Northern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
Richard Martinez, 30, from Sioux City, Iowa pled guilty July 24, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Martinez pled guilty to possessing and aiding and abetting another’s possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on July 17, 2024, law enforcement was conducting surveillance at WinnaVegas Casino (near Sloan, Iowa) during which a vehicle was observed traveling away from the casino over the speed limit. Law enforcement attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle, which took off at high-speed. During the flight, two packages of methamphetamine were thrown out the passenger window. Law enforcement found the approximately ½ pound of methamphetamine near where it was thrown. Martinez admitted that the driver of the vehicle handed him the methamphetamine and instructed him to throw it out of the window during the pursuit, which he did.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and four years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the 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, and the DEA Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4078. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who robbed an individual who was selling drugs was sentenced today to more than 11 years in federal prison.
Dequan Autrell Jenkins, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 26, 2025 guilty plea to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence.
On June 24, 2024, Jenkins and another person met with an individual in Cedar Rapids to purchase fentanyl. During the transaction, Jenkins pulled out a firearm and robbed the individual of the fentanyl and the individual’s backpack. Jenkins was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions.
Jenkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jenkins was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jenkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-93.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nearly Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed drugs and handgun and fled from police was sentenced today to more than eight years in federal prison.
Daijon Stokes, age 32, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 10, 2025, guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that on December 3, 2023, Stokes was stopped by an officer with the Waterloo Police Department. During the stop, Stokes took off in his car. While driving through a residential area, he reached speeds of nearly 90 mph. Stokes eventually crashed his car into another vehicle. A woman and two young children were in the other vehicle. Stokes then ran from officers on foot and had to be tackled. Officers found a loaded handgun, marijuana, and other drugs in the car.
Stokes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Stokes was sentenced to 104 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Stokes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by 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 24-cr-2012.
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Jury Convicts Chicago Woman of Straw Purchasing and False Statements During Purchase of FirearmRead the Press Release
A woman who purchased several firearms for prohibited persons was convicted by a jury yesterday after a 4-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Cedrinique Coleman, 32, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of four counts of false statement and representation during a firearm purchase and two counts of purchasing a firearm for another for prohibited purposes commonly known as “straw purchasing;” she was acquitted of two counts of false statement and representation during a firearm purchase. The verdict was returned following about four hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that between April 2020, and July 2023, Coleman purchased seven firearms. Ms. Coleman came to the attention of law enforcement when the firearms began showing up at crime scenes both in Iowa, and out of state. Two Glock 19 handguns were converted to machineguns: one recovered in possession of a prohibited person in Chicago, the other was used in the shooting of a police officer in Minneapolis. A Glock 22 handgun was reported stolen by Coleman. Evidence at trial showed that this is a common tactic used in straw purchasing cases to distance the purchaser from the gun in case it is ever tied to a crime. The other handgun was found in possession of Coleman’s boyfriend on February 21, 2024, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Coleman’s apartment. Coleman’s boyfriend is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is an illegal drug user and domestic abuser. Coleman was aware of his prohibition because she was the victim of his domestic abuse conviction stemming from 2020. Coleman’s boyfriend was also out on bond for an indictment for attempted murder out of Blackhawk County. Despite this, Coleman continued to purchase firearms for her boyfriend. Photos and text messages recovered from Coleman’s cell phone showed she was in communication with her boyfriend before and during the purchase of several of the firearms. Evidence showed Coleman bought the guns at the request or demand of her boyfriend.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Coleman remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Coleman faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and Mason City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Fletcher and Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3038. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Iowa Man Who Received Child Sexual Abuse Material Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was previously convicted of interstate transportation of child pornography in 2008 was sentenced today to over 17 years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material in 2023 and 2024. He also received an additional eighteen months in federal prison for violating his supervised release.
Jeremy Moore, age 39, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025, guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.
At the guilty plea, Moore admitted he received child sexual abuse material between January 2023 and April 2024. Information from the sentencing hearing showed that while Moore was living at a halfway house in Waterloo following his incarceration on the prior offense, he possessed a phone he was not allowed to have. After the phone was discovered and seized, an investigator from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation found child sexual abuse material on the phone.
Later in 2024, while Moore was on supervised release for his 2008 conviction for interstate transportation of child pornography, officers from the United States Probation Office searched his home. During the search, officers again found a phone. Moore had failed to tell his probation officer about the phone, and it was not being monitored as required by his terms of supervision. Officers seized the phone and had it forensically reviewed. During that review, a probation officer found over 600 images of child sexual abuse material, including images of victims who were less than 12 years old and images of sadistic or masochistic conduct.
Moore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Moore was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $27,000 in restitution. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In addition to being sentenced for the new charge, Chief Judge Willaims also sentenced Moore to an additional eighteen months in prison for violating his terms of supervised release. Moore violated those terms by possessing child sexual abuse material, failing to comply with the sex offender registry, failing to participate in mental health treatment, failing to participate in substance abuse testing, and failing to allow the probation office to monitor his phone.
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.”
Moore is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Probation Offices for the Northern District of Iowa and the Eastern District of Missouri, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-cr-2003 and 08-cr-2008.
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Sioux City Man Sentenced to More than Five Years for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Romario Pierre-Louis, age 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced July 18, 2025, to more than 5 years in federal prison, after a March 6, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed just after midnight on October 15, 2024, law enforcement was called to a domestic assault disturbance. Law enforcement was informed that Pierre-Louis was armed and was pointing a gun at people in the area. When officers arrived on scene, a witness stated that after the dispute Pierre-Louis was seen carrying a rifle wrapped in a blanket along with a couple of pistols to a nearby residence. The weapons were recovered from the neighbor’s house, where Pierre-Louis tried to hide them. Pierre-Louis admitted to law enforcement he knew he was not able to have firearms due to being a felon. Pierre-Louis was convicted in 2019 of armed carjacking in Cook County, Illinois for which he served six years in state prison. He had recently been released from that sentence.
Pierre-Louis was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 63 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Pierre-Louis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Sioux City Police department and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tabaco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4085.
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Badger, Iowa, Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Kenneth Brown, 60, from Badger, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of child pornography, on July 22, 2025, in Sioux City federal court.
At the plea hearing, Brown admitted that from early May 2023, through April 3, 2024, he received and possessed child pornography. A CyberTip to law enforcement revealed 32 files of child pornography had been uploaded to the internet from Brown’s cell phone. During a forensic examination of Brown’s phone, 27 videos and 28 images of child pornography were found, some containing materials depicting sadistic and masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Brown remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Brown faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3013.
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Woman Who Distributed Fentanyl Resulting in Death Sentenced to Fourteen Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who sold fentanyl in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to fourteen years in federal prison. Jessica Lee Erickson, age 44, from Daytona Beach, Florida, received the prison term after a January 2, 2025 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death.
Starting in or about May 2024, Erickson began providing a mixture or substance containing fentanyl to the victim. On June 15, 2024, Erickson distributed a mixture or substance containing fentanyl to the victim at a home in Dubuque, Iowa. On that same day, the victim used the fentanyl that had been provided by Erickson and died.
Erickson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Erickson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Erickson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was 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 24-CR- 01033.
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Sioux City Woman to Federal Prison for Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
A woman who distributed methamphetamine after previously being convicted of a felony drug offense was sentenced July 18, 2025, to more than five years in federal prison.
Alesha Rasmussen, age 34, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 10, 2025, guilty plea to distribution of methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense.
At sentencing, Rasmussen admitted that on July 10, 2024, she sold approximately one ounce of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement in Webster County, Iowa. Rasmussen was previously convicted of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa in November of 2011. Following her term of imprisonment for the 2011 offense, she was revoked from supervised release on four occasions for violations of her conditions of release.
Rasmussen was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rasmussen was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rasmussen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03042.
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Man who Possessed Multiple Machinegun Conversion Devices Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed multiple machinegun conversion devices on more than one occasion was sentenced on July 18, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison.
Gentile Kahungu, age 19, who was living in Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025 guilty plea to possession of a machinegun. The evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Kahungu possessed a total of 18 machinegun conversion devices, two of which were connected to firearms. On June 25, 2024, Kahungu possessed some of the devices in his bedroom in his home in Marion along with a tan Glock magazine and ammunition. When he was later arrested in Cedar Rapids, he possessed additional machinegun conversion devices, along with a tan Glock firearm that had a machinegun conversion device connected to it. The evidence at the hearing also established that Kahungu’s Glock firearm was used during two other shootings, one in Marshalltown, Iowa, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Kahungu was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Kahungu was sentenced to 108 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.
Kahungu 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 Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marshalltown Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00088.
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Iowa Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Multiple VictimsRead the Press Release
An eight-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa has been unsealed charging a Des Moines man with four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and four counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution through coercion and enticement.
According to the indictment, Marlin Santana Thomas Sr., 49, used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex acts in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere between 2009 and 2015. The indictment also alleges that Thomas transported women from Iowa to Illinois and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. It also carries a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release along with a fine of up to $250,000. Finally, restitution is mandatory upon any conviction for sex trafficking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence upon any conviction after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Nydle for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking that anyone with information about Thomas to contact the Omaha Field Office at (402) 493-8688.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Crystal Lake Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced July 19, 2025, to more than five years in federal prison.
Jeremy Nedved, age 42, from Crystal Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 6, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Nedved admitted that between February and September 2024, he utilized the “dark web”, a part of the internet that is not visible to search engines and requires the use of an anonymizing browser called Tor to be accessed, to purchase methamphetamine that he further distributed to others. In August 2024, law enforcement had become aware Nedved was using the U.S. mail to receive controlled substances. On August 29, 2024, a mail watch notification was triggered for Nedved’s P.O. Box in Crystal Lake on a package. A search warrant was obtained to intercept and search the package which netted approximately a half pound of methamphetamine. On September 3, 2024, a controlled delivery of the methamphetamine package took place at the Crystal Lake post office. Nedved retrieved this parcel and was arrested.
Nedved was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Nedved 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. Nedved is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03040.
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Cedar Rapids Man Who Conspired to Distribute Thousands of Fentanyl Pills Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute fentanyl pills was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison. Jaylon William Throgmartin, age 22, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, evidence showed that Throgmartin distributed thousands of fentanyl pills between December 2023 and October 2024. Throgmartin also facilitated the sale of a firearm in exchange for fentanyl pills. In January 2025, he distributed at least one fentanyl pill to someone who overdosed. The victim recovered after receiving Narcan.
Throgmartin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Throgmartin was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence‑driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Throgmartin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-5.
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Man Working Clean-up After 2024 Flood in Spencer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
A man working a clean-up crew for the historic June 2024 flooding in Spencer, Iowa was sentenced July 16, 2025, to more than 3 years in federal prison.
Hector Benavidez, age 38, from Donna, Texas, received the prison term after a February 12, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a felon and one count possession of stolen firearms.
Evidence in the case revealed, during a gun audit at a Spencer store, two firearms were missing. Law enforcement and the stores loss prevention personnel discovered that Benavidez had been hired by a cleaning crew to help clean up after the 2024 flooding. This crew had access to the room where the firearms were located and stored. When Benavidez was confronted by law enforcement, he admitted to taking the firearms two days prior and stated they were with his belonging in the hotel room he was staying in. Law enforcement was able to locate and recover the firearms during a search of the hotel room. Benavidez was previously convicted of felony aggravated robbery in Texas.
Benavidez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 42 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Benavidez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Spencer, Iowa Police Department, Clay County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department and the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4056.
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Fort Dodge Man to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced July 16, 2025, to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Chad Brown, age 41, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 29, 2025, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, Brown admitted that from January to around April 2024, he took part in the distribution of several pounds of methamphetamine with others. Evidence further showed that, on April 22, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Brown’s residence in Fort Dodge. Law enforcement located approximately 74 grams of methamphetamine and two loaded handguns. Brown has an extensive criminal history which included a 2016 felony conviction in Oregon for delivery of methamphetamine, and multiple prior firearms-related convictions.
Brown was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Brown was sentenced to 186 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Brown is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03030.
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Two-Time Felon Convicted of Two More Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who formerly operated a used appliance business in Marion, Iowa, was convicted by a jury today after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Cordell Maleec Mayfield, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about 35 minutes of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Mayfield had a firearm with an obliterated serial number in his Marion business on September 19, 2024, when Marion Police arrived late in the evening to perform a welfare check. The welfare check was precipitated by a 911 call to Marion Police to have officers check on the caller’s daughter who was with Mayfield at his business. Officers saw the weapon in Mayfield’s hand and later recovered it in a search. Evidence further showed that a few months before the firearm seizure, Mayfield stated in a recording that he preferred firearms with obliterated serial numbers.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mayfield remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mayfield faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Reinert and Ashley Corkery and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Marion Iowa Police Department, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00094.
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Spencer Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drugs and GunsRead the Press Release
A man who was sentenced today, to more than 14 years in federal prison.
Dana Eugene Igou, age 41, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 22, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a drug user and domestic abuse misdemeanant and one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
During the course of the conspiracy Igou, and others conspired to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Igou also possessed several firearms during the drug conspiracy. In December of 2023, Igou was stopped for a traffic violation and found in possession of a 9 mm handgun and a small amount of methamphetamine. Igou was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony convictions and his prior conviction of a crime of domestic violence. On March 14, 2024, law enforcement again arrested Igou, and he was again in possession of firearms, as well as ammunition, brass knuckles, and nearly 9 ounces of methamphetamine. Because of his prior convictions, Igou was determined to be a career offender.
Igou was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Igou was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Igou is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and was investigated by Estherville Police Department, Spirit Lake Police Department, Spencer Police Department, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-4018.
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Former Iowa Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Diversion, Illegal Firearms Possession, and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
A former Iowa nurse from western Iowa, who stole pain medication from nursing home residents, burglarized multiple residences, possessed a firearm as a felon, and committed a bank fraud, was sentenced on July 16, 2025, to more than three years in federal prison. Sarah Ann Haptonstall, age 47, from Onawa, Iowa, received the prison term after she pled guilty on February 24, 2025, to one count of acquiring and attempting to acquire a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of bank fraud.
In a plea agreement, and at her plea and sentencing hearings, Haptonstall admitted that, in March 2023, she burglarized an Onawa couple’s home on multiple occasions in order to steal narcotic pain medication. One the residents needed the medication for constant nerve pain. Haptonstall knew this, because when she was a nurse in 2021, she had delivered narcotics to the Onawa couple’s residence. When law enforcement officers arrested Haptonstall on March 10, 2023, after she re-burglarized the Onawa couple’s residence a final time, Haptonstall possessed a 9mm Luger pistol in her truck. Haptonstall was a felon and drug user at the time, and so it was illegal for her to possess firearms. Haptonstall had purchased two 9mm Luger pistols in February 2020, after falsely stating that she was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, a controlled substance.
The burglaries of the Onawa couple’s home were but one part of a larger drug diversion scheme that Haptonstall was perpetrating in western Iowa. In February and March 2023, Haptonstall was entering multiple apartments in Onawa and stealing the residents’ pain medications. Further, between April and October 2022, while working as a licensed Iowa nurse, defendant stole hydrocodone pills from four elderly residents of an Onawa nursing home and a Sergeant Bluff nursing home. One of the victims was over 90 years old. Haptonstall removed the narcotics from pill cards and replaced them with Tylenol. One of the nursing home residents suffered from severe pain as she died because defendant had swapped out the victim’s narcotic pills for Tylenol and made a false entry in her medical record. Another resident was in hospice when defendant stole her narcotics. Haptonstall was first licensed as a nurse in 2006, and her license was renewed at least five times (in 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021). Haptonstall ultimately surrendered her nursing license.
Haptonstall also admitted that, in early 2023, she committed a bank fraud against a small family-owned business in Onawa. Haptonstall was the business’s bookkeeper and abused her position of trust to embezzle over $8,000 from the company. Specifically, Haptonstall created fraudulent checks payable to herself, drawn on the small business’s account, and bearing one of its proprietor’s signatures. Haptonstall disguised the fraudulent checks by making false and fictitious entries in the small business’s electronic bookkeeping system.
Haptonstall has an extensive criminal history, beginning with six theft convictions in the late 1990s and 2000s. Between 1997 and 2013, a state court dismissed more than 30 additional theft charges against Haptonstall after she agreed to pay restitution to the victims in those cases. Haptonstall’s felony record started in 2006, when she pled guilty to forgery after she forged signatures on checks. In 2014, Haptonstall was convicted of a felony controlled substance violation after making a material misrepresentation to obtain hydrocodone from a grocery store. In February 2023, while she was committing bank fraud, and about a month before burglarizing residences in Onawa, Haptonstall received a ten-year, fully suspended prison sentence in state court for felony drug diversion after she admitted she had swapped patients’ hydrocodone for Tylenol pills while working as a delivery driver for a local pharmacy.
Haptonstall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Haptonstall was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. She was also ordered to make over $8,000 in restitution to her former employer and to repay $5,000 in court-appointed attorney fees. Haptonstall must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Haptonstall was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Monona County Sheriff’s Office assisted the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-4016 and 25-CR-4007.
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Galva Woman to Prison After Distributing over 100,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute fentanyl was sentenced on July 10, 2025, to more than 11 years in federal prison. Braleigh Schossow, age 25, from Galva, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 11, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
At the sentencing hearing, Schossow admitted that between December 2020 and February 2024, she distributed at least 100,000 pills containing fentanyl. Evidence further showed that Schossow would acquire counterfeit pills stamped with “M30” which contained fentanyl from her sources in Minnesota. Schossow then distributed tens of thousands of these pills across Iowa and Nebraska. As part of that distribution, in 2022, after she acquired fentanyl pills from her source in Minnesota, some of those pills were knowingly distributed to another who died from an overdose. In 2023, during a search warrant execution at her residence in Fort Dodge, law enforcement found over 7,000 fentanyl pills, cocaine, $72,000 in cash, and a loaded handgun belonging to Schossow.
Schossow was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 141 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Schossow is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood 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.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03026.
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Sioux City Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
A woman who violated multiple federal firearms laws was sentenced July 9, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Maria Francisca Portalatin, age 53, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on February 7, 2025, to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, one count of making false statements during the purchase of firearms, one count of straw purchase of firearms, and one count of concealing a person from arrest.
Evidence in the case showed that in April of 2023, Portalatin knowingly made false statements and representations on ATF forms to Dunham’s Sports Store in Sioux City in connection with her acquisition of multiple firearms. Portalatin later admitted to law enforcement that she was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and purchased the firearms for Freddie Summerville who she knew was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Evidence further showed, that in June of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Portalatin’s residence and located the four firearms she had purchased. During an interview with law enforcement, Portalatin admitted she lied on the ATF forms and that she was aware that Freddie Summerville was wanted on a federal warrant. In July of 2024, Portalatin and Summerville were stopped in a vehicle near Sioux Falls. Subsequently, in an interview with law enforcement she admitted they were smoking methamphetamine and that she had helped harbor and conceal Summerville.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Portalatin was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay $1,400 in fines and assessments. She must also serve a 2 year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kraig R. Hamit and Kevin C. Fletcher.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-04053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Colorado Woman Conspiring to Distribute Meth and Fentanyl Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced July 8, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to 76 months’ imprisonment.
Danielle Morris, 49, originally from Denver, Colorado, staying in Odebolt, Iowa, pled guilty February 12, 2025, to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from January 2024 through April 27, 2024, Morris and others conspired to distribute about one pound of methamphetamine and more than 1700 pills of fentanyl. On April 21, 2024, Morris, along with two others were headed to Colorado to pick up more methamphetamine and to sell fentanyl pills. When law enforcement tried to stop them, the fentanyl was thrown from the vehicle and later seized. Morris and the others recklessly attempted to elude law enforcement driving their vehicle at high speeds. Morris made a “false” 911 call in an effort to distract police and avoid capture. Later on the same date, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Morris and her co-conspirator’s residence and seized a small amount of methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded .22 caliber Beretta handgun.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Morris was sentenced to 76 months’ imprisonment and must serve a four-year term of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Morris remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Ida and Sac County Sheriff’s Offices, and 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 the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Iowa Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Jammonttay Coleman, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty July 7, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on August 25, 2024, Coleman knowingly possessed a stolen Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol with an attached magazine capable of accepting 17 rounds of ammunition. Coleman admitted to possessing this firearm as a felon with prior convictions for felony burglary and assault while participating in a felony, as well as being a user of marijuana. As a felon and user of controlled substances, he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Coleman remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Coleman faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-3039. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon who Conspired to Distribute Drugs and Possessed Firearms Sentenced to over Twenty-Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who conspired to distribute controlled substance was sentenced July 7, 2025, to more than 25 years in federal prison.
James Colquhoun, age 40, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 10, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony, carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between January 2024 and February 13, 2024, Colquhoun knowingly conspired with others to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine in the Cedar Rapids area. On February 13, 2024, officers stopped Colquhoun’s vehicle and searched it. During the search, officers located over 500 grams of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, over $25,000, and a firearm. Colquhoun knowingly possessed those controlled substances with the intent to distribute them. After the traffic stop, officers searched Colquhoun’s hotel room where he resided. During the search of his hotel room, investigators located over 600 grams of heroin, over 50 grams of methamphetamine, and another firearm. In 2014, Colquhoun was convicted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa of distribution of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and carrying a firearm during and relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Colquhoun was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Colquhoun was sentenced to 336 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Colquhoun 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 Dillan Edwards and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00029-001.
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Cedar Rapids Fentanyl Supplier Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who mailed thousands of fentanyl pills from Arizona to Cedar Rapids was sentenced July 7, 2025, to more than eight years in federal prison.
Anthony Chan Dixon, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 21, 2025 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Dixon moved from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Phoenix, Arizona, prior to 2022. Beginning in 2022, and continuing through September 2023, Dixon shipped packages containing hundreds of fentanyl pills from Arizona to various fentanyl dealers in Cedar Rapids, totaling at least 4,500 fentanyl pills. Dixon had previously been convicted of two felony drug offenses.
Dixon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dixon was sentenced to 106 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Dixon 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Johnson County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa City Police Department, the Coralville Police Department, the North Liberty Police Department, the University of Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-00058-CJW.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who was responsible for distributing over thirteen pounds of ice methamphetamine was sentenced on July 2, 2025, to more than nineteen years in federal prison.
Matthew James Wessels, age 44, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 23, 2024, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony.
In a plea agreement, Wessels admitted that during the summer of 2024, after being released from federal prison for a previous controlled substance conviction, he conspired with several others to import ice methamphetamine and then distribute the methamphetamine in Waterloo and the surrounding area. On three separate occasions, Wessels distributed ice methamphetamine to an undercover police officer. On another occasion, officers found him in possession of over three pounds of ice methamphetamine. In total, Wessels was personally responsible for distributing over thirteen pounds of ice methamphetamine.
Wessels was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Wessels was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2035.
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Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Michael Turner, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa was sentenced July 1, 2025, to 87 months’ imprisonment, in federal court in Sioux City, for possession of firearm by a prohibited person.
At the plea hearing on February 5, 2025, Turner admitted that between March 1, 2024 and March 29, 2024, he possessed a Glock .45 caliber pistol knowing that he was then previously convicted of a crime(s) punishable of a term of imprisonment for more than one year and was an unlawful user of controlled substance(s). On March 29, 2024, Turner was stopped and found in possession of a .45 caliber Glock pistol. It was later determined by ballistic comparison evidence the firearm had been used in a March 8, 2024, shooting in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Other evidence, including surveillance video, indicated Turner was present during the shooting.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Turner was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment and must serve a two-year term of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Turner remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3023.
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Eleven Time Felon Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who fired a pistol during an argument was sentenced on July 2, 2025, to 15 years in federal prison.
Kenneth Moore, age 51, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 16, 2025 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
The evidence at trial showed that on August 4, 2023, around 4:00 a.m., Moore got into an argument with an individual on the porch of a residence in Dubuque. During the argument, two individuals attempted to push Moore away from the argument and de‑escalate the situation. As they were pushing Moore away, Moore fired a pistol towards the residence. The bullet nearly hit two people, went through the front wall of the residence, and lodged in the back living room wall. Moore then fled the scene. Twelve days later, on August 16, 2023, officers arrested Moore and searched the car he was driving, where they recovered the pistol Moore fired on August 4. Moore was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been convicted of eleven felony convictions.
Moore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Moore was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Moore is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until her can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24‑CR‑01009‑CJW.
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Sioux City Man Found Guilty by Jury of Possessing Firearms as a Drug User and Making False Statements During the Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Victor Howard, age 28, from Sioux City, was convicted by a jury today after a 3-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. Howard was found guilty of two-counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and two-counts of making false statements during the purchase of firearms. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about 4 hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Howard, while being investigated as a victim of a shooting, admitted to shooting at an individual who came to his residence over a dispute. Howard claimed to be waiting for the shooter and as the shooter approached, Howard shot at him multiple times. Howard admitted to law enforcement that he was smoking a “blunt” while he was waiting for the shooter to arrive, and further admitted to smoking marijuana, as well as illegally using Xanax. During the investigation, Sioux City Police noted multiple gun purchases, 25 total, between November 2021 and September 2022—many after the initial shooting incident. When purchasing these firearms, Howard made false statements in order to purchase the firearms. Namely, certifying that he was not an unlawful user of controlled substances.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Howard was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Howard faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Sioux City Police Department, Sgt. Bluff Police Department, the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) and the United States Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4005.
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Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold fentanyl in Dubuque was sentenced on July 1, 2025, to 60 months in federal prison. Shon Dwayne Perkins, age 37, received the prison sentence after a December 19, 2024, guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location.
Evidence at the hearing established that in addition to selling a fentanyl-xylazine mixture near a protected location, Perkins on multiple occasions sold fentanyl that contained xylazine. Due to his distribution of the fentanyl xylazine mixture, a drug user buying and using the controlled substances distributed by Perkins developed necrosis of the arms that resulted in permanent scarring.
Perkins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Perkins 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 Nicole L. Nagin and was 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 24-CR-01034.
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Alabama Man with Gun who Fled and Crashed into Police Car Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Chrishawn Lloyd Stuckey, age 43, from Birmingham, Alabama, received the prison term after a February 7, 2025 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Stuckey was intoxicated while at a Wal-Mart in Waterloo, Iowa. He left the store and drove erratically. When a law enforcement officer attempted to stop his car, Stuckey refused to pull over. Stuckey instead got onto an on-ramp to the highway. Officers used a car maneuver to force Stuckey to stop. Stuckey then put his car in reverse and backed up into a squad car, damaging it. Officers found a loaded stolen firearm in Stuckey’s car. Stuckey has felony convictions for trafficking in stolen weapons and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Stuckey was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Stuckey was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Stuckey 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 Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2017.
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Sioux City Man Who Escaped from Custody Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A man who escaped custody pled guilty June 30, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Curtis Koesters, 45, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of escape from custody.
At the plea hearing, Koesters admitted that in October 2024, he began pre-release confinement at the Dismas Charities Residential Reentry Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Koesters had been in federal prison for a previous federal conviction of felon in possession of a firearm. On November 4, 2024, Koesters did not return to the Center as required after leaving to look for employment. In December 2024, after several weeks on the run, Koesters was arrested in Woodbury County, Iowa, and charged with multiple traffic violations.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Koesters remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Koesters faces a possible maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by U.S. Marshals Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4087. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Child Pornography Distribution Results in Prison TermRead the Press Release
A man who distributed child pornography was sentenced June 30, 2025, to nine years in federal prison.
Christopher Charles Smith, age 34, from Asbury, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 3, 2025, guilty plea to distributing child pornography.
At the guilty plea, Smith admitted he used a messaging service to communicate with others and trade child pornography. In October of 2022, Smith distributed three videos of child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Smith was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment and an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe 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.”
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 Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1011.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Fentanyl with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who distributed pills containing fentanyl was sentenced June 30, 2025, to four years in federal prison.
Antonio Clarence Robertson, age 33, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 16, 2025, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on December 21, 2023, Cedar Rapids Police Department officers stopped a vehicle in which Robertson was a passenger. During that traffic stop, officers observed him tucking an object underneath his person. Officers ordered him out of the vehicle. Robertson refused that order and officers removed him from the vehicle. Officers observed an unlabeled pill bottle where he had been seated. The unlabeled pill bottle contained fentanyl pills. Officers searched Robertson and located multiple plastic bags containing additional pills. As a result of the traffic stop, officers seized 227 pills containing fentanyl. Prior to the traffic stop, officers believed they observed Robertson sell narcotics to another individual. On December 22, 2023, Robertson met with investigators and admitted he sold fentanyl to another person.
Robertson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Robertson was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Robertson 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 Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-31.
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Former Cedar Rapids Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
A former Cedar Rapids resident who cashed a phony check from a Chicago law firm was sentenced on June 27, 2025, to two years in federal prison. Shango Johnson, age 35, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 24, 2025, guilty plea to one count of aggravated identity theft.
In a plea agreement, Johnson admitted that, in November 2023, he obtained a false and fraudulent check in the amount of $9,634 purportedly drawn on a Chicago law firm’s account. The law firm had closed the account in 2021 after its mail was stolen. Johnson deposited the fraudulent check into his own bank account in Cedar Rapids. The check falsely stated it was intended for Johnson’s “[p]ersonal injury final settlement payout”; in truth, Johnson had not received a settlement for a personal injury lawsuit and was not entitled to any of the funds in the law firm’s bank account. Johnson then attempted to use funds drawn from the bogus check before his bank could discover that the check from the law firm was fraudulent.
Johnson has an extensive criminal history. Johnson has more than 20 adult criminal convictions in state court, including for assault, forgery, perjury, and theft.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-71.
Eastern Iowan Sentenced to Federal Prison for Derecho and COVID-19 Pandemic Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
An Eastern Iowa woman who stole over $25,000 in federal benefits intended for victims of the August 2020 derecho and the COVID-19 pandemic was sentenced on June 27, 2025, to over a year in federal prison. Denisha Clarice Morrison, age 28, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after January 10, 2025, guilty pleas to one count of theft of government funds and one count of wire fraud.
On August 10, 2020, a severe storm, commonly referred to as a derecho, struck multiple counties in the Northern District of Iowa, as well as other parts of the States of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. The derecho caused long-duration power outages across the Northern District of Iowa and extensive damage in Cedar Rapids in particular. In response to the derecho, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) declared Disaster No. 4557 for the State of Iowa on August 17, 2020. Victims of the disaster who resided in the Iowa counties approved for assistance could apply to the FEMA for disaster relief assistance to help meet repair and replacement expenses not covered by insurance. The derecho occurred less than six months after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
In a plea agreement, Morrison admitted that, in October 2020, she received over $7,000 in FEMA benefits after falsely claiming she was living in an apartment on the west side of Cedar Rapids when the derecho hit and had suffered damage to her residence and personal property. In truth, Morrison was not living there and suffered no damage from the derecho.
Morrison also admitted that, in June 2021, she filed a fraudulent application for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan moneys. At that time, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and its participating lenders offered low-interest, forgivable loans to small businesses who were suffering from the economic effects of the pandemic. Morrison falsely claimed to be the owner of a cleaning business and, as a result, received $20,000 in fraudulent PPP moneys.
While her federal case was pending, Morrison committed a theft in Waterloo and violated the terms of her pretrial release on multiple occasions by testing positive for an illegal substance, failing to find full-time employment, and violating location monitoring requirements while in home detention. Morrison has an extensive criminal history that includes a dozen other convictions in state court, including multiple theft and forgery convictions, carrying weapons, and assault causing bodily injury.
Morrison was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Morrison was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $27,191.45 in restitution to FEMA and the SBA. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Morrison is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-55 and 25-CR-2001.
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Colorado Man Conspiring to Distribute Meth and Fentanyl in Iowa Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty June 27, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Ryan Miller, 40, originally from Colorado, but most recently residing in Pilot Mound, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Miller was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in 2017, this conviction prohibits him from possessing a firearm.
At the plea hearing, Miller admitted that from January 2024 through April 27, 2024, he and others conspired to distribute at least a half pound of methamphetamine and more than 1700 pills of fentanyl. On April 21, 2024, Miller, along with two others were headed to Colorado to pick up more methamphetamine and to sell fentanyl pills. They attempted to elude law enforcement in a high-speed vehicle chase during which Miller threw two pop cans containing fentanyl pills from the vehicle. Miller’s two co-defendants made “false” 911 calls to law enforcement in an attempt to distract law enforcement and avoid capture. Later the same date, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Miller’s residence and seized a small amount of methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and a loaded .22 caliber Beretta handgun.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Miller remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Miller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $8,250,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Ida and Sac County Sheriff’s Offices, 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 the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Iowa DCI Laboratory
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Federal Felon Who Sold Fentanyl and Heroin Causing Two Marion Overdose Deaths Convicted by JuryRead the Press Release
A convicted federal felon who sold fentanyl and heroin that resulted in two overdose deaths in 2023 was convicted by a jury on June 25, 2025, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Cody Kinzie Dittmar, age 34, originally from Dubuque, Iowa, but who was living Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the time of the crimes, was convicted of distributing and conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl, resulting in two deaths. The verdict was returned yesterday afternoon following about two hours of jury deliberations.
Court records show that Dittmar was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison for a 2017 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The evidence at trial showed that Dittmar was released to federal supervised release on that conviction in June 2023. Dittmar immediately began selling heroin and fentanyl with his girlfriend, then wife, Alysha (Gould) Dittmar. On July 1, 2023, the Dittmars sold a mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and xylazine to a customer in Marion, Iowa. The customer and his wife used the drugs shortly thereafter. Both then died of overdoses. The Dittmars continued to sell heroin and fentanyl in the Cedar Rapids area until July 2024. Alysha Dittmar previously pled guilty to distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in the two deaths.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Dittmar remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Dittmar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, $2,000,000 in fines, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Marion Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Nagin and Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25‑CR‑00001‑CJW‑MAR.
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Reinbeck Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Second TimeRead the Press Release
A Reinbeck man who obtained a significant quantity of methamphetamine from a source of supply that he had met in federal prison was sentenced June 23, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison.
Austin David Hansen, age 39, from Reinbeck, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 23, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after having previously been convicted of a serious drug felony.
Information disclosed at Hansen’s sentencing hearing and other hearings related to this case showed that, beginning in December 2023, and continuing to May 22, 2024, Hansen worked with a California source of supply that Hansen had met in federal prison to ship methamphetamine and marijuana packages in the mail to post office boxes in Reinbeck, Dike, and Waterloo, Iowa. After the methamphetamine and marijuana packages arrived at the Iowa post office boxes, Hansen worked with others to distribute the methamphetamine and marijuana to individuals in the Northern District of Iowa. Hansen then sent packages containing thousands of dollars of drug proceeds to the source of supply in California. In total, the California source of supply sent at least 37 packages to the Northern District of Iowa, and Hansen sent the source of supply over $260,000 of drug proceeds.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized a package from California and intended for one of the post office boxes, and it contained over 5,000 grams of methamphetamine. On May 22, 2024, officers executed several search warrants in this case, including at Hansen’s residence. At Hansen’s residence, officers seized over 600 grams of methamphetamine, a firearm, over $12,000 in United States currency, and receipts of all the money packages Hansen sent to the source of supply in California.
Hansen had previously been convicted of a federal drug trafficking crime and sentenced to federal prison in November 2011.
Hansen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Hansen was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a ten‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hansen 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the United States Postal Service; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Mid‑Iowa Drug Task Force; the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa State Patrol; and the Santa Ana, California Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24‑CR‑00044‑CJW.
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Maryland Man Convicted of Two Convenience Store Robberies and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A man who was previously convicted of robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust on Council Street in Cedar Rapids on January 3, 2024, pled guilty to additional charges today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Andrew Philip Derr, age 22, from Fredrick, Maryland, was convicted of Two Convenience Store Robberies and Money Laundering.
In a plea agreement, Derr admitted that after being discharged from the military for misconduct in 2023, he moved to Iowa City and conducted a series of robberies in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area. Derr admitted that on December 27, 2023, he robbed the Casey’s General Store in Robins, Iowa, and obtained over $7,000 in cash. Derr admitted that on January 1, 2024, he robbed the Kum & Go store on Four Oaks Drive in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Derr was previously convicted and sentenced for robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust branch on Council Street in Cedar Rapids on January 3, 2024, in which he obtained over $16,000 in cash. Derr admitted that after each robbery he laundered the stolen funds by making multiple deposits into his Maryland Bank account to disguise the nature, source of ownership of the funds. Ultimately on January 3, 2024, Derr flew to Maryland, and subsequently made two deposits of robbery proceeds totaling more than $4,800. When the United States Marshals Service tried to arrest Derr at his Iowa City, Iowa, apartment, they found a note stating, “Catch me if you can.” On January 12, 2024, Derr turned himself into Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Derr remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Derr faces a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Additionally, Derr must forfeit the stolen funds from the convenience store robberies and the money that he laundered and will be required to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the United States Marshals Service’s Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Robins Police Department, Linn County Attorney’s Office, the University of Iowa Police Department and the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00105
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Tripoli Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who distributed and possessed child pornography pled guilty on Friday, June 20, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
At the plea hearing, Austin Kingsbury, age 23, from Tripoli, Iowa, admitted that between August 2022 and June 2023, he distributed visual depictions of child pornography. Between December 2022 and June 2023, Kingsbury possessed child pornography, including of prepubescent children, on his cellular telephone.
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.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Kingsbury remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Kingsbury faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $62,200 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Dillan Edwards and was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Tripoli, Iowa Police Department, the Bremer County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Police Department, the Anchorage, Alaska Police Department, and the Alaska State Troopers Technical Crimes Unit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-2049. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Honduran Man Sentenced After Unlawfully Using Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
A Honduran man who unlawfully used fraudulent identification documents was sentenced today to 102 days in prison.
Ramon Calderon-Rivera, age 37, a citizen of Honduras, received the prison term after an April 24, 2025, guilty plea to unlawful use of identification documents.
At the guilty plea, Calderon-Rivera admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent California driver’s license to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in November 2023 at a business in Iowa. The number on the Social Security card was assigned to someone else. Social Security cards and driver’s licenses are documents prescribed by statute or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States.
Calderon-Rivera was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Calderon-Rivera was sentenced to 102 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt 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 25-CR-1014. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to 42 Years for Sexually Exploiting ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited a child and distributed child pornography was sentenced today to 42 years in federal prison. John James Dixon, age 41, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 22, 2025 guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that between August 2023 and May 2024, on multiple occasions, John Dixon and his co-conspirator, Justin James Paisley, committed sexual acts with a prepubescent child. They photographed and videotaped the child engaging in sexual conduct and sent those images to each other via text message. Paisley also photographed a second prepubescent child engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sent the photograph to Dixon.
Dixon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Dixon was sentenced to 504 months’ imprisonment, must pay $6,000 in special assessments, and must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe 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.”
Dixon 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 Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1032.
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Mason City Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced June 18, 2025, to more than 7 years in federal prison.
Todd Aaron Howard Hamilton Sutton, Jr., age 34, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 12, 2025, guilty plea.
In a plea agreement, Sutton admitted that on July 27, 2024, he was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation in Cerro Gordo County. He was arrested for driving while barred and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. While being booked into the jail, law enforcement found a plastic baggie containing approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine Sutton had discretely hidden on his person. Previously, Sutton had attempted to conceal drugs on his person on two prior occasions when being processed at the Cerro Gordo County Jail for other offenses. Sutton has an extensive criminal history involving, amongst others, violence and drug convictions.
Sutton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sutton was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Sutton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Greenwood and investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR03037.
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Mason City Pharmacist Sentenced to Federal Prison for Diverting Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Megan Elsbury, age 43, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced June 17, 2025, to 1 month in federal prison, after a February 7, 2025, guilty plea to one count of Acquiring a Controlled Substance by Means of Misrepresentation, Fraud, Deception, and Subterfuge.
In a plea agreement, Elsbury admitted to being employed and working at, at least three difference pharmacies located in Mason City, Iowa from 2008 to 2023. During her employment, Elsbury admitted she diverted controlled substances such as codeine, phentermine, alprazolam, clonazepam, lorazepam, pregabalin, and tramadol, for her own personal use. She created unauthorized prescriptions, and falsified prescription records/inventory, in the names of existing patients, primarily when the pharmacy was closed, filled the prescriptions, paid for the prescriptions, and took the prescriptions for her own personal use.
Elsbury was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 1 month imprisonment. She must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Elsbury was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshals on July 14, 2025.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-03007.
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Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth PossessionRead the Press Release
Jon Waugh, age 55, from Sioux City, Iowa, a man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it within 1,000 feet of a protected location pled guilty June 12, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
On August 14, 2024, law enforcement officers contacted Waugh outside his apartment for an outstanding arrest warrant, while he was on his way to sell methamphetamine. Officers searched Waugh and found and seized approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine and $854 in cash. Law enforcement officers searched Waugh’s residence and seized over one kilogram of methamphetamine, a scale with meth, drug paraphernalia, and four firearms, one of which was stolen. At the plea hearing, Waugh admitted he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to other individuals in Sioux City. Waugh’s residence was within 1,000 feet of a protected location, specifically a local elementary school in Sioux City.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Waugh remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Waugh faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Phillip Plummer, age 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced today in federal court in Sioux City to 120 months’ imprisonment. Plummer pled guilty February 10, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, and another count of distributing methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between 2022 and May 2023, Plummer and others conspired to distribute more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Plummer admitted to distributing methamphetamine on seven separate occasions to an individual cooperating with law enforcement, four of which occurred within 1,000 feet of schools, namely, Mater Dei Elementary School and Hunt Elementary School in Sioux City. During the search of Plummer’s residence in May 2023, law enforcement officers seized 271.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, 155.6 grams of cocaine, 31.6 grams of suspected MDMA, 55.1 grams of suspected marijuana, 37.9 grams of suspected cocaine, two bags of medicated Jolly Rancher Gummies 600mg THC (109.9 grams) and two vape pens (73.2 grams). Plummer intended to sell the majority of these controlled substances to persons in the Sioux City area.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Plummer was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and must serve ten years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Plumer remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by 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 the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4069. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Money Launderer for Mexico Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Chicago‑area man who acted as a money launderer for a Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization was sentenced June 11, 2025 to nearly five years in federal prison.
Jose Eladio Medina Valenzuela, age 45, from Cicero, Illinois, received the prison term after a January 6, 2025 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
n a plea agreement, Medina Valenzuela admitted that, from May 2020 to October 2020, he worked with others to obtain proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine in Iowa and transfer those proceeds to individuals in Mexico to promote and facilitate the drug trafficking organization and operation. Two drug traffickers obtained and distributed over 100 pounds of methamphetamine in Iowa, and they took a portion of those methamphetamine proceeds—over $335,000—to Medina Valenzuela in Cicero. Medina Valenzuela then worked with others to get the methamphetamine proceeds to sources of supply in Mexico.
Medina Valenzuela was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Medina Valenzuela was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Medina Valenzuela 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Homeland Security Investigations. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-02041-LTS.
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Jury Convicts Felon with Gun Who Ran from PoliceRead the Press Release
A felon who possessed a firearm was convicted by a jury today after a three‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Marcus Dejohn Wallace, age 29, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about three hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that on September 5, 2024, Wallace led officers on a high-speed car chase through Cedar Rapids before pulling over in a residential neighborhood and running from officers. He was apprehended by a police K-9 and taken into custody. Law enforcement found a loaded firearm within throwing distance of where Wallace was apprehended. The firearm was missing a magazine. That missing magazine was later located in the path where Wallace had run. Wallace has a prior federal conviction for distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Wallace remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Wallace faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra Hake, Shawn Wehde, and Dan Tvedt, and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-90.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced After Being in the United States IllegallyRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who was in the United States illegally after being removed twice was sentenced today to 90 days in prison.
Hector Palencia-Morales, age 55, a citizen of Guatemala, received the prison term after an April 7, 2025, guilty plea to being found in the United States after illegal reentry.
On March 1, 2025, Palencia-Morales was found at a residence in Postville, Iowa, while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at the residence. Officers confirmed he was in the country illegally. Officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested him on March 14, 2025. Palencia-Morales had previously been removed from the United States in 2013 following a conviction for illegal entry and again in 2022.
Palencia-Morales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Palencia-Morales was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt 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 25-CR-1012.
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Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
An accountant and adjunct business instructor who laundered over $800,000 of the proceeds of a multi-state business email compromise scheme was sentenced today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Margo Ann Williams, age 63, from Scranton, Pennsylvania, received the prison term after a September 12, 2024, jury verdict finding her guilty of one count of bank fraud, three counts of money laundering, three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
The evidence at trial showed that, between December 2022 and July 2023, five victims—a Cedar Rapids church, two businesses, a non-profit, and an individual—had their electronic payments misdirected due to hacked email accounts. The email accounts were hacked while the victims were in the process of making large wire and automatic clearinghouse (“ACH”) transactions to others. The victims received “spoofed” emails that falsely appeared to come from legitimate and trusted sources. The fraudulent emails contained instructions to change the routing information for the wire and ACH transactions. Unbeknownst to the victims, those accounts listed in the new instructions belonged to Williams. After receiving “spoofed” emails, the victims instructed their banks to wire the funds according to the new payment instructions. Williams received the funds into bank accounts she controlled, and then she rapidly transferred the stolen money to other bank accounts that she controlled. Williams eventually transferred stolen funds to two national cryptocurrency exchanges and an individual in Florida.
For example, in June 2023, a Cedar Rapids church was engaged in a $7 million renovation of its campus. The hackers compromised the email account of the project’s architect and caused the church to receive “spoofed” emails in which the email domain of the project’s general contractor was slightly changed. As a result, the church representatives thought they were engaged in email correspondence with the project’s general contractor when, in truth, unknown individuals were impersonating the general contractor’s employees. As a result, the church unwittingly wired over $466,000 to Williams’s shell corporation, “MBCI & Evercorp, LLC.” Other victims in the business email compromise scheme included a hotel manager in Colorado, a large non-profit in Washington state, a self-employed homebuilder in Montana, and a general commercial contractor in Pennsylvania.
During the scheme, Williams repeatedly opened bank accounts at major national banks, including one in the name of her shell corporation. As the banks discovered the fraud and closed the accounts, Williams continued to open new accounts at other banks in an effort to continue to perpetrate the fraud. Williams claimed at trial that she was doing so at the direction of a famous British actor with whom she had formed a romantic relationship. Williams earned approximately $25,000 from the scheme. Williams made many personal purchases with the stolen money, including an Apple Watch and a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Williams was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $594,037.41 in restitution to her victims. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Kyndra A. Lundquist and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Williams was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-64.
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