Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Anamosa Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who possessed child pornography pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Austin Marek, age 22, from Anamosa, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Marek admitted that, in 2016, he knowingly possessed child pornography, including one or more depictions of prepubescent children.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Marek was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Marek faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $5,100 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 18-34.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
On 500th Day of Trump Administration, Attorney General Sessions Announces 311 New Assistant United States Attorney PositionsRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Peter E. Deegan, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Northern District of Iowa, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime. The addition of these two AUSAs brings the total number of AUSAs in the district to 26, representing an increase of over 7%.
“The new Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Iowa will be dedicated to working with all of our law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “Our office remains committed to fighting violent crime and these new positions will allow us to bring even more prosecutors to the fight.”
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Woman Sentenced to More than Five Years in Federal Prison for Transporting Ice MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A Corridor woman who was transporting ice methamphetamine from Marion to Cedar Rapids for her boyfriend, a federal felon, was sentenced May 31, 2018, to more than five years in federal prison.
Leea McGinnis, age 35, from the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area, received the prison term after a November 13, 2017, guilty plea to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In a plea agreement, McGinnis admitted that, on April 4, 2017, she was driving a car in Marion with a suspended driver’s license for having failed to pay child support. At the time police stopped her, McGinnis was transporting a stash of methamphetamine for her boyfriend, a federal felon with whom she was living in Marion. During a search of McGinnis’s car, officers found more than 25 grams of “ice” methamphetamine. Officers also found drug paraphernalia, nearly 140 grams of marijuana, and $1,088 in cash. Officers later found another 110 grams of ice methamphetamine in another one of McGinnis’s cars.
McGinnis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. McGinnis was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment and fined $2,000. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. McGinnis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until being transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 17-CR-73-LRR and 17-MJ-301-CJW. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Men Responsible for Five Waterloo Burglaries Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who burglarized and stole from multiple Waterloo businesses were sentenced on May 30 and May 31, 2017, to several years in federal prison.
John Bennett, age 48, and Cody Laughlin, age 26, both from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison terms after November 2017 guilty pleas to credit union burglary and credit union larceny.
At his guilty plea, Laughlin admitted that on May 25, 2017, he and Bennett used a vehicle to ram the front doors of a Waterloo credit union. After breaching the doors, Laughlin entered the credit union and with Bennett’s assistance attempted to remove a cash recycling machine containing approximately $85,000. Bennett and Laughlin attached a tow hook to the machine and their vehicle, but the machine was too heavy to tow out. On May 27, 2017, Laughlin and Bennett went to a different credit union and used a forklift to take an ATM containing more than $57,000. At sentencing, both Bennett and Laughlin admitted to a total of five such burglaries involving multiple stolen vehicles. The two disposed of some of the stolen vehicles by dumping them in a nearby river. In one case, police officers found a stolen vehicle on fire. In total, Bennett and Laughlin caused over $217,000 of loss to ten separate victims.
Bennett was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bennett was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $217,477.33 in restitution to all of the victims. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Laughlin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Laughlin was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $217,477.33 in restitution to all of the victims. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bennett and Laughlin are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2062.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA
Threatening to Blow-Up an Apartment with People Inside Sends Waterloo Man to Federal Prison for Two YearsRead the Press Release
A man who threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend and blow up her home and car was sentenced on May 31, 2018, to two years in federal prison.
Adam Charles Butler, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 16, 2017 guilty plea to willfully making threats to kill or injure another by means of an explosive.
At the sentencing hearing, evidence showed that Butler sent several text messages threatening to use three bombs to blow up an Evansdale woman’s car and apartment when she and their young child were at home. Butler made the threat because the woman did not allow him to see their child that day and, according to one of Butler’s text messages, “because she doesn’t get to have all the control.” Butler was seen outside the woman’s home at approximately two in the morning the night after sending the bomb threats in violation of a no-contact order, and was arrested after police officers observed him leaving the area in his car.
Butler also had a history of domestic abuse, including physical assaults, break-ins, vandalism, threatening with guns, repeated verbal and text message death threats, and discharging guns.
Butler was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Chief Judge Strand, noting Butler’s history of domestic violence and the “egregious” nature of the threats, called Butler’s actions “very dangerous” and “disturbing.” Butler was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Butler 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 Lyndie M. Freeman and Ravi T. Narayan and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2074.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Repeat Dubuque Drug Dealer Sentenced to over Two Decades in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who was found in possession of over 660 grams of ice methamphetamine was sentenced May 31, 2018, to more than 23 years in federal prison.
Scott Harry, age 42, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 20, 2017, jury verdict finding him guilty of possessing 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it after having a previous conviction for a felony drug offense.
Evidence at trial showed that Harry was stopped by Dubuque Police Department while in possession of over 660 grams of pure methamphetamine hidden in a PVC pipe in the bed of the truck he was driving. Evidence also showed that Harry had been selling methamphetamine in the Dubuque area. In 1998, Harry was convicted of delivery of cocaine in state court.
Harry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Harry was sentenced to 280 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. Harry 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 Ravi Narayan and Patrick Reinert 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-01017-LTS. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Marijuana Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who illegally possessed a sawed-off shotgun was sentenced on May 31, 2018, to more than two years in federal prison.
Traeves Dashonn Bowers, age 33, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 27, 2017, guilty plea to possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun.
In a plea agreement, Bowers admitted that during March 2017, he was selling marijuana from his home on Shilliam Avenue in Waterloo. Waterloo Police searched his Shilliam Avenue residence that month and found over 26 grams of marijuana, a sawed-off shotgun, and a rifle.
Bowers was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bowers was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Bowers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department 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 17-CR-02081-LTS.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Man with Multiple Previous Convictions Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who had previously been convicted of more than 30 crimes as an adult and who trafficked crack cocaine was sentenced May 30, 2018, to more than 17 years in federal prison.
Samuel Landfair, age 39, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 15, 2017, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, four counts of distribution of crack cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute crack near a protected location.
At the guilty plea, Landfair admitted selling crack cocaine on four separate occasions during November 2016 and possessing crack for the purpose of distributing it within 1,000 feet of George Washington Carver Academy in Waterloo, Iowa. Landfair’s criminal history includes more than 30 adult convictions, including a conviction for possession of a simulated controlled substance with intent to distribute and three separate convictions for possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Landfair was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Landfair was sentenced to 213 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Landfair 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 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, 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-2047.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun with a Large Capacity MagazineRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed a loaded Springfield XD pistol with a sixteen round magazine was sentenced May 30, 2018, to more than five years in federal prison.
Durius Antwan Davis, age 26, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 13, 2017, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. At the guilty plea, Davis admitted that he possessed the loaded Springfield XD pistol in January 2017. Davis had previously been convicted of willful injury causing serious injury in 2010 and robbery in 2011. The willful injury conviction stemmed from an incident where Davis shot another man in the abdomen multiple times.
Davis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Davis was sentenced to 63 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.
Davis 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 Ravi T. Narayan and Emily K. Nydle and were 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.
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 17-cr-2049.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Third Cuban National Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Credit Card Fraud Scheme with 54 VictimsRead the Press Release
The third of three Cuban nationals who traveled across sixteen Iowa counties in 2017 and used at least fifty-four stolen identities and card numbers to make fraudulent purchases were sentenced to federal prison yesterday.
Liliany de Armas Mena, 21, resident of Kentucky, was sentenced to three years in prison after a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Pedro Alvarez Rodriguez, age 36, and Dunieski Santana Moreno, age 27, residents of Florida, were both previously sentenced in April to 42 months and 40 months in federal prison, respectively, after guilty pleas to the same offenses.
“Identity theft plagues Americans and financial institutions across the country and has a real impact on people’s everyday lives,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect innocent Iowans from these schemes and hold the perpetrators accountable.”
“This sentencing sends a strong message to those who attempt to defraud honest citizens and businesses in our communities without consequences.” said Tracy J. Cormier, Special Agent in Charge of HSI St. Paul. “I am proud of the work done by HSI special agents and the Waverly Police Department during this investigation and commend their efforts to put these criminals out of business.”
According to plea agreements and other information presented in court, de Armas Mena, Alvarez Rodriguez, and Santana Moreno perpetrated an identity theft and credit card fraud spree across the state of Iowa, using counterfeit credit cards containing at least fifty-four “skimmed” account numbers of victims. They used these fake cards to purchase gift cards and gift card reloads at Wal-Mart stores.
The scheme was designed to evade detection by moving across county borders to stay ahead of authorities, using self-checkout registers to make their repetitive transactions with multiple victims’ cards, and using locally “skimmed” numbers of mostly Iowa victims. De Armas Mena, Alvarez Rodriguez, and Santana Moreno visited Wal-Mart stores in West Burlington, Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa, Grimes, Altoona, Ames, Boone, Denison, Sioux City, Le Mars, Sioux Center, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Mason City, Cedar Falls, and Waverly over the span of only four days in January and February 2017. Alvarez Rodriguez had previously been convicted in 2015 of attempted robbery in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, after another incident at a Wal-Mart involving counterfeit cards and stolen account numbers. Santana Moreno had previously been convicted in 2015 of financial transaction card theft in Sumter County, South Carolina.
De Armas Mena was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 36 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release to follow. All three have been ordered to make $5,655.08 in joint and several restitution to victims. There is no parole in the federal system.
In sentencing the defendants, Chief Judge Strand condemned the “extremely disturbing” crimes, commenting that the defendants were parasites motivated by greed, who made the decision over and over to steal and make their livings off others’ hard-earned money.
De Armas Mena is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyndie M. Freeman and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Waverly Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2044.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Serial Waterloo Area Burglar Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who stole a firearm during a burglary of a Waterloo truck and trailer repair shop was sentenced May 30, 2018 to more than four years in federal prison.
Patrick Ryan Lindquist, age 38, of Dunkerton, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 18, 2018 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the guilty plea, Lindquist admitted he stole automotive tools during the November 2016 burglary and took the firearm he came across at the repair shop in order to “protect himself” during the burglary. Approximately two weeks later, the loaded, stolen firearm and an automotive scanner stolen during the burglary were recovered by law enforcement at Lindquist’s residence. Information presented at sentencing revealed that Lindquist was a serial burglar who also had served significant time in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.
Lindquist was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Lindquist was sentenced to 56 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.
Lindquist 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 Lyndie M. Freeman and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2092.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Repeat Waterloo Drug Dealer Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed two loaded guns and marijuana he planned to sell was sentenced May 30, 2018, to 11 years in federal prison.
Demetrius Marcellus Green, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2018, guilty plea to possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute it after being convicted of a prior drug felony and possession of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
In a plea agreement, Green admitted that he carried two guns, a Ruger, Model Super Black Hawk, .44 caliber revolver and a Ruger, Model SR9, 9mm pistol, while he possessed marijuana with the intent to distribute it. On September 3, 2017, law enforcement officers located Green after a call regarding an argument with a female. Green had two guns, both loaded and one with a large capacity magazine, several baggies of marijuana, a digital scale, and $650 cash in his possession at the time of his arrest.
Green was previously convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute 2nd offense in state court. Green was still on parole at the time of his arrest in this case. Green’s criminal history also includes convictions for assault causing bodily injury and disorderly conduct, fighting or violent behavior.
Green was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Green was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Green 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 Waterloo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-02083.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Possession of Firearms and Methamphetamine Leads to More Than 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was found lying in a field in the possession of a loaded handgun and over 500 grams of ice methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 22 years in federal prison.
Troy Postel-Vargason, age 36, from Independence, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 27, 2017, guilty plea to four separate drug and gun related crimes. Specifically, Postel-Vargason pled guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony, and two separate counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Postel-Vargason was found by police officers in February 2017, lying in a field near his home in Independence and holding a bag that contained the methamphetamine. A loaded 9mm handgun was found on the ground. The serial number on the handgun was obliterated but was later restored by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) laboratory. The gun had been reported stolen. At the guilty plea, Postel-Vargason admitted he intended to distribute the ice methamphetamine and that he possessed multiple firearms, including the loaded 9mm handgun. He also admitted that, in August 2017, he possessed a Ruger 9mm pistol in the Southern District of Iowa. Postel-Vargason agreed to transfer that case to the Northern District of Iowa, in Cedar Rapids, so that he could be sentenced on all four charges at the same time.
Postel-Vargason was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Postel-Vargason was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Postel-Vargason 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 Independence Police Department, the Tri-County Drug Task Force, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
The Southern District of Iowa case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the FBI, and the LeClaire Police Department.
Court file information is at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 17-MJ-127 (criminal complaint); 17-CR-2023 (Northern District of Iowa case); and 17-CR-2086 (Southern District of Iowa case).
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Returning to the United States Following Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who illegally returned to the United States was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison.
Savino Ortiz-Camarillo, Jr., age 36, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Decorah, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 18, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Ortiz-Camarillo admitted he had previously been deported from the United States on June 4, 2008, and January 30, 2009, and that he illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. On November 28, 2017, Ortiz-Camarillo was found by immigration officers following an arrest in Fayette County on traffic violations.
Ortiz-Camarillo was previously convicted in Allamakee County, Iowa, of making a false report to police in December 2003; in Iowa County, Wisconsin, of hit and run involving injury in December 2007; in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa of using of false employment documents in May 2008; and in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas of illegal entry into the United States in January 2009.
Ortiz-Camarillo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ortiz-Camarillo was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ortiz-Camarillo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, 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 17-CR-2090-LTS.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who purchased and transported pounds of “ice” methamphetamine from Omaha, Nebraska, to Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced May 30, 2018, to 30 years in federal prison.
Jason Michael Schumacher, age 37, from Dubuque, received the prison term after a February 6, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that from July 2017 until November 30, 2017, Schumacher and his associates made at least 13 trips to Omaha to purchase pounds of “ice” methamphetamine. Schumacher brought the methamphetamine back and sold it throughout the Dubuque area.
On October 12, 2017, police investigators received a tip that Schumacher was traveling to Dubuque in a silver car and might be in possession of a large amount of methamphetamine. Investigators located Schumacher entering Dubuque eastbound on Highway 20. They approached Schumacher after he parked in a mobile home park. Schumacher then sped away from police, nearly striking an investigator’s vehicle. Schumacher fled through two construction zones at dangerously high speeds, coming close to hitting workers in the construction zones. Schumacher eventually lost control of his car near a busy intersection and crashed into a small utility building, knocking the building partially off its foundation. Schumacher then tried to flee on foot, but investigators caught and arrested him. Investigators transported a passenger in Schumacher’s car to the hospital, where she was treated for minor injuries.
Schumacher was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade to 360 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.
Schumacher is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Dubuque Police Department, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Drug Task Force, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-1050-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Prison for Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed guns and used those guns to further his distribution of marijuana was sentenced May 30, 2018, to more than 10 years in federal prison.
Danquel Antwain Faulkner, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 22, 2018, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
In a plea agreement, Faulkner admitted he possessed a gun on three separate occasions. He further admitted that on two of the times he possessed a gun, he used the gun to further a drug crime, namely his distribution of marijuana. One of the guns Faulkner possessed had been stolen from America’s 2nd Amendment Firearms on June 3, 2017. Faulkner has previous felony convictions for possessing a stolen vehicle, escape, and possession of a controlled substance.
Faulkner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Faulkner was sentenced to 124 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.
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.
Faulkner 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 was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Hiawatha Police Department, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Loves Park, Illinois, Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-00080.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
More Than Thirty Charged with Federal Gun Law ViolationsRead the Press Release
Law enforcement agencies across the state continue to make Iowa safer by addressing the problem of gun crime and violence. United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. announced charges and arrests in thirty-one recent federal gun cases at a press conference held at the United States Attorney’s Office. Deegan was joined by Donald Dockendorf, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Thomas Reinwart, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chief Dan Trelka, Waterloo Police Department, Deputy Chief Thomas Jonker, Cedar Rapids Police Department, Sergeant James Trainor, Iowa State Patrol, Investigator Nicholas Schlosser, Dubuque Police Department, and Captain Greg McGivern, Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
“Historically, gun violence rises during the spring and summer months,” Deegan stated. “All too often, an unlawfully-possessed gun can lead to an act of gun violence. The Department of Justice and this office is committed to working with all of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe by taking unlawfully-possessed guns – and those who possess them – off the street.”
In recent weeks, the work of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies has resulted in the following matters in federal court in Cedar Rapids:
Harold Amos, age 39, of Tama County, Iowa; Brady Morgan, age 24, of Raymond, Iowa; Jesse Andrew Hall, age 20, of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Sejuan Marquise Walker, age 22, of Coralville, Iowa; Eric Allen Boyer, age 35, Alan Cherry, age 39, Willie B. Hodges II, age 57, Shane Lee LaGrange, age 35, Riley Michael Neff-Gonzales, age 19, Cleveland Dwayne Cole Smith, age 31, Alfred Washington, age 39, Victor Charles Wicher, age 37, Dominique Dwight Williams, age 29, all of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Ian Michael Bonnette, age 38, Jevonne Martell Coleman, age 32, Michael Joseph Dennison, age 41, Montecarlos Marteze Gant, age 35, Javontae Ernie Grisson, age 22, Patrick Andrew Lugrain, age 21, Kenneth Lamont Sanders, age 38, Marliesha Scott, age 38, Gerald Francis Straka, age 60, Davion Lashaun Trawick, age 18, William James Wesley, age 24, all of Dubuque, Iowa; Laika Burt, age 41, Scott Francis Gilson, age 38, Antonio Scott McGhee, age 27, Denzale Devon Babuta Ratliff, age 24, Antonio Rodriguez Ross, age 23, John Joseph Sanford, Jr., age 42, Mario Ronrico Smith, age 18, all of Waterloo, Iowa; have all been charged with various violations of federal law including being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The charges are contained in complaints and indictments filed recently in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The complaint filed against Walker alleges that, on January 29, 2018, Walker was involved with stealing items, including a wallet and a Smith and Wesson 9mm semiautomatic handgun, from a vehicle in Alburnett, Iowa. Later that day, Walker used a credit card from the wallet at the Wal-Mart in Anamosa. In February, Walker was arrested outside an apartment complex in Coralville and the Smith and Wesson 9mm semiautomatic handgun was later recovered from a clothes dryer in the common area of the apartment building. The case file is 18-MJ-171.
The complaint filed against Boyer alleges that, on April 5, 2017, the Cedar Rapids Police Department executed a search warrant at Boyer’s home. Officers located Boyer hiding in a closet in a bedroom. In that same bedroom, officers seized a Glock .40 caliber pistol, a Ruger Super Redhawk .45 caliber revolver, and approximately 50 grams of suspected methamphetamine. The case file is 18-MJ-165.
The complaint filed against Washington alleges that, on November 1, 2017, officers with the Coralville Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Washington. Washington refused to stop, eventually escaping from police. Later that evening, officers with the Cedar Rapids Police Department observed Washington’s vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Washington fled from officers, at times reaching speeds of approximately 85 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone. Washington eventually crashed the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Officers eventually placed Washington in custody and located a Smith and Wesson SD40VE .40 caliber pistol approximately ten yards from where Washington was taken into custody. Washington had previously been convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence. The case file is 18-MJ-166.
The complaint filed against LaGrange alleges that, on December 29, 2017, the officers with the Cedar Rapids Police Department stopped LaGrange for driving with a suspended license. During a search of LaGrange’s vehicle, police located a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol which had previously been reported stolen. Police also located methamphetamine in LaGrange’s coat pocket. LaGrange had previously been convicted of at least five felony offenses including perjury, burglary, and felony drug crimes. The case file is 18-MJ-162.
The complaints and indictments filed against Amos, Burt, Cherry, Coleman, Gant, Hodges, Morgan, Ratliff, Sanders, Sanford, Smith, and Wicher allege that these defendants were in possession of a firearm after sustaining at least one conviction for a felony offense.
The complaints and indictments filed against Dennison, Gilson, Grisson, Hall, McGhee, Neff-Gonzales, Lugrain, Ross, Scott, Smith, Straka, Trawick, and Williams, allege that these defendants were in possession of a firearm while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Dennison is also charged with possessing a sawed-off shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Lugrain is also charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Neff-Gonzales is also charged with possessing a stolen firearm.
The indictment filed against Bonnette alleges that he possessed a Mossberg 500A 12-gauge shotgun after previously being committed to a mental institution. The indictment filed against Wesley alleges that he possessed a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver while subject to a court order of protection and while under indictment for a felony offense.
If convicted on these charges, all defendants face at least a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Defendants Scott Francis Gilson, Riley Neff-Gonzales, Antonio Rodriguez Ross, Kenneth Lamont Sanders, Cleveland Swayne Cole Smith, and Davion Lashaun Trawick remain fugitives. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of is asked to contact Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers at 319-232-5583, or 855-300-8477 or Linn County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-CS-CRIME (272-7463).
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The cases were 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 cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force (composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshal Service, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department), the Waterloo Federal Task Force (composed of the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department), the Dubuque Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Patrol.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Humboldt Man Sentenced for Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former federal inmate who distributed approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine while on federal supervised release was sentenced on May 29, 2018, to more than 14 years in federal prison.
Zachary Tew, 25, from Humboldt, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 13, 2017, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at sentencing showed that in July 2015, Tew was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Upon his release from prison, Tew began a term of supervised release and almost immediately began violating the mandatory terms and conditions. Then, in August 2016, after having been on supervised release for approximately six months, Tew failed to appear for a revocation proceeding and ceased all communication with his probation officer. On November 7, 2016, approximately three months later, law enforcement apprehended Tew after a short pursuit and seized approximately 13 ounces of methamphetamine; $17,856; a handgun with loaded magazines; and boxes of ammunition. Tew later admitted to having distributed approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine while on supervised release, possessing stolen firearms, and arranging to find a stash house that would store up to 150 pounds of methamphetamine.
Tew was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Tew was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment. This sentence must run partially consecutive to the 60 months’ imprisonment imposed for his violations while on supervised release. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Tew 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 Ajay Alexander and investigated by DEA 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 17-3004-MWB.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Boone Woman Sentenced for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A woman who distributed approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced on May 29, 2018, to more than 5 years in federal prison.
Angela Kaye Olson, 49, from Boone, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 15, 2017, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at sentencing showed that Olson had three different sources of methamphetamine and sold approximately twenty pounds in total within a six-month period. Olson, who is a felon, admitted to unlawfully possessing firearms and on one occasion, trading a firearm for methamphetamine.
Olson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Olson was sentenced to 68 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Olson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ajay Alexander and investigated by DEA 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 16-3050-MWB.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Media Advisory: Press Conference to Announce Project Safe Neighborhood Gun Charges and ArrestsRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – There will be a press conference held on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. at the United States Attorney’s Office in the federal courthouse, 111 Seventh Ave SE, in Cedar Rapids. United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. and representatives from federal and local law enforcement, including the Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Dubuque police departments, will be present at the press conference. The purpose of the press conference is to announce recent Project Safe Neighborhood gun charges and arrests in Eastern Iowa.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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.
Event Details
When: May 30, 2018
Where: United States Attorney’s Office, 111 Seventh Ave SE
Time: 1:30 p.m.
A press release will be provided and interview opportunities will be available. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Three Waterloo Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
Naiqondis Maurice Spates, age 33, Devonte Denterrio Jenkins, age 26, and Gary Lind Krueger, age 71, all from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison terms on May 22, 2018, after each pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Spates also pled guilty to distribution of crack cocaine within a 1,000 feet of a protected location. Jenkins and Krueger each also pled guilty to a count of distribution of crack cocaine. Evidence at previous hearings showed that the investigation by law enforcement included a wiretap that recorded numerous telephone calls related to the buying and selling of crack cocaine. Evidence also showed that law enforcement made multiple controlled buys of crack cocaine from all three men.
Spates was sentenced to 91 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Spates’ has previously been convicted of delivery of a controlled substance and also has two prior domestic assault convictions. Spates was also found to be an organizer or leader of the conspiracy and to have possessed a dangerous weapon.
Jenkins was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Jenkins’ criminal history included a deferred judgement for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to deliver in 2014.
Krueger was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and fined $12,000. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Krueger’s criminal history included convictions for delivery of cocaine base in 2003 and a conviction for pimping in 2000.
All three men were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. There is no parole in the federal system. All three are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle 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, 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-2043.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man Sentenced to over Two Months in Prison after Illegally Reentering the U.S. and Committing Document FraudRead the Press Release
A Honduran man who had been deported, illegally returned to the United States, and then used false identification documents to obtain a job was sentenced today to more than two months in federal prison.
Edwin Melendez-Lopez, age 37, a citizen of Honduras illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a April 16, 2018, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document and one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Melendez-Lopez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States on April 27, 2007, and that he illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Melendez-Lopez also admitted that on January 19, 2018, he used a social security card bearing an alias name when completing employment forms to obtain a job in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The alias name and social security account number on the card used by Melendez-Lopez belonged to a United States citizen. On February 21, 2018, Melendez-Lopez was found by immigration officers during a traffic stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Melendez-Lopez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Melendez-Lopez was sentenced to 72 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Melendez-Lopez 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 the 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-11-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who was previously convicted of selling cocaine was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison for trafficking in 99% pure “ice” methamphetamine.
Ryan William Buchheim, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 17, 2017 guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Buchheim admitted that on March 16, 2017, police officers stopped Buchheim’s car in Cedar Rapids. A drug dog alerted on the car, indicating the presence of drugs, and officers found a backpack in the car containing 435 grams of “ice” methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was over 99% pure. Buchheim admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine. Buchheim was previously convicted of delivery of cocaine and possession of pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
Buchheim was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. He was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and fined $15,000. Buchheim must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Buchheim 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 Ravi T. Narayan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-84-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Returning to the United States Following Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who illegally returned to the United States was sentenced May 21, 2018, to almost three months in federal prison.
Juan Bernal-Brito, age 27, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a April 5, 2018 guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Bernal-Brito admitted he had previously been deported from the United States on February 8, 2013, and that he illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. On February 14, 2018, Bernal-Brito was found by immigration officers during a traffic stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Bernal-Brito claimed to have illegally reentered the United States on December 10, 2017.
Bernal-Brito was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Bernal-Brito 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. Bernal-Brito 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 the 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-09-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Woman Involved in Meth Conspiracy Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who hid in locations in Florida, Texas, California and Arizona to avoid prosecution before being found and arrested in California was sentenced May 21, 2018, to nearly 4 years in federal prison.
Angela Suzanne Nichols, 43, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 15, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Nichols admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed more than 5 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine from January through June 2016. Nichols further admitted she aided and abetted Andre Brown in the distribution of more than 40 grams of ice methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement in January 2016.
Nichols was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Nichols was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Nichols is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special 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 17-4041. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison after Attempting to Shoot a Waterloo Police OfficerRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon and fired a shot at a Waterloo police officer was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.
Miquelle Miller, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 19, 2017 guilty plea to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing showed that on May 21, 2017, Miller and his associates discharged a firearm within the city limits of Waterloo. Police received a 911 call regarding the shots and several officers responded to investigate. One officer located Miller walking down the 800 block of West Parker. The officer turned his vehicle around in order to ask Miller if he had seen or heard anything. As he was doing so, Miller took off running. The officer drove up to Miller and began exiting his vehicle when Miller turned, raised his arm, and fired one shot towards the officer. Miller ran again and threw the gun in a nearby backyard. Miller was arrested later that evening and police recovered the gun.
Miller was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Miller was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
Miller is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-2060.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who distributed child pornography and had previously been convicted in federal court of receiving child pornography was sentenced today to over 21 years in federal prison.
Craig Watters, age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a November 1, 2017 guilty plea to one count of distribution of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Watters admitted that, in 2014, he knowingly distributed child pornography. He also admitted that he was convicted of receipt of child pornography in the Northern District of Iowa in 2009.
Watters was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Watters was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and he was ordered to make $6,500 in restitution to two victims depicted in videos he received or distributed. Watters must also serve a life term of supervised release, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 17-69.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing GunRead the Press Release
A convicted burglar who illegally possessed a handgun pled guilty on May 16, 2018, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Allan James Arceo, age 24, from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. At the plea hearing, Arceo admitted he possessed the loaded firearm in Waterloo on January 1, 2018. Arceo had previously been convicted in 2014 of burglary in the third degree in Black Hawk County, Iowa.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Arceo remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Arceo faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together 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 investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/. The case file number is 18-CR-02003-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of MethRead the Press Release
A man who fled from law enforcement, damaging crops and a fence, was sentenced May 17, 2018, to six years in federal prison.
Daniel Lester Frye, 45, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 17, 2018, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Frye was previously convicted of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County in 1996.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on August 11, 2017, law enforcement was dispatched to the Winnavegas Inn after receiving a report from hotel staff of found property in a hotel room. Hotel staff informed law enforcement that the cleaning staff found drugs and drug-related items the morning after Frye, who had rented the room, checked out. While securing the evidence, which included four individual baggies of methamphetamine, one individual baggie of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia, Frye walked into the hotel. After seeing law enforcement, Frye took off running and got in his car and left. Law enforcement pursued Frye’s car in a high speed chase. Frye did not stop at a stop sign and drove through two fields of crops. Frye admitted to possessing over five grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine with the intent to distribute some or all of it to another person or persons.
Frye was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Frye was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $2,300 in restitution to the victims of the crops he damaged while fleeing from law enforcement. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Frye is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney 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 17-4073.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges after Stealing the Identity of an Elderly WidowRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids woman pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Robin Ann Bertelli, age 60, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In a plea agreement, Bertelli admitted that in 2013, she began a romantic relationship a former Navy SEAL, who lived with his elderly and widowed mother in rural Central City, Iowa. Bertelli soon moved in with the widow and her son. The widow was unable to walk to her mailbox to get her mail. Bertelli stole mail from the widow, including mail from her financial institution, Collins Community Credit Union (“CCCU”).
In December 2015, the former Navy SEAL received an inheritance of approximately $18,000 from a relative and deposited this inheritance into his checking account at CCCU. In February 2016, Bertelli and the former Navy SEAL travelled together to Puerto Rico for a vacation. On that trip, the former Navy SEAL unexpectedly died in Puerto Rico. Bertelli reported to others that the former Navy SEAL went swimming, hit his head on a rock, and accidentally drowned.
Family members of the former Navy SEAL ultimately discovered that Bertelli had stolen blank CCCU checks from the former Navy SEAL and his mother. From July 2013 through September 2016, Bertelli fraudulently made 63 checks payable to herself, inserted a dollar amount, and forged their signatures. Bertelli deposited these forged checks into her own account at NXT Bank, fraudulently causing transfers of funds from the CCCU accounts of the former Navy SEAL and his mother into Bertelli’s account. The three transfers from the former Navy SEAL’s CCCU account all occurred after the date of his death. Bertelli stole a total of $191,500 from the CCCU accounts of the former Navy SEAL and his mother. Bertelli used the stolen funds for her own purposes, including to purchase a luxury car.
The prosecution of Bertelli is part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Abuse Initiative. In March 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of ten districts nationwide to launch regional Elder Justice Task Forces. The Elder Justice Task Forces reflect the department’s larger strategy and commitment to protecting our nation’s seniors, spearheaded by the department’s Elder Justice Initiative. The Elder Justice Initiative coordinates and supports the Department’s law enforcement efforts and policy activities on elder justice issues. It plays an integral role in the department’s investigative and enforcement efforts against nursing homes and other long-term care entities that deliver grossly substandard care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa has rededicated its efforts and resources to investigate and hold accountable those who have been involved in activities incompatible with ensuring that the state’s more vulnerable citizens are treated with dignity and respect.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Bertelli remains free on bond previously set. Bertelli faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 32 years’ imprisonment, a $1,250,000, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Vavricek and was investigated by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-30-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Clinic Agrees to Pay $40,000 in False Claims Penalties to Resolve Allegations Related to 8 Controlled Substance RefillsRead the Press Release
Crescent Community Health Center, a non-profit health center in Dubuque, Iowa, agreed to pay $40,000 in penalties to resolve False Claims Act allegations that, during a five month period in 2013, Crescent employees who lacked the requisite credentials or authority issued 8 controlled substance refills that were paid for by Medicare or Medicaid. The Center also agreed to pay $7,503.80 to resolve allegations that, during this same period, Crescent employees improperly issued 71 prescriptions or prescription refills for non-controlled substances that were eventually paid for by Medicare or Medicaid.
The Center did not concede liability as part of the agreement but did admit that the 8 controlled substance refills were not supported by documentation that the prescriptions were authorized by qualified practitioners.
“Health care providers should be on notice that our office will use every appropriate enforcement tool to curb the availability of unauthorized or misused prescription drugs,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. “This office takes seriously its obligation to enforce the nation’s laws aimed at protecting public health and taxpayer dollars.”
The allegations resolved by the settlement arose from an investigation jointly conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the State of Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. False Claims Act cases also arise under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the Act, which permit a private party with knowledge of false claims to bring suit on behalf of the United States and then share in any recovery.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. Recognizes Police Week and Thanks All Law Enforcement Officers Serving Iowa CommunitiesRead the Press Release
Each day, thousands of law enforcement officers serve the public across the state of Iowa. These officers stand on the front lines in our communities. Every time an officer goes on duty, that officer accepts a measure of personal risk that few in our society face in their everyday jobs. They do so in order to continue the fight against violent crime. They do so in order to combat the dangers of the opioid epidemic. But these officers also risk their lives in ways that are often too easily taken for granted. They patrol our neighborhoods to safeguard our families and our property. They protect our schools. They investigate crimes from theft to murder. They assist those who have lost their way and they provide help to those in need.
How often do we stop and think about the dedication and courage that it takes for an officer to perform even seemingly routine duties – like conducting a traffic stop on a busy highway after dark? The vast majority of law enforcement officers accept these risks - not for personal reward or recognition – but simply wanting to serve their communities well. And when they do so, they are doing far more than their fair share to help establish and maintain a safe and just society. For this, every one of us owes a debt of gratitude.
Toward that end, in 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week surrounding as Police Week. This year, Police Week runs from May 13 to May 19. During this week especially, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa wishes to recognize and thank each and every federal, state, and local law enforcement officer in Iowa for making so many sacrifices to keep us safe.
It is also important to recognize and thank our law enforcement officers’ families for the sacrifices they make every day. For every officer putting his or her life on the line, there are people back home, worried for their loved one’s safety. Without the strength and dedication of their families, these officers would not be able to do what they do each day to protect us and our families. And for the families of those officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, there is little that words can do to ease the suffering of their loss. But we can pledge to honor their loved ones by cherishing the freedoms we enjoy.
The United States Attorney’s Office is dedicated to supporting our law enforcement partners at every level. We do this, first and foremost, through a commitment to our common goal of enhancing public safety. Through our Project Safe Neighborhoods program, we work together to take dangerous criminals and guns off our streets. Through our Heroin Initiative, we work together to attack the opioid crisis through enforcement and community outreach.
This Police Week, we are asking the public to join us in saying “thank you” to our friends in law enforcement. We can do this by taking any opportunity to make their jobs just a little easier. We can also say “thank you” by taking the time to share a story about a friendly interaction with an officer, or about a time when we were in need and it was an officer who was there to help. Finally, we can simply and sincerely say “thank you” to the next officer we see.
To our friends on the force, the United States Attorney’s Office thanks you for your service.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Gun in DubuqueRead the Press Release
An unlawful user of cocaine and marijuana who possessed a loaded handgun and shot at a building in Dubuque, Iowa, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Ricardo Sanchez, age 32, from for Forest City, Illinois, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances.
At the plea hearing, Sanchez admitted that he was in Dubuque on November 27, 2017. He further admitted that he possessed a 9mm pistol and at least
9 rounds of ammunition. Sanchez was an unlawful user of both cocaine and marijuana.
Evidence at a prior detention 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 vehicle. Sanchez is then seen on traffic camera video retrieving something from his vehicle. He then returned to outside the club, which was occupied, and fired a handgun towards the building multiple times. Police later recovered 9 spent 9mm shell casings from the area of the shooting. After firing the handgun, Sanchez returned to his vehicle and drove from Dubuque into Illinois. He was arrested later on November 27 in Galena, Illinois. Police recovered the 9mm pistol from along the road outside of Galena.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sanchez remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Sanchez faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tony Morfitt and was 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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1003.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Gun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man was sentenced on May 9, 2018, to serve 43 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a gun and ammunition.
Wayne J. Jones, II, age 38, received the prison term after an October 15, 2017, guilty plea to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and unlawful drug user.
Evidence presented at sentencing showed that Jones possessed multiple firearms in his Waterloo apartment and shot those firearms at an outdoor shooting range. On April 12, 2017, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Jones’s apartment. On that same date, Jones’s brother, Joseph Jones, was charged in the Northern District of Illinois with providing material support to ISIS. Those charges are still pending.
The evidence at sentencing showed that at the time the search warrant was executed, Wayne Jones admitted he was a daily user of marijuana. FBI agents seized a loaded handgun, ammunition, and other items from his apartment. A forensic examination of Jones’s phone discovered text messages and photos relating to drug activity and photos of firearms, as well as an image of an ISIS flag Jones claimed his brother sent him. Other investigation showed Jones sought to have his adult son purchase a firearm for him at a Waterloo sporting goods store in November 2016. Jones was arrested at the time of the search on an outstanding arrest warrant in Wisconsin issued after Jones violated terms of probation imposed on prior battery and disorderly conduct convictions there. While Jones was incarcerated in Wisconsin, he spoke to family members in calls recorded by the jail.
In one call, Jones claimed he and his brother were of “like mind” but have different approaches, stating: “I’m a little wiser, like okay, I’ll kill ‘ya, like you and your whole f****** household, but I’m not gonna be all you know unwise about it. I’m going to take the appropriate approach and make sure my ass is covered.”
Jones was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Jones was sentenced to 43 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.
In imposing sentence, Judge Reade noted Jones had several prior criminal convictions that had not been taken into account by the sentencing guidelines, including convictions for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, resisting a peace officer, assault, forgery, and interference with official acts. The court stated Jones’s prior criminal conduct showed a disrespect for the law and a history of violence that was particularly troubling given his fascination with guns. The court found Jones was an “extremely high risk to recidivate.”
Jones is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-02058.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Iowa Man Sentenced to Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 9, 2018, to more than 10 years in federal prison.
Rafael Martinez, 34, from Kiron, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 22, 2017, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Martinez admitted that beginning in or about early 2015, and continuing to at least April 2016, he conspired with others to distribute at least 1,500 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine in the Carroll and Crawford County areas. Martinez further admitted to distributing methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement in October 2015. Martinez relocated from California to Iowa in order to avoid contact with the Vatos Locos gang, of which he was a former member.
Martinez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Martinez was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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 Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Carroll, Iowa Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Denison, Iowa Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminalist Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-3051.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Kenyan Native Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of GunRead the Press Release
A Kenyan native who entered the United States in 2003 on a student visa and whose lawful visa status ended in 2004, was sentenced on May 7, 2018, to 5 years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a gun as an unauthorized alien.
Kevin Oscar Naholi, age 41, most recently from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 20, 2017, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
Evidence at trial showed that at about 6:00 p.m. on August 26, 2017, Naholi was outside his residence on 11th Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids when a neighbor and her two young sons were returning home on foot from an evening dinner. Naholi was armed with a long rifle. The neighbor observed Naholi with the rifle from a short distance away and was startled. The neighbor yelled at Naholi to put the gun down and warned Naholi he could get in trouble for having the gun. Naholi responded by pointing the rifle in the direction of the neighbor and her children, causing them to flee in fear to a nearby house. From there the neighbor called the police. Naholi retreated into his home and refused to come out despite prolonged efforts by the police to negotiate his peaceful surrender. Police eventually deployed tear gas into the house, but to no avail. At about 4:45 a.m. after also deploying a robot into the house, a Cedar Rapids Police SWAT team entered and took Naholi into custody. The rifle was found at the foot of a bed in the house. Police also found a machete in another room along with Naholi’s cell phone and other property.
At the sentencing hearing on Monday, the government presented evidence of Naholi’s violent criminal history, including multiple incidents of domestic abuse of a prior spouse who later divorced him. The evidence also showed Naholi married a second woman nearly 40 years his senior in 2015 while he was incarcerated and immigration removal proceedings were pending against him. Naholi later sought to be granted lawful permanent residence based upon his second marriage, but that request was denied by immigration authorities. Naholi’s second wife served him with divorce papers on August 26, 2017, the day he was found to have unlawfully possessed a firearm.
Naholi was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Naholi was sentenced to serve 60 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.
At sentencing, Judge Reade found Naholi posed a serious risk to the public and noted Naholi had numerous prior criminal convictions that made him likely to recidivate.
Naholi will be subject to removal from the United States to Kenya upon completion of service of his sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the assistance of the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-00070.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Iowa and Washington Marijuana Dealers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man and a man from Washington State who sold more than 100 pounds of marijuana were each sentenced on May 8, 2018, to multiple years in federal prison.
Buddy Xeko, age 36, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 7, 2017, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine and two counts of money laundering. At the guilty plea, Xeko admitted he agreed to distribute more than 110 pounds of marijuana and quantities of cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between 2011 and 2016. Xeko also admitted he conspired to commit money laundering and used money he acquired from selling drugs to purchase an SUV that cost more than $50,000.
Xeko was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Xeko was sentenced to 71 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.
Gregory Sills, age 45, from Concrete, Washington, received the prison term after a November 30, 2017, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. At the guilty plea, Sills admitted he agreed to distribute more than 110 pounds of marijuana and quantities of cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between 2011 and 2016. Sills got the marijuana he was selling from Xeko.
Sills was also sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Reade. Sills was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Both Xeko and Sills are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert 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 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 17-CR-00063.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison Following Three Deportations and Document FraudRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who had been deported three times, illegally returned to the United States, and then used false identification documents to obtain a job was sentenced May 8, 2018, to six months in federal prison.
Sebastian Batz-Mejia, age 27, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Postville, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 14, 2018, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents and one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Batz-Mejia admitted that he illegally returned to the United States after being deported in June 2011, September 2014, and again in October 2014. Batz-Mejia also admitted that on September 13, 2017, he used a social security card bearing an alias name when completing employment forms to obtain a job in Postville, Iowa. The alias name and social security account number on the card used by Batz-Mejia belonged to a United States citizen. Immigration agents became aware of Batz-Mejia’s illegal return to the United States on February 14, 2018, following Batz-Mejia’s arrest under a different alias name in Allamakee County, Iowa, for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI).
Batz-Mejia was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Batz-Mejia was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Batz-Mejia is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, 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-1004.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Possessing “Dark Web” Counterfeit Carfentanil Pills Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
Two man who sold counterfeit carfentanil pills have pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Cameron James Lensmeyer, age 20, from Waverly, Iowa, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute carfentanil and marijuana. Evan Paul Sage, age 20, from Waverly, Iowa, was convicted of 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 human use, but is used as an elephant tranquilizer.
United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. stated, “Counterfeit prescription pills have become all too common. A pill may look like a prescription drug, but unless it was prescribed by a legitimate health care provider, looks can be deceiving.” Deegan added, “Pills purchased off the Internet or from the street often contain drugs far more powerful and dangerous than the purchaser may realize. These pills can kill.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Lensmeyer and Sage remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the drug charge, each man faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment. Sage also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, consecutive to any term of imprisonment on the drug count, and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 special assessment, and up to 5 years of supervised release.
The case is being investigated by the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2004-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Monona Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempted Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who attempted to rob the Freedom Bank in Monona, Iowa, was sentenced today to 3 years in federal prison.
Tyler Koehler, age 21, from Monona, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 16, 2017 guilty plea to attempted bank robbery.
At the guilty plea, Koehler admitted he attempted to rob the Freedom Bank in Monona on June 9, 2017. Information presented at his sentencing hearing showed that Koehler passed multiple notes to the teller at the bank’s drive-up window. Each note threatened to “blow this place up” unless the teller gave Koehler cash. The third note Koehler passed demanded $100,000. The teller stalled him until police arrived and took him into custody. Koehler has multiple prior convictions for disorderly conduct in Wisconsin and Georgia.
Koehler was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Koehler was sentenced to 36 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. Koehler 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Monona Police Department, and the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-1023. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Two Years’ Imprisonment for Unlawfully Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who discarded a handgun while intoxicated and fleeing from police was sentenced April 26, 2018, to two years in federal prison.
Rahkeem Threex Lewis-Williams, age 26, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 7, 2017, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing established that on August 19, 2017, a Waterloo police officer attempted to stop Lewis-Williams for driving a dirt bike without a license plate. Lewis-Williams fled from the officer and crashed his dirt bike into a fence near Lincoln Elementary. Lewis-Williams then discarded a handgun and fled on foot into a nearby house. Officers surrounded the house and Lewis-Williams eventually left the house and surrendered. After officers arrested Lewis-Williams and placed him in a squad car, Lewis-Williams freed one of his hands from the cuffs and escaped the car. He then ran into another house where officers again arrested him. Officers later discovered that Lewis-Williams was under the influence of cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol.
Lewis-Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lewis-Williams was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Lewis-Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-92-LTS.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Three Waterloo Men Convicted of Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Three Waterloo men who were distributing cocaine and crack cocaine were convicted by a jury on April 27, 2018, after a five-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Alston Campbell, Sr., age 64, and his two sons, Alston Campbell, Jr., age 34, and William Campbell, age 43, all from Waterloo, Iowa, were convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Alston Campbell, Sr. was also convicted of distributing crack cocaine. Alston Campbell, Jr. was also convicted of one count possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. William Campbell was also convicted of one count of distributing crack cocaine and one count of distributing cocaine. The verdicts were returned following about six hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that the father and sons were working together with others to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine in the Waterloo area. Evidence showed that both the DEA and FBI did multiple wiretaps on phones being used to communicate about the drug trafficking. From these wiretaps, law enforcement determined that the Campbells and others were bringing pounds of cocaine into Iowa from out of state and then selling the cocaine as both powder and crack cocaine in Waterloo.
Sentencings before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence reports are prepared. Alston Campbell, Sr. was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Alston Campbell, Jr. and William Campbell were previously detained and remain in the custody of the United States Marshal. Alston Campbell, Sr. and William Campbell face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Alston Campbell, Jr. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-2045.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Felon Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison After Brandishing Stolen Gun During an ArgumentRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who brandished a stolen firearm at the mother of his child was sentenced yesterday to more than 57 months in federal prison.
Terrance Durell Sayles, age 27, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after November 28, 2017, guilty pleas to two federal crimes, specifically possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a stolen firearm. At his plea hearing, Sayles admitted he knowingly possessed a stolen firearm on July 28, 2017, in Waterloo. Evidence at Sayles’s sentencing hearing established that, during an argument between Sayles and the mother of his child about the care of their son, Sayles brandished the firearm. The firearm was loaded and chambered at the time. Officers later apprehended Sayles and found 30 grams of marijuana wrapped in two bandanas in his right front pocket.
At the time Sayles possessed his stolen firearm, he was a convicted felon. Sayles had prior convictions for carrying weapons, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver while in possession of a firearm, and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver while in possession of a firearm. Sayles also had prior adjudications for willful injury causing bodily injury, assault, interference with official acts, assault causing bodily injury, harassment of a public official, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Sayles received the willful injury causing bodily injury adjudication after hitting another person in the head with a hammer. The assault causing bodily injury adjudication resulted from an incident in which Sayles tripped another person and struck and kicked him several times.
Sayles was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sayles was sentenced to 57 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.
Sayles 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 Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2073-LTS.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Cuban Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Credit Card Fraud Scheme with 54 VictimsRead the Press Release
Two Cuban nationals who traveled across sixteen Iowa counties in 2017 and used at least fifty-four stolen identities and card numbers to make fraudulent purchases were sentenced to federal prison this week.
Pedro Alvarez Rodriguez, age 36, and Dunieski Santana Moreno, age 27, residents of Florida, were both sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to plea agreements and other information presented in court, Alvarez Rodriguez and Santana Moreno drove across the state of Iowa with a third person, Liliany de Armas Mena, using counterfeit credit cards containing at least fifty-four “skimmed” account numbers of victims. They used these fake cards to purchase gift cards and gift card reloads at Wal-Mart stores. The scheme was designed to evade detection by keeping individual transactions under $100, moving across county borders to stay ahead of authorities, and using account numbers “skimmed” within the state of Iowa. Alvarez Rodriguez and Santana Moreno visited Wal-Mart stores in West Burlington, Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa, Grimes, Altoona, Ames, Boone, Denison, Sioux City, Le Mars, Sioux Center, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Mason City, Cedar Falls, and Waverly over the span of only four days in January and February 2017. Alvarez Rodriguez had previously been convicted in 2015 of attempted robbery in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, after another incident at a Wal-Mart involving counterfeit cards and stolen account numbers. Santana Moreno had previously been convicted in 2015 of financial transaction card theft in Sumter County, South Carolina.
Alvarez Rodriguez and Santana Moreno were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Alvarez Rodriguez was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment and Santana Moreno was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment. Both were ordered to make $5,655.08 in joint and several restitution to victims. Each must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Liliany de Armas Mena, who has pleaded guilty to the same offenses, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2018. There is no parole in the federal system.
In sentencing Alvarez Rodriguez and Santana Moreno, Chief Judge Strand commented that the defendants were parasites motivated by greed, who made their livings off theft and stealing others’ hard-earned money.
Both men are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyndie M. Freeman and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Waverly Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2044.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Felon in Possession of Firearm Receives over 3 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who led Cedar County area police on a ten-minute pursuit was sentenced on April 26, 2018, to more than 3 years in federal prison for possessing a gun that was found in the car after the police chase.
Butchie Poole, age 38, from Waverly, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2017, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the guilty plea, Poole admitted that he possessed the firearm despite being a convicted felon. At sentencing, the judge stated that it had viewed dash camera footage showing Poole fleeing from officers. The judge noted that Poole was driving in excess of the speed limit, appeared to be under the influence of some substance, and that the pursuit ended only after officers had to physically force Poole’s car off the road. After the pursuit ended, Poole got out of his car but was noncompliant as he was arrested at gunpoint. The gun was found inside the car after Poole was arrested.
Poole was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Poole was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Poole 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 Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the Tipton Police Department, and the Mechanicsville Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-77.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
United States Attorney Addresses Rising Danger of Counterfeit Prescription PillsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. and law enforcement partners today highlighted the danger that counterfeit prescription pills pose to the community. Opioid and prescription drug abuse is at an all-time high. 175 Americans die every day from drug overdoses. Part of this epidemic is the increase in counterfeit pill purchases. Pills being sold as oxycodone or other drugs over the Internet or from other sources have led to overdoses and deaths across the country and here in Iowa.
United States Attorney Deegan stated, “The opioid epidemic lowered American life expectancy in 2015 and 2016 for the first time in decades.” Deegan added, “Heroin and prescription opioid abuse has taken a devastating toll on our community. But we have also seen a rise in the prevalence of counterfeit prescription pills being sold on the Internet and on the street. The public must be aware that while these pills may look like prescription drugs, looks can be deceiving. These pills can be incredibly dangerous because they often contain drugs far more powerful and dangerous than the purchaser realizes.”
Counterfeit pills are incredibly dangerous because these pills often look exactly like prescription oxycodone in size, shape, color, and markings. In other words, there is no way to tell whether a pill purchased illicitly on the internet or the street is actually oxycodone or a more powerful drug. The picture below on the left is a picture of a legitimate oxycodone pill. The picture on the right is a picture of a counterfeit oxycodone pill.
Pills being sold as oxycodone may not contain oxycodone. Recently, pills that appear to be oxycodone have been found to contain fentanyl and carfentanil. Fentanyl is a synthetic drug similar to heroin, but much more potent. Carfentanil is a fentanyl analogue. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine. Carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine. In 2016, synthetic opioids caused more overdose deaths than heroin.
These counterfeit pills are also dangerous because users who believe that they are purchasing oxycodone will assume the pills are safe because they appear to be quality-controlled products of a heavily regulated prescription drug industry. Instead, users may be putting powerful, unknown substances into their bodies, including fentanyl and carfentanil, which have been linked to overdose deaths across the country.
Fentanyl has caused the deaths of multiple people in Iowa over the last few years. In July 2016, Max Julian Wright was sentenced to life in federal prison after being found guilty of distributing heroin and fentanyl that caused at least 6 overdoses in Cedar Rapids, including two deaths. Fentanyl has also been linked to multiple overdoses and deaths in Dubuque.
Unless prescription drugs are obtained from an authorized medical provider or pharmacy, the public should not consume or even handle these pills. The synthetic opioids contained in them are lethal if consumed, but can also cause sickness and even death simply by being absorbed through the skin. All Iowans are urged to only use prescription drugs prescribed to them by legitimate health care providers.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Spencer Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Drug UserRead the Press Release
A former Federal Firearms Licensee who unlawfully discharged a loaded firearm while under the influence of eight different controlled substances was sentenced, April 25, 2018, to more than three years in federal prison.
Shane Zellaha, 57, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 30, 2017, guilty plea to one count of being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm.
The government presented evidence that on January 26, 2017, Zellaha discharged a loaded firearm while under the influence of methamphetamine, amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, opiates, oxycodone, and benzodiazepines. Weeks later, Zellaha violated his state pretrial release by possessing an additional three firearms, ammunition, a baggie containing methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. After being indicted federally, Zellaha was released despite the government’s objection. He violated his pretrial release by failing to remove contraband from his residence, providing a diluted urine sample, skipping a urinalysis examination, skipping a substance abuse evaluation, and failing to abide by radio frequency monitoring. At the time of his arrest on the pretrial violations, United States Marshals Service deputies seized 2,400 rounds of ammunition from Zellaha’s possession.
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.
Zellaha was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Zellaha was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ajay J. Alexander and investigated by the Spencer Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-4013-MWB.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Mason City Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm while violating a no contact order was sentenced April 25, 2018, to eight years in federal prison.
Eric Brown, age 38, of Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 28, 2017, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to the plea agreement and other evidence presented in court, Brown was arrested in the driveway of a home after the resident, with whom Brown had a no contact order, called for police assistance due to Brown knocking on the windows of the residence. When apprehended, Brown had a loaded .22 caliber Colt revolver concealed in his waistband. Brown had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including armed robbery, robbery, burglary, and attempted armed robbery in Cook County, Illinois.
Brown was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Brown was sentenced to 96 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.
Brown 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 Lyndie M. Freeman and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mason City Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-3032.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
DEA Prepares for Prescription Drug Takeback DayRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. encourages the public to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Takeback Day. The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, 2018, at thousands of collection sites around the country, including over 50 here in the Northern District of Iowa. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
United States Attorney Deegan stated, “Our country is in the midst of an opioid and prescription drug abuse epidemic. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans under age 50.” Deegan added, “Our communities can help combat this epidemic by taking time to get rid of outdated unused prescription drugs. The DEA’s National Takeback Initiative provides an anonymous and free opportunity to get rid of these unneeded pills.”
Last October, Americans turned in 456 tons (912,305 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 14 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 9 million pounds—more than 4,500 tons—of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
Collection sites will be set up throughout communities nationwide. To locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Office of Diversion Control website at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback where you can search by zip code, city, or state. The service is free and anonymous.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Years in Prison for Man Who Made Counterfeit MoneyRead the Press Release
A man who manufactured counterfeit twenty dollar bills was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Victor Ineson, Jr., age 42, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 2, 2017, guilty plea to manufacturing counterfeit currency.
In a plea agreement, Ineson admitted he used chemicals to wash the ink off lower denomination bills and reprinted each side of the bill so that it appeared to be a $20 bill. Ineson acknowledged that he spent some of the counterfeit currency at area businesses. During the execution of a search warrant at Ineson’s residence in May 2017, law enforcement officers seized $335 in counterfeit currency.
Ineson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ineson was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $240 in restitution to area businesses. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ineson 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 Forest City Police Department, the Britt Police Department, the Mason City Police Department, and the Clear Lake Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-3042-LTS.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.