announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Daniel Tvedt and Virginia Bruner will lead the efforts of their respective Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. In that capacity, AUSA Tvedt and AUSA Bruner are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa Krickbaum said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
United States Attorney Deegan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of all members of the public. I am asking that anyone with specific information about discrimination or election fraud immediately contact my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. We all must do our part to safeguard the integrity of our elections and protect everyone’s right to vote.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Tvedt and Bruner will be on duty while the polls are open. AUSA Tvedt can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 319-363-6333. AUSA Bruner can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 515-473-9300.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at 319-366-2461 (Cedar Rapids) or 515-223-4278 (Des Moines).
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email or by complaint form.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced October 29, 2018, to 12 years in federal prison.
Anthony Watkins, Sr., 41, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 15, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Watkins admitted that from about January 2016 through about August 2017, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine mixture. On March 30, 2017, law enforcement officers conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Watkins. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Watkins was the manager of five or more other people in this criminal activity.
Watkins was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Watkins was sentenced to 144 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. Watkins 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 Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-4052.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to almost three months in federal prison.
Sergio Aguilar-Velasco, age 34, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Riceville, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 4, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Aguilar-Velasco admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in August 2006 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.
Aguilar-Velasco was deported in August 2006 following his misdemeanor conviction in the Northern District of Iowa on July 6, 2006, for illegal entry into the United States following his arrest during an immigration enforcement action at a meatpacking plant in Clarion, Iowa. Aguilar-Velasco was also deported to Mexico two times in one week in April 2004 and two times on the same day in November 2006. Aguilar-Velasco was found by immigration agents at the Mitchell County, Iowa, jail in July 2018 after Aguilar-Velasco was arrested for traffic violations. While Aguilar-Velasco initially denied ever being encountered by immigration officials, an analysis of his fingerprints confirmed that he had been deported in 2006 and removed from the United States four other times.
Aguilar-Velasco was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Aguilar-Velasco was sentenced to 84 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.
Aguilar-Velasco 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-2043-CJW.
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El Salvadoran Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
An El Salvadoran man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.
Boris Martines-Garcia, age 35, a citizen of El Salvador illegally present in the United States and residing in Hopkinton, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 4, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Martines-Garcia admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in December 2006 and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Martines-Garcia was found by immigration agents in July 2018 after Martines-Garcia was stopped for speeding in Delaware County, Iowa.
Martines-Garcia was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Martines-Garcia was sentenced to 100 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.
Martines-Garcia 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-2038-CJW.
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Possession of Sawed-Off Shotgun Sends Dubuque Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed an unregistered sawed-off shotgun and who was an unlawful user of methamphetamine was sentenced on October 26, 2018, to one year in federal prison.
Michael Dennison, age 41, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 18, 2018, guilty plea to possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun.
In a plea agreement, Dennison admitted that he possessed the sawed-off shotgun from the summer of 2017 until February 16, 2018, when police officers seized it during a search warrant executed at his home. The gun was loaded. Sentencing documents indicate that officers also found methamphetamine hidden in a hole cut out from the Dennison’s mattress. Dennison also provided a urine sample that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Dennison was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Dennison was sentenced to twelve months and one day in prison. He must also serve a two-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), 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Dennison 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 the Dubuque Police Department and the 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-1015.
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Man who Brought Ice Methamphetamine to Iowa from California Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who got ice methamphetamine from California and then resold it in Iowa was sentenced on October 25, 2018, to more than seven years in federal prison.
Jeffery Westberg, age 50, from Dike, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 25, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Westberg admitted that between the summer of 2013 and August 2015, he distributed methamphetamine throughout northern Iowa. Westberg obtained methamphetamine from multiple sources, including an individual in California, and then sold it to a number of people in northern Iowa. Overall, Westberg was responsible for distributing nearly ten pounds of methamphetamine.
Westberg was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Westberg was sentenced to 87 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. Westberg 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-2084.
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Mexican Man Who Used Another Person’s Name and Social Security Number Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who used a false identification document to obtain a job was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.
Jose Moctezuma-Hernandez, age 33, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and living in Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 23, 2018, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document.
At the guilty plea, Moctezuma-Hernandez admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card when he completed an employment form at a business in Clarion, Iowa, on December 1, 2015. Moctezuma-Hernandez, claiming to be a United States citizen, used the name, date of birth, and social security number of a United States citizen on the employment paperwork. Moctezuma-Hernandez came to the attention of immigration authorities in July 2018 following his third conviction for driving while barred in Wright County, Iowa. Moctezuma-Hernandez was previously removed to Mexico in June 2004 after illegally entering the United States.
Moctezuma-Hernandez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Moctezuma-Hernandez was sentenced to 94 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.
Moctezuma-Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-3030-LTS.
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Drug Dealer Who Possessed Gun Sentenced to Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed marijuana and possessed a firearm was sentenced today to six years in federal prison.
Tyran Collins, age 19, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 4, 2018 guilty plea to possession of a firearm and ammunition as a drug user, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In a plea agreement, Collins admitted that on October 29, 2017, he was an unlawful user of marijuana, and that he possessed a loaded 9mm handgun. Collins also admitted he possessed eleven individual bags of marijuana, totaling 26 grams. Collins admitted he intended to distribute the marijuana to other individuals. Law enforcement discovered the marijuana and handgun when they stopped a car in which Collins was a passenger. During the traffic stop, Collins threw the gun onto the driver’s lap and instructed her to hide it. Police later recovered the gun in the center console of the car and learned that it had previously been reported stolen.
Collins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Collins was sentenced to 72 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), 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Collins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and the Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2091.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Twenty-Five Years in Prison for Possessing a Sawed-Off Shotgun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man and convicted felon who possessed a sawed-off shotgun, shotgun shells, and other ammunition was sentenced today to twenty-five years in federal prison.
Armando Adame, age 27, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2018 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a felon, and possession of an unregistered sawed off shotgun.
In a plea agreement, Adame admitted he possessed a twelve-gauge shotgun on October 25, 2017. This shotgun had an overall length of 16.77 inches and approximate barrel length of 10.45 inches, making it a “sawed-off shotgun” for purposes of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, requiring that the shotgun be registered. Adame had not registered the shotgun. Adame also admitted that on November 17, 2017, he possessed shotgun shells and .22 caliber ammunition. The firearms and ammunition were discovered when police executed a search warrant on a South Hackett home in Waterloo where Adame was staying. At the time Adame possessed the shotgun and the ammunition, he was a convicted felon having been previously convicted of conspiring to commit a forcible felony and felon in possession of a firearm.
Adame was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Adame was sentenced to 300 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), 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Adame 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 y the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Grundy County Sherriff’s Office, and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2096.
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Three Repeat Drug Dealers from Waterloo Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Three men, all from Waterloo, Iowa, were sentenced in federal court in Cedar Rapids on October 16, 2018, because they trafficked cocaine and crack cocaine.
John Dwayne Phillips, age 50, was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment and supervised release of six years. The sentence came after he pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, distribution of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Phillips had previously been convicted of delivery of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana, third offense, in state court.
Darius Fontaine Shears, age 31, was sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment and supervised release of eight years based upon his guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. Shears had previously been convicted of possession of cocaine with intent deliver in state court.
Alexander Martin, age 51, was sentenced to 132 months of imprisonment and supervised release of ten years. Martin pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Martin had previously been convicted of possession of crack cocaine with the intent to deliver and possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver in state court.
Phillips, Shears, and Martin were indicted along with co-defendants Alston Campbell, Sr., Alston Campbell, Jr., William Campbell, and Willie Carter. These four men were convicted at trials held earlier this year. All four will be sentenced at a later date.
The evidence at the trials for the co-defendants showed that the seven men were working together with others to sell cocaine and crack cocaine in the Waterloo area. Evidence at the trials included wiretaps done by both the DEA and FBI that showed the group had pounds of cocaine being brought to Iowa from out of state. The group then redistributed it as powder and crack cocaine in Waterloo.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily K. Nydle and Rich Murphy and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Waterloo Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Falls Police Department, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa City Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Patrol.
Phillips, Shears, and Martin are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. All three were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-2045.
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Man Who Ran from the Cops and Tried to Ditch a Gun Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed a gun after two previous felony convictions and ran from the police during a traffic stop was sentenced October 16, 2018, to more than two years in federal prison.
Denzale Ratliff, age 24, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 25, 2018 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Ratliff was in possession of a gun while traveling in a car in Waterloo. Waterloo police officers stopped the car. Ratliff got out and ran from officers into a nearby residential area. Ratliff dropped the gun in the backyard of one of the houses. Officers recovered the gun and caught Ratliff. Ratliff had two prior felony convictions for burglary in state court.
Ratliff was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Ratliff was sentenced to 28 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), 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Ratliff 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-02017.
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Federal Prison Sentence for Man Who Helped Sell HeroinRead the Press Release
A man who worked with others to sell heroin throughout the Cedar Rapids area was sentenced on October 17, 2018, to more than five years in federal prison.
Eddy Watt, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 25, 2018, guilty plea to two separate counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin.
According to information disclosed during the sentencing hearing, Watt was involved with a group of heroin dealers from at least November 2017 through April 2018. During that time, the group had at least eighty customers and made, on average, twenty sales of heroin per day. During the sentencing hearing, the judge described the group’s “fairly sophisticated” operation, including taking turns answering a single phone that heroin customers called to order heroin and delivering the heroin in groups of two. The group changed phone numbers on multiple occasions to avoid detection by law enforcement. The “stash house” where the group stored heroin was located within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. Two additional members of this group, Rolando Brown and Garland Lightfoot, have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Watt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Watt was sentenced to 64 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.
Watt 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 was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-43. The case file number for Rolando Brown and Garland Lightfoot is 18-CR-42.
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Des Moines Man Sentenced to Prison for Drugs and GunsRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing firearms was sentenced October 22, 2018, to 15 years in federal prison.
Eric Humphrey, 33, from Des Moines, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 21, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
At the guilty plea, Humphrey admitted he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine from September 2017 through October 2017 in the Humboldt, Iowa area. On October 20, 2017, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Humphrey for an outstanding warrant, Humphrey fled and a high-speed chase ensued. During the chase, Humphrey led police near an elementary school that was releasing students at the time, hit the car of a teenage driver, a parked car, and two police vehicles causing significant damage. After Humphrey was apprehended, his vehicle was searched, and officers seized methamphetamine, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol, cash, several cell phones and drug paraphernalia. In a subsequent search of Humphrey’s residence, which was near an elementary school, officers seized a second Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol.
Humphrey was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Humphrey was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $19,977.20 in restitution. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Humphrey 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 Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Criminal Division of Investigations, 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 17-3053. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Seven years in Federal Prison for Drug ConvictionRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine throughout northwest Iowa was sentenced October 15, 2018, to 7 years in federal prison.
Joel Rodriguez, age 38, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2018, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence presented by the United States at the change of plea and sentencing hearings revealed that from on or about August 1, 2017, and continuing through May of 2018, in the Northern District of Iowa, and elsewhere, defendant Joel Rodriguez, and others reached an agreement or came to an understanding to distribute methamphetamine.
During his involvement in the conspiracy, defendant was responsible for the distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine mixture or 5 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine. On or about March 20, 2018, in the Northern District of Iowa, Rodriguez knowingly and intentionally, possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine or 5 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine.
Rodriguez previously had been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, namely, Domestic Abuse Assault Causing Bodily Injury, in the Iowa District Court for Buena Vista County, on or about May 21, 2012, in case number AGCR041504.
Rodriguez was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rodriguez was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200.00 was imposed. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rodriguez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR18-4029.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
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Sioux City Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed a semi-automatic rifle and ammunition was sentenced on October 9, 2018, to 6 years in federal prison.
Kevin Adams, age 31, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 8, 2108, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Evidence presented at the plea and sentencing hearings revealed:
Before December 13, 2017, Kevin Adams, defendant, had been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, namely: (1) Burglary in the Third Degree, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County Iowa, on or about April 8, 2010, in case number FECR056051; (2) Possession of a Controlled Substance, in the District Court of Dakota County, Nebraska, on or about October 16, 2014, in case number CR-14-102, (3) Operating Motor Vehicle to Avoid Arrest, in the District Court of Dakota County, Nebraska, on or about October 16, 2014, in case number CR-14-103; (4-18) fourteen convictions of Receipt of Stolen Property, in the District Court of Dakota County, Nebraska, on or about August 10, 2016, in case number CR-16-51; and (19) a conviction for Theft/Receiving Stolen Property, in the District Court of Douglass County, Nebraska, on or about February 16, 2017, in case number CR-17-109.
On or about December 13, 2017, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant Kevin Adams, did knowingly possess, in and affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semi-automatic, Ruger, AR-15 rifle, serial number 854-09886 and ammunition.
The semi-automatic, Ruger, AR-15 rifle, serial number 854-09886 and ammunition were stolen and defendant knew they were stolen or had reasonable cause to believe they were stolen.
Neither the firearm nor the ammunition described above, that defendant Kevin Adams possessed in the Northern District Iowa, were manufactured in Iowa. Thus, they were transported to Iowa before defendant possessed them, and, thereby, effected interstate commerce.
Defendant Kevin Adams is a member of a gang, and his nickname is “Mischief.”
Defendant Kevin Adams was a methamphetamine user (and trafficker) who possessed the firearm and ammunition described above, in the Northern District Iowa, in connection with his felonious drug use in and around Sioux City, Iowa. In fact, he once fired another weapon at others.
The day of his illegal possession, of the firearm and ammunition defendant Kevin Adams had -- together with other -- stole a Mazada Protégé automobile from Nebraska and transported it into Iowa.
The day of his illegal possession, defendant Kevin Adams attempted to avoid police by fleeing first in, and then from, the stolen car and entering the home of another without permission of the home’s occupants (who were both terrified by Adams’ unexpected, unauthorized, armed, entry).
Adams was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Adams was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 3-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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR18-4006.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. This case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
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Sioux City Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A convicted felon and domestic violence misdemeanant who illegally possessed a gun and ammunition was sentenced September 24, 2018, to seven in federal prison.
Alfredo Hernandez, age 31, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 21, 2018, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon
Before September 1, 2016, Alfredo Hernandez, defendant, had been convicted of (1) a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, namely, Receiving Stolen Property, in Nebraska District Court for Dakota County, case number CR06-112, on or about January 10, 2007 and (2) two misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, namely: (A) Domestic Abuse Assault, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, on or about February 22, 2011, in case number SMSM465700 and (B) Domestic Abuse Assault, in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, on or about June 20, 2014, in case number SRCR088704.
On or about September 1, 2016, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant Alfredo Hernandez, did knowingly possess, in and affecting interstate or foreign commerce, ammunition, namely, 2 rounds of CBC Group .38 special caliber ammunition.
On or about September 29, 2017, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant Alfredo Hernandez, did knowingly possess, in and affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a firearm and ammunition, namely, a Smith and Wesson handgun Model SD40 VE, serial number FWH7528 and 7 rounds of NFCR and 2 rounds Winchester ammunition.
On or about December 6, 2017, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant Alfredo Hernandez, did knowingly possess, in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition, namely, an EIG Cutlery, model E-15, .22 caliber revolver and Remington .22 caliber ammunition.
Defendant Alfred Hernandez was a methamphetamine trafficker who possessed all of the firearms and ammunition described above, in the Northern District Iowa, in connection with his felonious drug trafficking activities in and around Sioux City, Iowa.
Hernandez was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hernandez was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-4001-LTS.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. This case was investigated by the Special Investigations Unit of the Sioux City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
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Using Opioids Leads to Three Deaths in Eastern IowaRead the Press Release
Three men who distributed an opioid that led to the death of the person who used the drug were sentenced to federal prison over the last week.
“Opioid abuse remains at an all-time high and these dangerous drugs wreak havoc on lives and communities,” said United States Attorney Pete Deegan. “Street drugs - including those sold over the internet - routinely contain powerful opioids. These drugs have never been more deadly and anyone caught distributing them will be held accountable.”
Opioids are extremely dangerous and powerful drugs. These drugs are so potent that extremely small doses can cause overdose and even death. The picture below shows fatal doses of three different opioids.
Over the last week, three men were sentenced to federal prison in Cedar Rapids for their roles in distributing opioids that eventually led to the deaths of three Iowans who used the drugs. These cases demonstrate that those buying and using drugs may not know they are getting. They may be getting more powerful and dangerous drugs then they realize. Either way, the use of an opioid too often ends with death because a drug user does not know what kind of drug they are taking or how dangerous it is.
The three men sentenced were:
- On October 17, 2018, Richard Leroy Parker, age 47, from Dubuque, Iowa, received a sentence of life imprisonment following a January 18, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of distribution of heroin within 1,000 feet of an elementary school and a playground, resulting in death, and of possession with intent to distribute heroin within 1,000 feet of an elementary school and a playground.
The evidence at trial showed that Parker obtained several grams of heroin in Chicago in April 2017. On Easter Sunday, Parker brought the heroin to a residence on Rhomberg Avenue in Dubuque. Parker and other individuals at the residence drank alcohol and smoked crack cocaine throughout the day. Prior to midnight, Parker and a woman went into a back bedroom. While inside the room, Parker gave the woman heroin, which she used. Shortly after using the heroin, she stopped breathing. At approximately 12:20 a.m. on April 17, Parker called 911, and emergency responders arrived at the scene. Parker testified that, as emergency responders were attempting to save the woman’s life, he went into another room and hid the remaining heroin in a chair. Investigators later found the rest of the heroin. The attempts to resuscitate the woman were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead shortly after 1:15 a.m.
Parker had numerous felony criminal convictions. Amongst his prior convictions are four prior felony convictions related to drugs, including three prior convictions for drug distribution. In April 2017, Parker had recently been released after spending nearly a decade in prison for a burglary conviction.
- On October 11, 2018, Jervonie Murphy, age 26, from Dubuque, Iowa, received a sentence of 33 months’ imprisonment following a May 21, 2018, guilty plea to two counts of distributing heroin within 1,000 feet of a public playground or school in Dubuque.
At the sentencing hearing, Murphy admitted he sold at least 80 grams of heroin between 2015 and 2018. On July 18, 2016,Murphy sold heroin to a woman. That woman shared some of the heroin with another woman who used the heroin and was found unresponsive the next morning. She never recovered and was pronounced dead on July 20, 2016. An autopsy revealed that the woman died of “mixed drug toxicity” involving methamphetamine and heroin.
Information presented at the sentencing also showed that less than two weeks later, Murphy again sold heroin. The Dubuque Drug Task Force eventually made two controlled buys of heroin from Murphy. One of the sales occurred within 1,000 feet of two playgrounds in Dubuque. The second controlled buy occurred within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. Officers then searched Murphy’s home and found marijuana, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Murphy had no felony criminal convictions prior to this offense.
- On October 11, 2018, Jay Rickert, age 28, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, received a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment following a June 14, 2018, guilty plea to willfully causing the distribution of a controlled substance.
According to information disclosed at sentencing and in sentencing documents, Rickert admitted to ordering DMT, an illegal hallucinogenic drug, from an on-line supplier on the dark web. Rickert had the drugs shipped directly to his friend, a 22-year‑old woman who lived in Dubuque, Iowa. He also shipped a precise digital scale to the woman, and provided her detailed instructions on the quantity of DMT she could safely use.
Unbeknownst to either Rickert or the woman in Dubuque, the dark web supplier shipped fentanyl instead of DMT. DMT and Fentanyl are nearly identical in appearance. The woman, believing the substance to be DMT, used the fentanyl and died. Rickert was talking to the woman over Skype while she used the fentanyl. After seeing her fall over, Rickert called 911. An autopsy later concluded that the cause of death was a fentanyl overdose.
Rickert had no criminal history prior to this conviction.
The pictures below show how similar DMT is to Fentanyl in appearance. The picture on the left is of DMT and the picture on the right is Fentanyl.
All three men were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. They 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.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Justin Lightfoot and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number are 17-CR-1034 (Parker), 18-CR-1010 (Murphy), and 18-CR-1008 (Rickert).
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- On October 17, 2018, Richard Leroy Parker, age 47, from Dubuque, Iowa, received a sentence of life imprisonment following a January 18, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of distribution of heroin within 1,000 feet of an elementary school and a playground, resulting in death, and of possession with intent to distribute heroin within 1,000 feet of an elementary school and a playground.
Illegal Alien Who Used Another Person’s Social Security Number Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who used another person’s Social Security number to get a job was sentenced today to almost two months in federal prison.
Glenda Alvarado, age 30, a citizen of El Salvador illegally present in the United States and living in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 4, 2018, guilty plea to one count of misuse of a social security number.
In a plea agreement, Alvarado admitted she illegally entered the United States in July 2016, and on October 13, 2016, she used another person’s Social Security number when she completed a W-4 tax form and other employment documents at a business in Waterloo, Iowa. She also used a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when she completed the employment forms. The Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to another person.
Alvarado was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Alvarado was sentenced to 55 days’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Alvarado is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she 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-2044-CJW. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Media Advisory: Press Conference to Announce Sentences in Cases Involving Opioid Related DeathsRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Opioids kill hundreds of Iowans every year. Opioid abuse remains at an all-time high and these dangerous drugs wreak havoc on lives and communities. Unfortunately, all too often, the use of an opioid ends with death because people do not know what they have or how dangerous it is.
On October 18, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., United States Attorney Peter Deegan will hold a press conference to announce sentences in recent cases where the distribution of opioids ended in the tragic loss of life. He will also highlight the danger these drugs pose to our communities, whether purchased on the street, online, or by some other means. DEA Resident Agent-in-Charge Russ Coulter, FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Tom Reinwart, Assistant Chief of Police Jeremy Jensen with the Dubuque Police Department, and Chief Deputy Dave Riniker of the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office will join US Attorney Deegan.
Event DetailsWhen: October 18, 2018
Where: Cedar Rapids Federal Courthouse (United States Attorney’s Office), 111 7th Ave. SE
Time: 10:00 a.m.
A press release will be provided and interview opportunities will be available. Please RSVP to Tony Morfitt at [email protected] if you plan to attend.
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Iowa Nurse Who Took Pain Medications from Nursing Home Patients Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
An Iowa licensed professional nurse (LPN) who took pain medications from the residents of two nursing homes in 2016 and 2018 pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Lacey Staveley, age 35, from Evansdale, Iowa, was convicted of one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.
In a plea agreement, Staveley admitted that, in November 2016, while employed at the Cedar Falls Health Care Center, a nursing home in Cedar Falls, Iowa, she used her patients’ identities to obtain controlled substances, specifically pills containing hydrocodone, by accessing her patients’ prescribed medications and diverting those pain pills to herself. Staveley’s victims were each long-term residents of the nursing home who had chronic pain, and they were both on Medicare at the time. To cover up her scheme, Staveley destroyed an original medication log, placed it in a trash can, and replaced the log with a false medication log. When the nursing home discovered her theft, Staveley provided the nursing home with a fake urine sample that actually consisted of toilet water. Because the sample obviously had flecks of toilet paper in it and no urine color, the nursing home obtained an actual urine sample from Staveley. This second test was positive for opiates, marijuana, and hydrocodone. The nursing home terminated Staveley’s employment.
Staveley also admitted in her plea agreement that, in 2018, she was again working as a LPN for another nursing home in the Cedar Valley, this time Harmony House in Waterloo, Iowa. Staveley did not disclose her prior employment at the Cedar Falls Health Care Center to Harmony House. Then, in January 2018, Staveley took two oxycodone pills from a patient’s medication stocks and replaced the pills in the original blister pack with an anti-psychotic drug that did not provide relief from pain. This patient complained of pain constantly and complained of pain after he did not receive all of his medication. Staveley also admitted that she took four narcotic pills, containing Vimpat, from another nursing home patient and replaced those pills with an anti-seizure drug that had a similar shape and color. This second patient at Harmony House was non-verbal and could not complain of pain. Harmony House also terminated Staveley’s employment.
This prosecution is part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations, which are part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. The Medicare Fraud Strike Force operates in nine locations nationwide. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has charged over 3,700 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for over $14 billion.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Staveley remains on bond previously set pending sentencing. Staveley faces a possible maximum sentence of 9 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2031.
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Three Nebraska Farmers Plead Guilty to Fraud Involving Sales of Grain Fraudulently Marketed as OrganicRead the Press Release
Three farmers from Nebraska who grew grain that was not organic but who knew that the grain was being marketed and sold as organic pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Tom Brennan, age 70, James Brennan, age 40, and Mike Potter, age 41, all from Overton, Nebraska, were each convicted of one count of wire fraud.
At their respective plea hearings, each man admitted to growing grain between 2010 and 2017 that was not organic. Each further admitted that they knew the grain was being marketed and sold as organic, even though it was not in fact organically grown. The charging documents allege that, during the 2010 to 2017 period, each of the three farmers received more than $2.5 million for grain marketed as organic.
Sentencing before United States District Court C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. All three men were released on bond pending further proceedings. Each faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, at least a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob Schunk and Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 18-CR-2058, 18-CR-2059, and 18-CR-2060.
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Sex Offender Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Failing to Register in IowaRead the Press Release
A convicted sex offender who lived in Iowa for approximately ten months without registering was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Ricky Lynn Thomas, age 62, most recently from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 6, 2018, guilty plea to failing to register as a sex offender.
In a plea agreement, Thomas admitted he was required to register as a sex offender because he was previously convicted of second degree criminal sexual conduct involving a minor victim when living in Minnesota in 1992. Thomas moved to Iowa in March 2017, but did not register as a sex offender prior to January 18, 2018, even though he knew he was required to register. Thomas has also been convicted twice before of violating sex offender registry requirements in state court.
Thomas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Thomas was sentenced to 24 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. Thomas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-cr-10.
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Firing Nine Shots at an Occupied Building Leads to More Than Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An unlawful user of cocaine and marijuana who unlawfully possessed a loaded handgun he used to shoot at a club in Dubuque was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Ricardo Sanchez, age 33, from for Forest City, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 15, 2018, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances.
Evidence at a prior detention hearing and information at the sentencing hearing showed that in the early morning hours of November 27, 2017, Sanchez arrived at a club in downtown Dubuque. After entering the club, Sanchez got into an argument with the club owner. He then left the club and returned to his van. Sanchez is then seen on traffic camera video retrieving something from the van. Sanchez returned to outside the club and fired a handgun towards the building multiple times, destroying the front window of the club. There were four people inside the club at the time. Police later recovered nine spent 9mm shell casings from the area of the shooting. After firing the handgun, Sanchez returned to his car and drove from Dubuque into Wisconsin and eventually Illinois. He was arrested later on November 27 in Galena, Illinois. Police recovered the 9mm pistol from along the road outside of Galena.
Sanchez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Sanchez was sentenced to 30 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.
Sanchez 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 Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Galena Police Department, and the Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Office.
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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1003.
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Man Selling Fake Drugs Sent to Prison for Possessing Real GunsRead the Press Release
A drug user who was selling a cutting agent claiming it was methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Kyle Starbuck, age 32, from North Liberty, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2018, guilty plea to being a drug user in possession of a firearm. At the guilty plea, Starbuck admitted he was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and heroin when he possessed a pistol.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Starbuck attempted to buy a firearm in 2016 from a federally licensed firearms dealer, but was denied due to a recent conviction for an OWI. Later, in August 2016, Starbuck purchased a pistol, which had been stolen out of a vehicle the month before. He then acquired a rifle in October 2016.
In May 2017, law enforcement searched Starbuck’s residence and seized a rifle, ammunition, and loaded magazines. Starbuck was found that same day with almost 400 grams of MSM, a common cutting agent for methamphetamine, a loaded pistol, a second magazine of ammunition, and a bag with heroin residue. For the three days prior, Starbuck was selling the MSM claiming it was methamphetamine. During this time, Starbuck was a heavy user of methamphetamine and a regular user of heroin.
Starbuck was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Starbuck was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Starbuck is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Johnson County Drug Task Force, the North Liberty Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndie Freeman and Emily Nydle.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 1:18-CR-00033-001.
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Guatemalan Woman Who Used Other Persons’ Social Security and Alien Registration Numbers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan woman who used false identification documents to obtain a job was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.
Juana Corio-Brito, age 20, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 2, 2018, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents.
At the guilty plea, Corio-Brito admitted she used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when she completed an employment form on March 16, 2018, using a fake name at a business in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Social Security number and the Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to other persons.
On January 13, 2018, Corio-Brito and her minor child were encountered by Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas after they illegally entered the United States. Corio-Brito was released to maintain family unity pending immigration proceedings. Corio-Brito was told to report to the ICE office in Cedar Rapids where she was placed on GPS monitoring. A review of GPS data indicated that Corio-Brito was probably employed illegally at a business in Cedar Rapids. ICE agents confirmed the illegal employment and obtained the employment documents.
Corio-Brito was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Corio-Brito was sentenced to 100 days imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Corio-Brito is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she 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-65-LRR.
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Former Forest City Investment Adviser Sentenced to Nearly Fifteen Years in Federal Prison for Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
A North Iowa former investment adviser who stole over $2.4 million from his clients was sentenced on October 5, 2018, to 175 months in federal prison.
Darrell Smith, age 62, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 2017 guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Smith’s nearly fifteen-year prison term follows a thirteen-month prison sentence that he received in 2016 for payroll tax fraud.
Smith’s admissions at the plea hearing, as well as evidence presented in other court proceedings, established that Smith was a broker and adviser for several investment firms. From 2010 to 2013, Smith caused withdrawals of over $2.4 million in funds from ten of his investment clients’ accounts without those clients’ knowledge or authorization. The funds were transferred to Energae, LP, a partnership Smith previously had formed with another individual to invest in different bio-energy companies. Smith then used those stolen funds to pay expenses related to the operation of Permeate Refining, LLC, which operated a now-defunct ethanol plant in Hopkinton, Iowa. In order to transfer funds from client accounts, Smith used authorizations purportedly signed by the client authorizing the withdrawal of funds from the investment account. He either forged his clients’ signatures on the authorizations or used pre-signed, blank authorization forms without the clients’ approval.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Smith was sentenced to 175 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $1,056,909.68 in restitution to ten victims and ordered to pay costs of prosecution in the amount of $2,947.35. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
“This sentence brought to justice a shameless con artist who preyed on the elderly and others,” said U.S. Attorney Deegan. “Our office commends and thanks all of the outstanding investigators who worked on this very important case.”
“Postal Inspectors are committed to protecting the U.S. Mail and postal customers from these types of fraudulent schemes,” said Kevin Rho, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes Iowa. “The recent sentencing demonstrates the potential penalties for using the mail to further criminal activity, and it reflects the successful teamwork between the Postal Inspection Service and its federal law enforcement partners who worked together to bring justice to the victims in this case,” said Rho.
In sentencing Smith, Judge Reade noted that Smith was a skilled “con man” who used diversionary techniques, appeared to have an answer for everything, and “picked on” vulnerable investors, including the elderly. Judge Reade stressed that Smith’s sentence “brought on himself” Judge Reade increased Smith’s sentence on account of the fact that he obstructed justice while the case was pending. For example, Smith obstructed justice by enlisting the help of a relative in an attempt to dissuade one of his victims from seeking restitution and cooperating with the government in the case. While in jail awaiting sentencing, Smith also convinced a Dubuque man to loan him $25,000.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2030. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to over Four Years in Prison After Illegally Obtaining a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who received a firearm while under felony indictment was sentenced October 4, 2018, to more than four years in federal prison.
Michael Lee Valentine, age 21, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 23, 2018, guilty plea to illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under felony indictment.
At the guilty plea, Valentine admitted he received a firearm, specifically a Glock Model .23 .40 caliber pistol, while under indictment for felony offenses: going armed with intent and assault while displaying a dangerous weapon.
Valentine was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Valentine was sentenced to 55 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. Valentine is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ravi T. Narayan and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshal Service, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-cr-0066.
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U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. Announces Progress in Making our Communities Safer through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
Throughout the past year, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs. I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face. Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”
“Reducing violent crime and protecting our streets from gun violence remains a top priority for our office,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “It has been one year since Attorney General Sessions announced the revitalization of Project Safe Neighborhoods, and our work continues in earnest. We have partnered with federal, state, and local law enforcement to prosecute violent offenders and those who illegally possess guns. At the same time, we have worked with our community partners to help ensure that offenders who want to be contributing members of society have the support they need to successfully rejoin the community. Using the additional resources made available to us by Department of Justice leaders, we will continue the fight against violence and work to create safe areas for everyone in the Northern District of Iowa.”
As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
In May 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies across northern Iowa announced the arrest of more than thirty individuals who were charged with violating federal gun laws. Many of these individuals had criminal backgrounds demonstrating their danger to the community. You can read more here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/pr/more-thirty-charged-federal-gun-law-violations
Community Partnerships
In June 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office and Waterloo Police Department announced the formation of the Iowa SAFE (Safer Areas For Everyone) Task Force, a collaboration between federal and local law enforcement that includes community partners and community members. The goal of the task force is to reduce violent crime in Waterloo by holding violent offenders accountable while at the same time support locally-based prevention, rehabilitation, and re-entry efforts and to stop violence and crimes before they occur and to help those who have been punished return to society as law-abiding citizens. You can read more about Iowa SAFE here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/pr/united-states-attorney-s-office-and-waterloo-police-department-announce-safe-initiative
Department of Justice Funding
On October 2, 2018, the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded $141,365 to fund Project Safe Neighborhoods initiatives in the Northern District of Iowa. The funds will be used to combat violent crime through a comprehensive approach to public safety that marries targeted enforcement efforts with community engagement, prevention, and reentry efforts.
Improvements to Community Safety
- The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that, after two consecutive, historic increases in violent crime, in the first year of the Trump Administration the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline. The nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent.
- The preliminary information we have for 2018 gives us reason for optimism that our efforts are continuing to pay off. Public data from 60 major cities show that violent crime was down by nearly five percent in those cities in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period a year ago.
- For the two year period beginning in 2017, violent crime in Waterloo is on track to decrease by approximately 40% as compared to 2015 and 2016.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/project-safe-neighborhoods
Interview opportunities with United States Attorney Deegan and Waterloo Chief of Police Dan Trelka are available. Please contact Tony Morfitt at 319-363-6333 or [email protected] to schedule an interview.
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Bennett Woman Sentenced to Thirty Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Pay Taxes on Stolen MoneyRead the Press Release
A woman who failed to pay taxes on more than $1.5 million she stole from her former employer was sentenced October 2, 2018, to 30 months in federal prison.
Bobbie Hora-Guill, age 46, from Bennett, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 4, 2018, guilty plea to making and subscribing a false tax return. At the plea hearing and in a plea agreement, Hora-Guill admitted she made and signed a false tax return for at least 2013 because she failed to report all of her income. Overall, Hora-Guill failed to report as income and pay taxes on more than $1.5 million she stole from her former employer.
Hora-Guill was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Hora-Guill was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. She was also ordered to pay the United States’ bill of costs. She must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hora-Guill 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 Jacob Schunk and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Internal Revenue Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-00023-LRR.
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Eagle Grove Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and possessed a firearm while distributing methamphetamine was sentenced on October 2, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Joe Ramon Santillan, 46, from Eagle Grove, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on March 22, 2018. Santillan was previously convicted of a felony drug offense in California in 2008.
At the guilty plea hearing, Santillan admitted that from about February 2017 through November 2017, he distributed more than 1500 grams of mixed methamphetamine which contained more than 500 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine in the Hamilton, Webster, and Humboldt County areas of Iowa and particularly Eagle Grove and Webster City. On November 9, 2017, law enforcement agents executed a federal search warrant at Santillan’s residence in Eagle Grove, Iowa. Agents seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine in a bag along with packaging materials and a digital scale in Santillan’s bedroom and seven firearms, including two loaded handguns, two assault-style rifles, two other rifles and a shotgun. Agents also seized approximately $8,000 cash in Santillan’s pocket and $25,000 cash in a safe in his bedroom.
Santillan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Santillan was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-3052. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security, educate and train students and faculty, and support law enforcement officers and first responders who arrive on the scene of a school violence incident, including $493,670 for the Iowa Department of Education.
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update their curriculum to better support training programs. These grants combined will better protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems, which will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
The grants announced today are in addition to a collaborative effort initiated in Northern Iowa following the tragic Parkland school shootings. Earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa convened a group of state and federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials, mental health providers, and school officials who have been meeting regularly to discuss how best to prevent and address school threats. One product of these meetings is a resource guide designed to help identify the various mental health and law enforcement tools that may be brought to bear to intervene and prevent violence. The resource guide is expected to be completed in the coming weeks and will be disseminated among schools, law enforcement, and other stakeholders in the Northern District of Iowa.
“Violence prevention and effective intervention strategies are critical to ensuring the safety of our communities and our schools,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “These grants are an investment in the safety of our children. The grants will enhance our ongoing efforts to help teachers and school administrators learn how to spot danger signs, prevent violence, and deal effectively with mental health issues that can lead to school violence.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the completeness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
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Humboldt Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty September 27, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Lisa Marie Stock, 31, from Humboldt, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Stock admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1500 grams of mixed methamphetamine from January 2018 through February 2018. During a traffic stop of a vehicle Stock was driving 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. Stock admitted she and another possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it and aided and abetted another’s possession of firearms during the time of the conspiracy.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Stock was released on bond previously set. Stock 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.
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.