Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
A man found with nearly a pound of methamphetamine was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in federal prison.
Paul Daniel Greseth, age 32, from Wanamingo, Minnesota, received the prison term after a March 30, 2017, guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Greseth admitted possessing over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on January 22, 2017. On that date, Greseth traveled from Minnesota to Waterloo, Iowa, to meet with an individual he thought would buy some of the methamphetamine. While he was in Waterloo, law enforcement officers surrounded Greseth at a carwash. Officers told Greseth to put his hands up but he failed to follow their directions. An officer fired two shots at Greseth following his failure to follow the officers’ orders. Greseth was not hit and was subsequently arrested. Officers found over 428 grams of methamphetamine in Greseth’s possession. Greseth later stated that while surrounded at the carwash, he was attempting to rip open bags containing methamphetamine, hoping to vacuum up the methamphetamine before law enforcement could seize it.
Greseth was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States Chief District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Greseth was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Greseth 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, West Union Police Department, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office, Tri-County Drug Task Force, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-02008-001.
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Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Fraud that Targeted Elderly Victims Throughout the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who participated in a scheme to defraud victims across the United States have pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Tobey Hines, age 33, from Dubuque, Iowa, pled guilty today and was convicted of one count of wire fraud.
At the plea hearing, Hines admitted he participated in a scheme to defraud people throughout the United States and that the fraud was primarily targeted towards the elderly. Hines admitted that other individuals called victims on the phone and told these victims that a relative was in jail. The caller would then ask the victims to wire money via Western Union or Money Gram to get the relative released. Hines further admitted that the money was being wired to various participants in the fraud who would pick up the wire transfers. Hines admitted that he was one of the participants in and around Dubuque who received wire transfers from the victims.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hines remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Four other people have previously pled guilty to their role in the scheme. On March 2, 2017, Shawn Vaassen pled guilty and admitted that he too was picking up wire transfers sent to the Dubuque area by victims. At the same plea hearing, Vaassen also pled guilty to unlawfully possessing a sawed off shotgun. On May 9, 2017, Carlos Rodriguez pled guilty and admitted that he was also picking up wire transfers sent to the Dubuque area by victims. Michael and Stephanie Marcov, a married couple, each pled guilty to wire fraud on May 19, 2017, and admitted to picking up wire transfers sent by victims.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Vavricek and Anthony Morfitt and were investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Investigations and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 17-CR-1001, 17-CR-1004, and 17-CR-1038.
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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, October 28, 2017, 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, “Opioid and prescription drug abuse is at an all-time high in our country, and the human toll is devastating.” Deegan added, “Everyone can help combat this epidemic by taking time to get rid of outdated and unused prescription drugs.”
Last April, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 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 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 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.
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Waterloo Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Wayne J. Jones, II, 38, from Waterloo, Iowa, has pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and unlawful drug user. Jones entered his plea of guilty yesterday in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The one-count indictment filed on August 9, 2017, alleges that, on or about April 12, 2017, Jones possessed a 9mm handgun, several rounds of hollow point ammunition, and several rounds of 20-gauge shotgun ammunition. At the plea hearing yesterday, Jones admitted those items were seized from his apartment and possession pursuant to a federal search warrant. Jones also admitted he had a prior felony conviction and was an unlawful user of marijuana.
Jones faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Jones is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-02058-LRR.
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Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to Prison after Returning to the United States Following DeportationRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who had previously been deported following a federal conviction for illegally reentering the United States was sentenced today to 11 months in federal prison.
Ranulfo Juarez-Hernandez, age 39, a citizen of Mexico who had been living in Independence, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 29, 2017, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction.
At the guilty plea, Juarez-Hernandez admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been deported from the United States in May 2014 and September 2015. Prior to his deportation, Juarez-Hernandez was convicted in August 2015 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa on one count of illegally reentering the United States following deportation, a felony offense. Juarez-Hernandez had also been convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in both Washington County, Iowa, in 2006 and in Grundy County, Iowa, in 2016; and domestic abuse assault in Linn County, Iowa, in 2013. Juarez-Hernandez most recently came to the attention of immigration officials in May 2017 following his arrest for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in Buchanan County, Iowa.
Juarez-Hernandez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Juarez-Hernandez was sentenced to 11 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.
Juarez-Hernandez 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-2029.
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Carroll Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute was sentenced on October 16, 2017, to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Troy Dillavou, 41, from Carroll, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at sentencing showed that, prior to entering the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, defendant was convicted of felony drug offenses in 2013 and 2014. This resulted in him being sent to state prison for approximately one and a half years. Upon being paroled in January 2016, defendant began distributing methamphetamine to a number of customers in quantities ranging from ounces to one-half pound. During the course of the conspiracy, defendant supplied methamphetamine to his 23-year-old daughter and tasked her with picking up multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine from his source.
Dillavou was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Dillavou was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Dillavou 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 Ajay Alexander 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-CR-3023.
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New York Man Convicted of Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who robbed the Citizens State Bank in Hopkinton, Iowa, was convicted by a jury yesterday after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Daniel Louis Jackson, 27, from Younkers, New York, was convicted of armed bank robbery, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, aiding and abetting the use, carrying, and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence, and conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish a firearm during a crime of violence. The verdict was returned yesterday following about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Jackson moved to Muscatine, Iowa, during the summer of 2016 along with his co-defendant, Jason Centeno. While in Iowa, Jackson and Centeno reach an agreement to rob the Citizens State Bank in Hopkinton, Iowa. Prior to the robbery, Jackson obtained a .38 caliber revolver from an individual in Detroit, Michigan. On the morning of October 21, 2016, Jackson and Centeno drove Jackson’s car from Muscatine to Hopkinton. Centeno entered the bank brandishing the firearm, while Jackson carried a knife. Both men jumped over the bank counter and demanded money from the two employees working at the time. While Centeno collected money from one teller, Jackson forced the other teller to place her hands behind her back and restrained her using zip ties. Jackson and Centeno had purchased the zip ties together the day before at the Wal-Mart in Muscatine.
During the robbery, a third bank employee entered the bank. Jackson also ordered him to place his hands behind his bank and secured his hands with zip ties. Jackson and Centeno left the bank, taking approximately $8,000, and then returned to Muscatine. Jackson and Centeno the fled from Iowa, first to Younkers, New York, and later to Florida where they were eventually arrested by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jackson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Jackson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $400 in special assessments, and 20 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
On September 14, 2017, Centeno pled guilty to armed bank robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Centeno remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Centeno faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $200 in special assessments, and 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Jacob Schunk and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, the Muscatine Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-cr-2057.
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Man Sentenced to 43 Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawful Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
A man who drove by a house in Waterloo, Iowa, and fired a gun twice at the detached garage was sentenced yesterday to more than three years in federal prison.
Dayton Jay Myers, age 21, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 1, 2017, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user.
At the sentencing hearing, Myers admitted that he drove to the Waterloo residence on the night of January 3, 2017, to send a message to a person who was threatening him after a failed drug deal. Myers drove up and down the street beside the house before firing a stolen handgun twice at the detached garage, striking the garage and a parked vehicle. At the time he fired the gun, Myers was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.
Myers was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Myers was sentenced to 43 months’ imprisonment and a special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Myers 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 was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2018-LRR.
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Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program first launched in 2001 designed to reduce violent crime across the country. Working with federal, state, and local partners through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa has been prosecuting violent crime and the most serious offenders for the past sixteen years.
United States Attorney Peter Deegan, Jr. and Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman will be available on Friday, October 6, 2017, for interviews regarding Project Safe Neighborhoods in Cedar Rapids. To schedule an interview with Mr. Deegan or Chief Jerman, please contact Tony Morfitt at 319-363-6333.
Branch Chief Tim Duax and Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller will also be available on October 6, 2017, for interviews regarding Project Safe Neighborhoods in Sioux City. To schedule an interview with Mr. Duax please contact him at 712-255-6011. To schedule an interview with Chief Mueller, please contact him at 712-898-4572.
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Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
A man who fled the scene of a traffic stop while intoxicated and carrying a loaded pistol in his waistband was sentenced today to 71 months in federal prison.
Darryl Lee Williams, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 25, 2017, guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a felon and domestic violence misdemeanant.
At sentencing, United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade recounted how Williams fled from the police while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. After apprehending Williams, officers found a loaded 9-millimeter pistol, marijuana, and a half-empty bottle of tequila on his person. Judge Reade also noted Williams’ extensive criminal history, including prior convictions for assaulting police officers.
Williams was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment and a special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Williams is being held in United States Marshals 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 Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshal Service, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-25.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions Announces Reinvigoration of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Other Actions to Reduce Rising Tide of Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
[WASHINGTON] – Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced several Department of Justice actions to reduce the rising tide of violent crime in America. Foremost of those actions is the reinvigoration of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
In announcing this recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Attorney General issued a memo directing United States Attorneys to implement an enhanced violent crime reduction program that incorporates the lessons learned since Project Safe Neighborhoods launched in 2001.
In a statement on the program, the Attorney General said, “According to the FBI, the violent crime rate has risen by nearly seven percent over the past two years, and the homicide rate has risen by more than 20 percent. We cannot be complacent or hope that this is just an anomaly: we have a duty to take action. Fortunately, we have a President who understands that and has directed his administration to reduce crime. The Department of Justice today announces the foundation of our plan to reduce crime: prioritizing Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been proven to work.
“Let me be clear,” the Attorney General continued, “Project Safe Neighborhoods is not just one policy idea among many. This is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy. Taking what we have learned since the program began in 2001, we have updated it and enhanced it, emphasizing the role of our U.S. Attorneys, the promise of new technologies, and above all, partnership with local communities. With these changes, I believe that this program will be more effective than ever and help us fulfill our mission to make America safer.”
“For the past sixteen years this office has demonstrated its commitment to reducing violent crime through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. “Through training, outreach, and working with our federal, state, and local partners, we have focused our efforts on violent crime in Northern Iowa. With this recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, we will continue to prosecute the most dangerous criminal offenders, including those who illegally purchase, possess, and use guns.”
“The Cedar Rapids Police Department is very fortunate to have a solid relationship with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa,” said Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman. “The federal prosecution of violent offenses committed with guns has meant that dangerous individuals are off the streets and our community is safer. Police officers in Cedar Rapids seized nearly 100 guns from individuals who were in illegal possession of the firearms over the past year. Working with the United States Attorney’s Office, we are making sure that individuals who possess these weapons and use them while committing criminal acts are held accountable. With the cooperation of the community, quality patrol and investigative work, and the assistance of local and federal prosecutors, we can continue to reduce the rate of violent crime in Cedar Rapids.”
“The Sioux City Police Department is excited to hear Attorney General Session’s renewed support for Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller. “This program, with its focus on violent crime and illegal possession and use of firearms, is needed now more than ever. In coordination with our federal partners we have been able to successfully take violent criminals off the streets of Sioux City. For example, Jamal Dean, a violent armed robber who shot and wounded one of our officers was successfully prosecuted with Dean receiving a life sentence. Another example is the Canfield murder case in which three violent individuals who murdered a local Sioux City man were brought to justice. We look forward to the Attorney General’s support and a continuation of our successful partnership.”
The Attorney General also announced the following Department of Justice initiatives to help reduce violent crime:
Additional Assistant United States Attorney Positions to Focus on Violent Crime – The Department is allocating 40 prosecutors to approximately 20 United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on violent crime reduction.
More Cops on the Streets (COPS Hiring Grants) – As part of our continuing commitment to crime prevention efforts, increased community policing, and the preservation of vital law enforcement jobs, the Department will be awarding approximately $98 million in FY 2017 COPS Hiring Grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) National Gang Strategic Initiative –The National Gang Strategic Initiative promotes creative enforcement strategies and best practices that will assist in developing investigations of violent criminal groups and gangs into enterprise-level OCDETF prosecutions. Under this initiative, OCDETF provides “seed money” to locally-focused gang investigations, giving state, local, and tribal investigators and prosecutors the resources and tools needed to identify connections between lower-level gangs and national-level drug trafficking organizations.
Critical Training and Technical Assistance to State and Local Partners –The Department has a vast array of training and technical assistance resources available to state, local and tribal law enforcement, victims groups, and others. To ensure that agencies in need of assistance are able to find the training and materials they need, OJP will make available a Violence Reduction Response Center to serve as a “hot line” to connect people to these resources.
Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) – The Department has provided grant funding to support a comprehensive approach to identifying the most violent offenders in a jurisdiction, using new technologies such as gunshot detection systems combined with gun crime intelligence from NIBIN, eTrace, and investigative efforts. These FY 2017 grants were awarded to Phoenix, Arizona, and Kansas City, Missouri.
Expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program – The Department will expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program nationwide by the end of the year. Through this program, any firearm submitted for tracing that is associated with a NIBIN “hit” (which means it can be linked to a shooting incident) will be designated an “urgent” trace and the requestor will get information back about the firearm’s first retail purchaser within 24 hours, instead of 5 to 6 business days.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A felon and drug user who possessed a stolen firearm was sentenced yesterday to more than five years in federal prison.
Derek Hines, age 33, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. In a plea agreement, Hines, a convicted felon and user of marijuana and methamphetamine, admitted that he possessed a firearm in Cedar Rapids in January 2017. Cedar Rapids Police Department officers found Hines unconscious in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle with a loaded handgun and drug paraphernalia. The gun had previously been reported stolen by its owner. In 2003, Hines was convicted in federal court of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana.
Hines was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Hines was sentenced to 63 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. Hines is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison to serve his sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyndie M. Freeman and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshal Service, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-20.
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Waterloo Straw Purchaser Sentenced to Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who admitted buying multiple firearms for others, and lying on the acquisition forms, was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Myneisha Washington, age 26, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. In a plea agreement, Washington admitted that she purchased five handguns in late 2016. On the purchase forms, Washington indicated that she was the actual buyer of each firearm when, in fact, she was a straw purchaser for four of the firearms because she purchased them for others. Washington also lied about her address and her use of drugs. Evidence at today’s sentencing hearing showed that law enforcement has linked two of the guns purchased by Washington to multiple shootings in Waterloo.
Washington was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Washington was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Straw purchasers thwart the law to get guns into the hands of criminals,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “This office is committed to enhancing public safety by bringing straw purchasers to justice."
After the hearing, Washington was taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service to serve her sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ravi T. Narayan and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2010.
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Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
A man who enticed a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Carson Sibley, age 26, from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, was convicted of one count of enticement of a minor. At the plea hearing, Sibley admitted that, in 2017, he persuaded, induced, or enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity for which a person could be charged with a criminal offense.
Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sibley remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sibley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life 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, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the LaCrosse Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc 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 17-53.
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Eagle Grove Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and ExtortionRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited a child and committed extortion pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jason Marvets, age 30, from Eagle Grove, Iowa, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of extortion. At the plea hearing, Marvets admitted that, between 2016 and 2017, he persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced a child to send him sexually explicit depictions of herself. In a plea agreement, he admitted that this child was 11 and 12 years old and that he threatened to distribute depictions of her in order to get more depictions of her. In the plea agreement, he also admitted he obtained sexually explicit depictions from a 15-year-old child and threatened to ruin her life when she did not communicate with him.
Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Marvets remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Marvets faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 32 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $5,200 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Michigan State Police.
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 17-3034.
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Mason City Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who possessed child pornography was sentenced yesterday to over 10 years in federal prison.
Jeffery Landheer, age 47, from Mason City, Iowa, received the sentence after a May 19, 2017 guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Landheer admitted that, between 2009 and 2016, he knowingly possessed child pornography on a computer hard drive.
Landheer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Landheer was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment. Special assessments of $5,100 were imposed, and Landheer must also serve a 15-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Mason City 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 17-3011.
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Cedar Rapids Man Charged with Distribution, Receipt, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Craig Watters, age 30, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on September 14, 2017 in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, in 2014, Watters distributed child pornography, received child pornography, and possessed child pornography on a computer. The Indictment also alleges that Watters was convicted of receipt of child pornography in the Northern District of Iowa in 2009.
If convicted, Watters faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 100 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $300 in special assessments, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Watters appeared on September 20, 2017 in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Watters’s next appearance for trial is set for November 20, 2017.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and 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 17-69.
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Peter E. Deegan Jr. Sworn in as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. – Peter E. Deegan, Jr. has taken the oath of office today to become the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. Mr. Deegan was nominated by President Donald Trump on July 19, 2017, and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on September 14, 2017. He took the oath of office from United States District Judge Linda R. Reade.
“Having been part of the office for most of my professional career, I know first-hand that it is made up of an exceptional group of dedicated and talented public servants,” said Deegan. “It’s both an honor and a privilege to be chosen to serve as the United States Attorney.”
As United States Attorney, Mr. Deegan is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of Iowa. He oversees a staff of 46 employees, including 25 attorneys and 21 non-attorney support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Mr. Deegan’s career as a federal prosecutor began in 1998 when he joined the Northern District of Iowa’s Sioux City branch office as a Special Assistant United States Attorney employed through the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Mr. Deegan prosecuted methamphetamine manufacturers and traffickers as part of the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area’s methamphetamine initiative. In 1999, as an Assistant United States Attorney, he began prosecuting a full variety of federal criminal cases from narcotics and violent crime to complex fraud, child sexual exploitation, and business crimes. Mr. Deegan moved from Sioux City to the Cedar Rapids office in 2001.
From 2004 to 2006, Mr. Deegan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Detroit where he prosecuted general criminal matters including alien smuggling, medical device smuggling, and financial fraud. He also successfully tried a Detroit police detective and his brother for bank robbery conspiracy.
After returning to Cedar Rapids in 2006, Mr. Deegan prosecuted the two largest financial fraud cases in the history of the district. These included a $215,000,000 fraud committed by the owner of Peregrine Financial Group, Inc. He also co-led the investigation and prosecution of a large-scale criminal immigration enforcement action and the subsequent prosecution of several employer personnel for alien harboring and related offenses. In recent years, Mr. Deegan led the investigation and prosecution of federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and public corruption crimes related to the largest food-borne salmonella outbreak in the nation’s history.
From 2015 until his confirmation as United States Attorney, Mr. Deegan served as the Chief of the Criminal Division in the Northern District of Iowa.
Mr. Deegan has received several Department of Justice honors and awards for his work as a federal prosecutor, including the Executive Office for United States Attorney’s Director’s Award and a Special Commendation award from the Civil Division.
Mr. Deegan has taught Federal White Collar Crime as an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa Law School. He has also served as a regular trial advocacy instructor at the Department of Justice’s National Trial Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and as a visiting trial advocacy instructor at the University of Notre Dame Law School. Mr. Deegan has served on multiple boards and service committees.
Mr. Deegan earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Middle East Studies from the University of Notre Dame in 1992 and received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1995. Prior to joining the office, he clerked for United States District Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff in the Eastern District of Michigan. He also practiced law in Chicago where he represented small businesses in labor and employment related litigation. He is a member of the State Bars of Iowa and Michigan and an inactive member of the State Bar of Illinois. He lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife and seven children.
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Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to Prison after Returning to the United States Following Two DeportationsRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who had previously been deported twice was sentenced on September 18, 2017, to 21 months in federal prison.
Abundio Garcia-Gonzalez, age 48, a citizen of Mexico who had been living in Iowa City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 20, 2017, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction.
At the guilty plea, Garcia-Gonzalez admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been deported from the United States in 1997 and 2006. Garcia-Gonzalez, using various aliases, was also given voluntary returns to Mexico five additional times between 1993 and 1998. Garcia-Gonzalez, using an alias, was previously convicted in California in 1991 of the felony offense of selling cocaine. In 1996, Garcia-Gonzalez, using an alias, was convicted of the felony offenses of possession of cocaine and escape while felony charges are pending. Garcia-Gonzalez was also convicted in Indiana in 2002 of aggravated battery.
Garcia-Gonzalez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Garcia-Gonzalez was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Garcia-Gonzalez 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-0033.
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Illegal Alien from Guatemala Sentenced to Prison after Returning to the United States Following DeportationRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who had previously been deported following a federal conviction for unlawfully using identification documents was sentenced on September 18, 2017, to two years in federal prison.
Luis Eduardo Toj-Gomez, age 25, a citizen of Guatemala who had been living in Postville, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 2, 2017, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction.
At the guilty plea, Toj-Gomez admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been deported from the United States in November 2015. Prior to his deportation, Toj-Gomez was convicted in July 2015 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa on two counts of unlawful use of identification documents, felony offenses. Toj-Gomez had also been convicted of assault causing bodily injury in Allamakee County, Iowa, and operating while under the influence of alcohol in Fayette County, Iowa.
Toj-Gomez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Toj-Gomez was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. This sentence consisted of a 10-month sentence for violating the conditions of supervised release on the 2015 unlawful use of identification documents conviction and a 14-month sentence on the 2017 illegal reentry conviction. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Toj-Gomez 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-1013.
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Clay County Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on Friday, September 15, 2017, in federal court in Sioux City.
Justin Stephen Ries, 49, from Milford, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Ries admitted that at the time of his June 12, 2017 arrest, he was in possession of approximately 380.5 grams of methamphetamine, 169.76 grams of marijuana, 0.51 grams of fentanyl/heroin, two fentanyl transdermal patches, twenty-nine unused syringes, an air pistol, and approximately $24,240 in United States currency. Ries was also in possession of an additional $634 in United States currency, which was found on his person.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ries remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Ries faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Ajay Alexander and was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Spencer Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-4043.
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Felon Who Threatened to Kill a Woman Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who threatened to kill a Cedar Rapids woman was sentenced September 13, 2017, to ten years in federal prison.
Darrell Junior Sims, age 29, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 21, 2017 jury verdict finding him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The evidence at trial showed that during a phone call on January 27, 2017, Sims threatened to kill a female companion. When the woman asked what he planned to kill her with, Sims told her to look under her mattress. The woman looked under the mattress and found a loaded revolver and a loaded pistol. The woman contacted the United States Marshals Service, and two Deputy Marshals arrived and collected the firearms. While the deputies were collecting the firearms, Sims called the woman again. A deputy recorded the conversations, during which Sims accused the woman of allowing his guns to be stolen.
Sims was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. At the sentencing hearing, the judge found Sims obstructed justice during the case by sending a letter from jail to the woman’s father before trial. In the letter, Sims offered to compensate the woman’s father if the woman did not show up for trial. Sims was sentenced to the maximum sentence of imprisonment, 120 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sims is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and 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-5-LTS.
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Dubuque Man Sentenced to Six Years’ Imprisonment for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who was trafficking marijuana while unlawfully possessing a firearm was sentenced today to six years in federal prison.
Hombra Lavail Williams, age 40, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 29, 2017, guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a felon, unlawful drug user, and domestic violence misdemeanant.
At the sentencing hearing, the judge found that Williams’s possession of the .45-caliber handgun facilitated his marijuana trafficking. Williams had numerous previous criminal convictions, including domestic violence abuse, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and possessing heroin with intent to distribute.
Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Williams was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment and a special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until 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 Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-1006-LTS.
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Dubuque Man Convicted of Selling Drugs That Killed One and Injured Two Others Sentenced to over 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed heroin and a fentanyl analogue that caused an overdose death and two serious injuries was sentenced today to over 20 years in federal prison.
Antrell Desharron Lewis, age 24, of Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a four-day bench trial in February 2017. The Court returned a verdict on April 19, 2017, finding Lewis guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and furanylfentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, and one count of distributing heroin and furanylfentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
The evidence at trial showed that Lewis sold heroin to multiple customers in the Dubuque, Iowa, area in 2015 and 2016. His customers knew him as “Lucky” or “Five Star.” In early March 2016, four men from Maquoketa, Iowa, drove to Dubuque to purchase heroin from Lewis. Lewis and another man met with one of the Maquoketa men, and Lewis sold him a substance Lewis represented to be heroin. The Maquoketa men then drove to an apartment in Dubuque, where two of them met with another man and distributed some of the purported heroin to him. The two men who did not enter the apartment simultaneously used and overdosed on the purported heroin while sitting in the car. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and saved their lives using Narcan, an opiate reversal agent. The man inside the apartment used the purported heroin after emergency responders left the area. He was found deceased of a drug overdose approximately 18 hours later.
Drugs seized from the car and from the apartment tested positive for heroin and a substance called furanylfentanyl. Furanylfentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, and is an analogue of fentanyl. Under federal law, drugs that are similar to substances listed in the controlled substance schedules are considered “controlled substance analogues,” and it is illegal to distribute them just as it is to distribute substances such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana.
Lewis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lewis was sentenced to 252 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lewis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew Inman.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-1045-LTS.
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Iowa Couple Sentenced for Fraud and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
A couple who committed fraud against the government were sentenced for fraud and theft of government funds.
Kimberly Calles-Sheker, 43, and Oscar Calles, 44, both from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received their prison terms after May 16, 2017 and July 6, 2017, guilty pleas. Calles-Sheker pled guilty to one count of theft of government funds and Calles pled guilty to three counts of fraud or misuse of documents to obtain employment.
At the guilty plea hearings, Calles-Sheker admitted that from 1995 through April 2016, she improperly received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Family Investment Program (FIP); and Medical Assistance (Medicaid Title XIX). Eligibility for these programs is based on an applicant’s income, household composition and resources. Between about August 2012 and March 2016 Calles-Sheker and Oscar Calles resided together. During this time, Calles’s income was being deposited into a joint bank account with Calles-Sheker. Even though Oscar Calles was residing with Calles-Sheker and was employed, Calles-Sheker did not report his income when completing the required documentation for eligibility for these assistance programs. In fact, the only household income reported was approximately $753 in Social Security and Social Security Disability income that Calles-Sheker received each month. It has been determined their household received $32,080.57 in overpaid public assistance between November 2012 and April 2016. Oscar Calles admitted that he was an illegal alien from Mexico, but was employed by various employers and committed fraud by using the stolen identity of a deceased United States citizen, Francisco Aguilera to obtain and maintain employment in the United States. Specifically, Calles was employed at the following companies: D&H Poultry of Sibley, Osceola County, Iowa; Sparboe Farms of Eagle Grove, Iowa; Centrum Valley Farms of Clarion, Iowa; and Daybreak Foods, Inc. of Webster City, Iowa.
Both were sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Calles-Sheker was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and was ordered to pay $32,080.57 in restitution to Iowa Department of Human Services. She must also pay a special assessment of $100. Calles was sentenced to time served of 191 days’ imprisonment. He must also pay a special assessment of $300. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Calles 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 Kevin C. Fletcher and Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by USDA-OIG, Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (IDIA), and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-4010.
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Elgin Man Who Illegally Possessed Firearm Used in Deadly Shooting Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm while being an unlawful user of marijuana pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Daniel Henriksen, 30, from Elgin, Iowa, pled guilty to one count of possessing a firearm while an unlawful user of marijuana. In a plea agreement, Henriksen admitted that on June 17, 2016, he possessed a Glock 36, .45 caliber handgun. He also admitted that he was an unlawful user of marijuana at the time he possessed this firearm.
Court records allege that on or about June 17, 2016, law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel responded to Henriksen’s home in Elgin after receiving a 911 call reporting that a four-year old boy had shot himself in the head. Once at the residence, they located a child suffering from a gunshot wound to his head. The child was transported to Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union, Iowa, where he was later pronounced dead.
Court records also allege that during the investigation of the child’s death, investigators determined that Henriksen was the owner of the firearm used in the shooting, which was a Glock 36, .45 caliber handgun. During a search of Henriksen’s residence, officers seized several items of drug paraphernalia, including marijuana smoking devices. Several of these items were analyzed at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory and tested positive for marijuana.
Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Henriksen remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Henriksen faces 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2021.
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Three Webster City Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Three men who conspired to distribute methamphetamine were sentenced August 30, 2017, to 16 ½, 15 and 11 ½ years in federal prison.
Soon Phatdouang, 44; Touy Khamsai, 42 and Van Khamsai, 42 all from Webster City, Iowa, received the prison terms after their guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Van and Phatdouang also pled guilty to a possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime count. Touy pled guilty to a second count of distribution of methamphetamine, and agreed to a sentencing enhancement for possession of a firearm while distributing methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, each admitted to their involvement in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine in the Webster City, area. On a number of occasions in the fall of 2016, Phatdouang, Van and Touy distributed and aided and abetted each other in the distribution of methamphetamine in controlled drug transactions with law enforcement. During a number of search warrants executed at the residences of Phatdouang, V. and T. Khamsai in Webster City on December 1, 2016, law enforcement officers seized approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine, 30 pounds of marijuana, over $67,000 cash, and eleven firearms.
Each were sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Phatdouang was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment; V. Khamsai was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment; and T. Khamsai was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed for each. T. Khamsai must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release; and Phatdouang and V. Khamsai must each serve a five-year term of supervised release after their respective prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system. Each 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 Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Department and Webster City Police Department, Fort Dodge Police Department and the United States Marshall’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-3053. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Eastern Iowa Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes and Violating Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
An Eastern Iowa businessman who failed to pay over employment taxes and violated the Clean Water Act by causing ethanol to be discharged into a tributary of the Maquoketa River, was sentenced today in federal court in Cedar Rapids to 15 months in federal prison, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Sean R. Berry of the Northern District of Iowa.
Randy Less, from Delaware County, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 14, 2016 guilty plea to one count of willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes and one count of a Clean Water Act violation. At his guilty plea hearing, Less admitted he was the majority owner, a general partner, and the general manager of Permeate Refining, Inc., in Hopkinton, Iowa. In those roles, Less had the responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) federal employment, Social Security, and Medicare taxes withheld from his employees’ wages. At the sentencing hearing, the district court found Less was responsible for $654,921 in tax loss to the government because he did not account for and pay over employment taxes for Permeate during 2009 through 2012. Less also admitted that, in July 2013, he knowingly discharged or caused to be discharged ethanol into a water of the United States without a permit to do so.
“Mr. Less’s failure to pay over employment taxes for years was an attempt to dodge his obligations to his employees and to the United States. Our system and our citizens depend upon employers like Mr. Less to be honest and pay what they owe in employment taxes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Berry. “Additionally, his pollution of an Iowa waterway is a serious matter and this prosecution demonstrates our commitment to protecting our state’s environment.”
“Those who violate their legal obligation to pay over employee withholdings are stealing from the U.S. Treasury and taking advantage of law-abiding businesses,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg. “Employment tax enforcement will continue to be a top priority for the Tax Division.”
“There are often multiple victims associated with employment tax fraud to include the government and the employees,” said Karl Stiften, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Employers have a responsibility to withhold the proper amount of taxes and pay those taxes over to the IRS.”
“Illegal discharges of unpermitted wastewater into rivers and streams threaten public health, wildlife and water quality,” said Justin Oesterreich, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Iowa. “Enforcing the laws that protect our waters from pollution is an important way EPA safeguards the health of communities nationwide and ensures a level playing field for businesses that follow the rules.”
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Berry commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Vavricek of the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoffman of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
In addition to the term of prison imposed, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand ordered Less to serve two years of supervised release, fined Less $10,000, imposed a $200 special assessment, and ordered Less to pay $8,673.30 in costs of prosecution. There is no parole in the federal system. Less was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in the near future.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-2002-LTS. Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
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Six Individuals Charged in Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly Victims Throughout the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tobey Hines, Tiffany Reynolds, Joshua Willis, Payton McCarville, Morgan Cornell, and Paul Chase, all from Dubuque or surrounding areas, have been charged with wire fraud. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed August 24, 2017, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that from December 2015 through September 2016, the individuals participated in a scheme to defraud people throughout the United States and that the fraud was primarily targeted toward the elderly. The charges allege that participants in the fraud would call a person on the phone and falsely tell that person that a relative was in jail. The caller would then ask the victim to wire money via Western Union or Money Gram as bail money to get the relative released. The charges allege that participants in the fraud picked up the wire transfers and, eventually, some of the participants would send the money overseas.
Hines, Reynolds, Cornell, and Chase were arrested and appeared in federal court today. Willis and McCarville have not yet appeared in court. In addition, fourteen other individuals who are alleged to have participated were charged in the Iowa District Court for Dubuque County and arrested today.
Hines is being held without bond pending a detention hearing on August 31, 2017. Reynolds, Cornell, and Chase were released pending trial.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Four other people have previously pled guilty to their role in a scheme to similarly defraud elderly victims. On March 2, 2017, Shawn Vaassen pled guilty and admitted that he was picking up wire transfers sent to the Dubuque area by victims. At the same plea hearing, Vaassen also pled guilty to unlawfully possessing a sawed off shotgun. On May 9, 2017, Carlos Rodriguez pled guilty and admitted that he was also picking up wire transfers sent to the Dubuque area by victims. Finally, on May 19, 2017, Michael Marcov and Stephanie Marcov pled guilty and admitted they had participated in a scheme to defraud.
The prosecution is part of the Elder Justice Initiative of the Department of Justice. In June 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of 10 districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file numbers are 17-CR-1038, 17-CR-1001, and 17-CR-1004.
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Kenyan Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Kevin Oscar Naholi, 40, a Kenyan citizen residing in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with one count of possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully in the United States. The charge is contained in a Complaint filed today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Complaint alleges that on or about early Friday evening, August 25, 2017, Naholi was observed outside his residence pointing a long gun towards passersby. When police responded to the scene Napoli retreated into his residence and an eleven-hour standoff ensued. Cedar Rapids Police sought to negotiate with Naholi during that time but he refused to come out of the residence. At about 4:30 a.m. on August 26, 2017, a special response unit of the Cedar Rapids Police Department safely entered the residence and took Naholi into custody.
The complaint alleges Naholi entered the United States from Kenya in 2003 on a student visa. However, when Naholi failed to register for classes as required by the visa, the visa was revoked in 2004. Naholi subsequently sought unsuccessfully to gain lawful status in the United States.
If convicted on the charge in the Complaint, Naholi would face a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Naholi appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was ordered detained without bond. The United States has 30 days in which to present this case to a grand jury for a formal charging decision.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-mj-289-CJW.
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Omaha, Nebraska Man to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking in IowaRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and distributed methamphetamine and cocaine was sentenced August 22, 2017, to 13 years in federal prison.
Jeremy Terrell, 28, from Omaha, Nebraska, received the prison term after an August 5, 2016, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, one count of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Terrell had previously been convicted of distribution of crack cocaine in federal district court for the Northern District of Iowa in 2006 and had served a 46-month sentence.
At the guilty plea, Terrell admitted that from June 2015 through September 2015, he conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, Iowa, area. On August 14 and 28, 2015, law enforcement received information that Terrell was involved in drug trafficking conduct in Fort Dodge. On August 14, 2015, during Terrell’s attempted flight from law enforcement, officers observed he was attempting to destroy or conceal something as he ran from agents. After Terrell was captured, officers searched his travel path, recovered and seized approximately two ounces of cocaine. Terrell admitted he possessed this cocaine to distribute to other persons and had previously distributed several ounces of cocaine in Fort Dodge. Terrell also admitted receipt of ½ kilograms of cocaine by mail three other times, which he had distributed to several people in Fort Dodge. On August 28, 2015, law enforcement intercepted a mailed package intended for Terrell which contained three pounds of high-grade methamphetamine. On August 29, 2015, agents conducted a controlled delivery of the package containing the methamphetamine. After Terrell claimed the package, he again attempted to flee, but was captured by agents nearby with the methamphetamine. Terrell admitted receipt of the methamphetamine for distribution to other persons in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Terrell was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Terrell was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $300 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Terrell 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 Federal Bureau of Investigations, Fort Dodge Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-3051. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Sac City, Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced August 18, 2017, to more than six years in federal prison.
Matthew Wessels, 36, from Sac City, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 15, 2017, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Wessels admitted that beginning on or about 2014 and continuing through about February 2016, he conspired to distribute at least 500 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine. On August 26 and 27, 2014, and July 21, 2015, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine (1 gram each) from Wessels. On February 26 and May 17, 2017, law enforcement seized about 15 grams of methamphetamine from Wessels’ vehicle and residence respectively. Wessels also admitted to the weekly acquisition of ¼ to 1 ounce quantities of methamphetamine and redistributing of smaller quantities thereof to numerous customers throughout central Iowa.
Wessels was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Wessels was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Wessels 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Department, Sac County Sheriff’s Department, Sac City Police Department, and Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-4082. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Eagle Grove Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jason Marvets, age 30, of Eagle Grove, Iowa, has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child, enticement of a minor, extortion, destruction of evidence, and distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on August 8, 2017 in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between June 2016 and April 2017, Marvets persuaded, induced, and enticed a minor to produce depictions of sexually explicit conduct, that he threatened to distribute depictions of minors, that he caused another person to destroy evidence, and that he distributed, received, and possessed child pornography.
If convicted, Marvets faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, $30,800 in special assessments, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Marvets appeared for a detention hearing today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Marvets’ next appearance for trial is set for September 18, 2017.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Michigan State Police.
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 17-3034.
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Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Bank, Illegally Possessing a Gun, and Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
A man who robbed a bank, possessed a gun as a felon, and sold heroin causing an overdose, all within the span of one year, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Gregory Stapleton, age 31, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of aiding and abetting a bank robbery, distributing heroin, furanyl fentanyl, and acryl fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, and possessing a firearm as a felon.
Court documents show that Stapleton assisted in the robbery of the Fidelity Bank and Trust in Maquoketa, Iowa, on March 8, 2017. Stapleton visited the bank the day prior to the robbery in order to “case” the bank. During the robbery, Stapleton was parked across the street listening to a police scanner. Stapleton also provided his codefendant, Dante Rhodes, a vehicle for Rhodes to drive to Maquoketa and rob the bank. Rhodes pled guilty to the bank robbery earlier this month.
Stapleton’s drug and gun charges were contained in an Information that was filed on August 9, 2017. Stapleton admitted that, on January 8, 2017, he gave a mixture of heroin, furanyl fentanyl, and acryl fentanyl to another person. The heroin mixture sold by Stapleton caused an overdose in which the victim sustained serious bodily injury. Stapleton also admitted that he possessed a firearm on July 28, 2016. Stapleton has two prior drug felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Stapleton remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Stapleton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,500,000 fine, $300 in special assessments, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Maquoketa Police Department, the Dubuque Police Department, and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-1022.
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Waterloo Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Wayne J. Jones, II, 38, from Waterloo, Iowa, has been charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and unlawful drug user. The charge is contained in an Indictment filed August 9, 2017, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, on or about April 12, 2017, Jones possessed a 9mm handgun, 10 rounds of hollow point ammunition, and 49 rounds of 20 gauge shotgun ammunition.
If convicted, Jones faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Jones is currently in custody in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, completing service of a sentence imposed there in July of this year based upon his prior violation of terms of probation imposed in that County in 2002 following Jones’ convictions for battery and disorderly conduct.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-02058-LRR.
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Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Maquoketa BankRead the Press Release
A man who robbed a bank and led police on a high speed chase pled guilty on August 7, 2017, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Dante Rhodes, age 41, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bank robbery, stemming from the March 8, 2017 robbery of the Fidelity Bank and Trust in Maquoketa.
At the plea hearing, Rhodes admitted that he robbed the Fidelity Bank and Trust. Court records show that Rhodes entered the bank and handed a note to the teller demanding money. After the robbery, Rhodes led police on a high speed chase through Dubuque, colliding with multiple vehicles.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rhodes remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Rhodes faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Gregory Stapleton, age 31, from Dubuque, has also been charged in the bank robbery. Stapleton told the Court that he intends to plead guilty to the bank robbery charge, although a plea hearing has not yet been scheduled.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maquoketa Police Department, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-1022.
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Sergeant Bluff Woman Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements in Connection with a Highway ProjectRead the Press Release
A woman who made false statements in connection with a highway project pled guilty August 7, 2017, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jenna Danielle Wilson, 31, from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, was convicted of one count of making false statements in connection with a highway project.
At the plea hearing, Wilson admitted that between January 28, 2016, and July 28, 2016, she knowingly made false representations, false reports, and false claims with respect to the cost of work performed or to be performed or materials furnished or to be furnished in connection with the construction of a highway or related project approved by the Secretary of Transportation. Wilson, while an officer of K&L Inc., submitted falsified Expanded Polystyrene Fill (EPS) invoices to general contractor, Godbersen-Smith Co., and ultimately, the Iowa Department of Transportation for stockpiled materials on the I-29 Sioux Interchange Project. In all, Wilson fraudulently increased the amounts on the Benchmark invoices by $807,637.10. Wilson’s fraudulent actions, in effect, amounted to Wilson wrongfully writing K&L a no-interest loan, in attempt to remedy K&L’s cash-flow problems. Depending on the methodology employed in the accounting analysis, (FIFO or LIFO) the interest cost Wilson saved K&L, through her fraudulent actions, was $34,432.02 or $34,501.61, respectively.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Wilson remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Wilson faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Bowers and was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-4045. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Webster County Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on August 2, 2017, to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Andrew Smith, 32, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 7, 2017, guilty plea.
In a plea agreement, Smith admitted to having conspired to distribute over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine from 2012 through 2016. In or around August 2014, Smith received approximately 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine from his source. From the summer to fall of 2015, Smith received quantities ranging from an ounce to a half-pound of methamphetamine on numerous occasions, and distributed the methamphetamine to multiple customers in the Fort Dodge area.
Smith was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Senior Judge Mark W. Bennett. Smith was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Wehde and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ajay Alexander and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Division, and the Fort Dodge Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-3048.
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Wisconsin Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Carson Sibley, age 26, of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child, enticement of a minor, travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, and the commission of these offenses while being required to register as a sex offender. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on July 19, 2017 in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between April and June 2017, Sibley persuaded, induced, and enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity and to produce depictions of sexually explicit conduct, and that he traveled across a state line to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The Indictment also alleges that Sibley was convicted of offenses relating to the distribution and possession of child pornography in Hawaii in 2013, and it alleges that he was required to register as a sex offender this year.
If convicted, Sibley faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $20,400 in special assessments, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Sibley appeared on July 31 in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Sibley’s next appearance for trial is set for September 18, 2017.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the LaCrosse Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc 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 17-53.
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Storm Lake Tax Return Preparer Sentenced in Federal Court for Preparing and Filing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A woman who formerly operated her own tax return preparation business and prepared and filed fraudulent federal tax returns was sentenced to four years’ probation and ordered to pay a fine and restitution in federal court yesterday.
Toui Lo, age 56, from Storm Lake, received the sentence after a April 3, 2017, guilty plea to one count of aiding and assisting the preparation and filing of a false and fraudulent tax return.
In a plea agreement, Lo, who operated a tax return preparation business in Storm Lake, admitted she prepared and filed a false tax return on behalf of a client, fraudulently increasing the amount of the client’s refund by falsely claiming business expenses and various itemized deductions. Lo further admitted she filed multiple other similarly false tax returns between 2009 and 2013. Finally, at sentencing, Lo admitted that the false and fraudulent tax returns she prepared and filed resulted in more than $60,000 in unwarranted refunds for her clients.
Lo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lo was sentenced to four years’ probation and fined $3,000. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and she was ordered to make $61,137 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-4017.
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Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
A man who failed to register as a sex offender was sentenced August 2, 2017, to more than one year in federal prison.
Daniel Virgil Kleve, age 32, from Sioux City received the prison term after a March 20, 2017, guilty plea to one count of failure to register as a sex offender.
At the guilty plea, Kleve admitted that as the result of a 2007 conviction for possession of child pornography by a United States Army Court Martial, he was required to register as a sex offender under federal law. Between October 2015, and May 2016, he traveled in interstate commerce from Nebraska to Iowa, and failed to update his sex offender registration to reflect his employment in Iowa, as required by federal law.
Kleve was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Kleve was sentenced to 12 months’ and 1 day imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kleve 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 Duax and investigated by United States Marshals’ Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-4081.
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Media Advisory: Effective Communications with Persons with Disabilities WorkshopRead the Press Release
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The United States Attorney’s Office and Deaf Iowans Against Abuse (“DIAA”) will present the “Effective Communications with Persons with Disabilities Workshop” on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Sioux City Public Library, 529 Pierce Street, Gleeson Room, Sioux City, Iowa.
This conference will cover the purposes and goals of Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, specifically in the area of effective communications for those who interact with persons who are hard of hearing, deaf, or blind. The morning session will focus on those who work in law enforcement, the courts, city managers, ADA coordinators, and public safety entities. The afternoon session will focus on those who work in the health care industry including hospital administrators, medical facilities and offices.
Featured speakers include Jennifer Upah‑Kyes, Executive Director of Deaf Iowans Against Abuse, Inc.; Katie Hayden, Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of Iowa, Sioux City, Iowa; and Stephanie Wright, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Iowa, Cedar Rapids.
“Recent events on both the national and local levels involving members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community have proven that effective communication is vital,” said Jennifer Upah-Kyes, Executive Director of Deaf Iowans Against Abuse, Inc.
Sean Berry, Acting U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Iowa, added, “The Americans with Disabilities Act requires state and local government and private entities to ensure their communications with people with disabilities are as effective as communications with those without disabilities. This important training will assist participating organizations in their efforts to effectively communicate with persons who are hard of hearing, deaf, or blind. The training will also help persons with these disabilities to understand their rights when communicating with public and private entities.”
The training is free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested by August 9, 2017, but not required. Interested parties may register by contacting Stephanie Wright at [email protected]. United States Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, will provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. Requests should be made to Stephanie Wright, toll-free at (877) 398-2842, TTY (319) 286-9258, or e-mail at [email protected], as early as possible, preferably, at least two weeks in advance of the conference. No attendee will be excluded from a presentation on the basis of a disability-related accommodation request.
Event Details
When: Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Where: Sioux City Public Library, 529 Pierce Street
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to Prison after Returning to the United States Following Two DeportationsRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who had previously been deported twice was sentenced today to 16 months in federal prison.
Leonardo Vega-Martinez, age 40, a citizen of Mexico who had been living in Cascade, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 4, 2017, guilty plea to misuse of a Social Security Number and illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony conviction.
In a plea agreement, Vega-Martinez admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been deported from the United States in 2009 and 2011. Vega-Martinez also admitted that after illegally returning to the United States, he used a fraudulent Social Security Number when he completed an Immigration Form I-9 in February 2013 to obtain employment at a company in Earlville, Iowa. Vega-Martinez was previously convicted in Texas in 2011 of illegal reentry of a removed alien, a felony offense. Vega-Martinez had also been convicted of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol three times, including two times in Allamakee County, Iowa, where he was convicted under an alias.
Vega-Martinez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Vega-Martinez was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Vega-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 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-2012-LRR.
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Clarion Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison.
Jonathan Sebert, age 25, from Clarion, Iowa, received the sentence after a February 9, 2017 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Sebert admitted that, between 2012 and 2015, he knowingly received child pornography.
Sebert was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Sebert was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and Sebert must also serve a 20-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office and the Mason City 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 16-3054.
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Former Union Vice-President/Treasurer Sentenced toRead the Press Release
A man who embezzled labor union assets, was sentenced July 26, 2017, to twelve months’ in federal prison.
Curtis Lang, 53, from Le Mars, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 8, 2017, guilty plea to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets.
At the plea hearing, Lang admitted that from approximately 2005 to 2009 he was the vice president/treasurer of the United Dairy Workers of Le Mars, Iowa, and later, from 2011 through 2014, Lang was the president/treasurer of said union.
Over a period of approximately ten years, Lang embezzled over $98,000 in funds from union bank accounts. Lang acted alone in the embezzlement, and made efforts to hide the crime from other Union officials.
Lang was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Lang was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and he was ordered to make $95,223.49 in restitution to the United Dairy Workers of Le Mars. Lang must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term, including a term of six months of home confinement with electronic monitoring. There is no parole in the federal system. At sentencing, Judge Bennett commented that, “Curtis Lang inflicted irreparable harm on the union.”
Lang was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Bowers and investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-4016. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Waterloo Man to Prison for Second Felon in Possession ConvictionRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed a loaded handgun, a digital scale, and marijuana in December 2016, was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison.
John Daniel Forehand III, age 31, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 20, 2017, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Forehand admitted he possessed a loaded Smith and Wesson .22 caliber pistol on December 16, 2016. Evidence at an earlier hearing showed that Waterloo police officers found the pistol during a traffic stop. The pistol, which had an obliterated serial number, was in a bag that also contained a digital scale and a children’s cup, both of which also had marijuana residue. Forehand had previously been convicted of felony possession with intent to distribute marijuana and of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Forehand was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Forehand was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Forehand is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and 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-02006-LRR.
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Waterloo Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who sold a stolen firearm during an undercover sting operation was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison.
Vernon Montrell Webster, age 44, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 17, 2017, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Webster admitted he unlawfully possessed a 44 Magnum revolver and 30 rounds of ammunition in July 2015. Testimony at an earlier hearing showed that Webster sold the revolver, which had previously been stolen, and ammunition to another individual during an undercover sting operation. Additional testimony showed that during another undercover operation in December 2016, Webster sold a bulletproof vest that had previously been stolen from a reserve police officer. At sentencing, the court noted that Webster had previously been convicted of felony burglary three times, and of one felony drug conviction.
Webster was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Webster was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Webster is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and 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-02005-LRR.
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Three Dubuque Heroin Dealers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who sold heroin and fentanyl that killed a Dubuque man in April 2016, and another man who sold heroin and illegally possessed a firearm were sentenced yesterday to federal prison.
Derrick Jermain Brown, age 26, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment following his February 21, 2017 guilty plea to conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a playground and public elementary school. Antwain Deshaun Spratt, age 39, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment following his December 2016 guilty plea to distributing heroin within 1,000 feet of a playground and a public elementary school and his February 2017 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Tywone Derrel Matthews, age 41, was sentenced to just under 6 years’ imprisonment after the court found him guilty on January 31, 2017 of distributing heroin near a playground and a public elementary school, distributing heroin and fentanyl near a playground and a public elementary school, and possessing with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl near a playground and a public elementary school.
The court found Brown was a leader of a heroin and fentanyl distribution ring operating out of a residence on Iowa Street in Dubuque. Brown admitted to selling over 1 kilogram of heroin over the course of about three years. Brown also admitted that on April 11, 2016, a female heroin customer called Brown to order heroin from him. Following the call to Brown, Matthews left the Iowa Street residence, met with the customer, and distributed a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to her. The customer took the heroin/fentanyl mixture back to the residence she shared with her boyfriend, and she and her boyfriend injected some of it. After injecting the mixture, the female lost consciousness. When she awoke, her boyfriend was dead of an overdose. The court sentenced Brown and Matthews to additional time in prison for their roles in distributing the heroin and fentanyl mixture that caused the boyfriend’s death.
At his plea hearing in December 2016, Spratt admitted he sold heroin to another individual during an undercover operation. Evidence at a prior hearing showed that in April 2016, while a federal arrest warrant was pending on the heroin charge, Deputy United States Marshals found Spratt hiding in a closet in a Dubuque residence. Officers found a handgun in a clothes hamper outside the closet where Spratt was hiding. Spratt had previously been convicted of three prior drug felonies in Illinois, as well as felony theft and willful injury in Black Hawk County, Iowa.
Brown, Spratt, and Matthews were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Brown was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and a $100 special assessment. He must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Spratt was also sentenced to a total of 240 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a total of six years of supervised release after the prison term, and pay $200 in special assessments. Matthews was sentenced to a total of 71 months’ imprisonment, and six years’ supervised release after the prison term. He must also pay $300 in special assessments. There is no parole in the federal system.
All three men are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to federal prisons.
Four other men were previously sentenced for their roles in distributing heroin and fentanyl in Dubuque. D’Anthony Lamont Moore was sentenced to 75 months’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to three counts of distributing heroin near a school and playground. Jeffery Donta Hitchcock was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment following his guilty pleas to distributing heroin near a college and playground. Antoine Tavares Mitchell was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiring to distribute heroin. Antrell Desharron Lewis was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for distributing heroin near a school and playground. Lewis was also subsequently convicted of distributing and conspiring to distribute heroin and furanylfentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury. He is awaiting sentencing on those charges
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, 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 for Brown, Moore, Matthews, Spratt, and Hitchcock is 16‑CR‑01018-LTS. The case file number for Mitchell and Lewis is 16‑CR‑01017‑LTS. The other case file number for Lewis is 17-CR-00005-LTS.
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Former Forest City Investment Adviser Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
A former Forest City investment adviser, who stole money from clients to fund the operation of an ethanol plant in Hopkinton, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Darrell Smith, age 61, from Forest City, Iowa, was convicted of Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. Smith’s guilty pleas follow his conviction in federal court and 13-month prison sentence last year for tax fraud.
Smith’s admissions at the plea hearing and evidence presented in prior court proceedings established that he was a broker and adviser for several investment firms. From 2010 to 2013, Smith caused funds to be withdrawn from his investment clients’ accounts without his clients’ knowledge or authorization. The funds were transferred to Energae, LP, a partnership Smith previously had formed with another individual to invest in different bio-energy companies. Smith then used those funds to pay expenses related to the operation of Permeate Refining, LLC, which operated a now-defunct ethanol plant in Hopkinton. In order to transfer funds from client accounts, Smith used authorizations purportedly signed by the client authorizing the withdrawal of funds from the investment account. He either forged his clients’ signatures on the authorizations or used pre-signed, blank authorization forms. In 2013, Smith consented to having his securities agent license and insurance producer license in the State of Iowa revoked.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Smith remains in custody of the United States Marshal after a detention hearing on May 3, 2017. At the detention hearing, Judge Reade found Smith was “a serious risk” to “obstruct justice or attempt to obstruct justice.” The Court noted that, while on pretrial release in 2016, Smith had violated a no-contact order, made misrepresentations to the Court, and distributed a report to prospective investors that contained several misrepresentations. The Court also found Smith was a continuing “financial danger” to the community.
Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 22 years’ imprisonment, a fine, $200 in special assessments, and 4 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 17-CR-2030-LRR and 17-MJ-111-LRR.
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Meth Dealer Who Possessed over 20 Guns to Serve More Than 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Iowa man who sold methamphetamine for over a year and who possessed over 20 firearms, including a stolen firearm, was sentenced on July 24, 2017, to more than 13 years in federal prison.
Shawn Chevchuc, age 45, from Lime Springs, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 1, 2017, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms by a felon.
At the guilty plea, Chevchuc admitted he was involved with others in selling methamphetamine from 2015 through 2016. Information disclosed during the sentencing hearing indicated that, during this time period, Chevchuc was involved with selling over two kilograms of methamphetamine. He also possessed over 20 firearms, including one firearm that had been previously stolen during a burglary. Chevchuc had multiple prior burglary and drug convictions and was prohibited from possessing any firearms because he was a felon.
Chevchuc was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Chevchuc was sentenced to 160 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Chevchuc 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 Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, the Decorah Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-2056-LTS.
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