Southern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Twelve Area Individuals Indicted in Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Twelve people, all of whom are felons, are facing 28 criminal charges as part of federal drug and gun investigations announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. A Federal Grand Jury filed eleven Indictments and one Superseding Indictment earlier this month in United States District Court in Davenport, Iowa.
The investigations occurred in Scott and Des Moines Counties. The public is reminded that charges contain only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
In addition to the above, 21 additional individuals have been federally charged with gun crimes out of the Davenport Divisional Office since January 1, 2020. During the same time period, 15 individuals have been sentenced for gun-related crimes, resulting in sentences up to 240 months of imprisonment, with the average imprisonment sentence being 101 months or roughly 8.5 years.
There is no parole in the federal system.“Prosecuting violent crime—especially gun crime—in places like Davenport and Burlington is our office’s top priority,” said United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. “Our message is very simple. Put down the gun, or we will ask a judge to put you in federal prison.”
These cases are part of Project Guardian (PG) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), programs bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The cases were investigated by the Davenport Police Department, Burlington Police Department, Bettendorf Police Department, and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Several defendants have been arrested and are outlined below. The other cases remain sealed pending arrest.
DEFENDANTAlexander Jamica Hubbard
Case Number 3:20-cr-48
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D) - Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) – Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime Maximum Penalty is life in custody; 25 year mandatory minimum (enhanced due to prior conviction)
DEFENDANT
Jermaine Allen Ford
Case Number 3:20-cr-22
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(j) – Possession of a Stolen Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Title 21, U.S.C. § 844(a) – Possession of a Controlled Substance Maximum Penalty is 1 year in custody
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) – Distribution of a Controlled Substance Maximum Penalty is 20 years in custody
DEFENDANT
Adam Brent Branton
Case Number 3:20-cr-53
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) –Distribution of a Controlled Substance Maximum Penalty is life in custody; 10 year mandatory minimum
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
DEFENDANT
David Christopher Westby
Case Number 3:20-cr-59
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) – Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Maximum Penalty is 20 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) – Possess a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime Maximum Penalty is life in custody; 5 year mandatory minimum
DEFENDANT
Vernon Lee Bellamy
Case Number 3:20-cr-60
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) – Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Maximum Penalty is 20 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
DEFENDANT
Darius Antwone Sims
Case Number 3:20-cr-61
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Maximum Penalty is life in custody; 10 year mandatory minimum
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
DEFENDANT
Nihjl Shaquielle Rahmhad HooverCase Number 3:20-cr-68
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Omaha Gang Member Sentenced for Attempted Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on June 15, 2020, Tevonta Reair Tiller, age 23, of Omaha, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Robert W. Pratt for Attempted Armed Bank Robbery. Tiller was sentenced to 94 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
On the morning of January 25, 2019, two individuals, with their faces partially covered, entered the outer doors of the Cobalt Credit Union in Council Bluffs. A man carried a pistol and Tevonta Tiller carried a large bag. After opening the doors of the Credit Union, they could not get inside the lobby because the inner doors of the vestibule were locked. Tiller and his accomplice then left the scene and returned to their stolen vehicle. They drove across the street from the Credit Union, abandoned the vehicle, and disappeared. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found evidence that identified Tiller, a known member of the Bloods gang in Omaha.
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Papillion Police Department, La Vista Police Department K-9 Unit, and the Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Iowa City Community School District, Iowa, to Ensure Accessible PlaygroundsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that it reached a settlement agreement with the Iowa City Community School District (School District), Iowa, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement resolves a complaint filed by parents of children with disabilities alleging that playgrounds in the school district are not accessible to children who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Based on the complaint, the Justice Department surveyed playgrounds at twelve school district elementary schools and identified elements of those playgrounds that did not meet the applicable ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
Under the agreement, the school district will ensure that its playgrounds comply with Title II of the ADA and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The school district will remedy violations related to play components; play area amenities, such as benches and picnic tables; accessible routes to play areas; and routes connecting play components.
“Nearly thirty years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, no child with a disability should be prevented from accessing a playground because it has been constructed in violation of the ADA,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This settlement agreement will ensure that children with disabilities can access their school’s playground and play alongside their classmates. We commend the Iowa City Community School District for its ongoing cooperation with this matter, as well as the significant steps it has already taken to ensure that its playgrounds are accessible.”
2020 marks the ADA’s 30th anniversary. The Justice Department continues to advance the nation's goal of equal opportunity, integration, full participation, inclusion, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Through its enforcement and technical assistance tools, the Justice Department strives to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
To read the settlement agreement, please click http://www.ada.gov/iccsd_sa.html. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information about the ADA, please call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.
Twelve Defendants Sentenced in Armed Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On May 7, 2020, the twelfth defendant was sentenced in the federal prosecution of fourteen defendants charged with drug trafficking, firearms offenses, money laundering, and lying to a federal grand jury stemming from the investigation of a multi-state, armed drug trafficking and money laundering ring announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.
The drug trafficking organization was led by Robert William Lampe and Mason Leroy Snyder, who operated their drug distribution business out of various residences in the Des Moines area. Lampe and Snyder obtained marijuana primarily from Tan Fong Vang, who resided in the Minneapolis area. Vang and his parents, Charley Vang and Sindy Xiong, utilized multiple residences in Minneapolis to store and distribute thousands of pounds of marijuana. Lampe, Snyder, and their co-conspirators traveled to Minnesota to acquire the marijuana and distributed it in the Des Moines area.
Lampe and Snyder also organized the acquisition of cocaine from various sources, including Kasey Lee Cassady and Peter Gerald Blaha, before selling the cocaine to customers in the Des Moines area. Alyssa Jean Karnowski, Brett Allan Corrigan Jr., Robert Joseph Lampe Jr., Austin Eugene Brommel, and David Joseph Daughenbaugh all assisted Lampe and Snyder with their operation, including purchasing and/or distributing marijuana and/or cocaine from and on behalf of Lampe and Snyder.
Lampe and Snyder used their drug proceeds to purchase various items, including vehicles and a residence located in Des Moines. The residence was purchased from Douglas Scott Bruns, who knowingly accepted $100,000 in drug proceeds for a down payment on the residence. Bruns’s son, Ian Michael Bruns, later provided false testimony to a federal grand jury regarding the circumstances surrounding that transaction. Both men were charged and pleaded guilty to offenses involving this conduct.
The investigation culminated in federal search warrants being executed at five locations in the Des Moines metro area on August 9, 2018. On November 20, 2018, an additional search warrant was executed at one of Vang’s residences in Minnesota. During the execution of that warrant, Vang and his parents were discovered with boxes containing approximately 294 pounds of marijuana, as well as a loaded handgun.
In total, the organization was responsible for the distribution of over 100 kilograms of marijuana and over 500 grams of cocaine in the Southern District of Iowa between April 2018 and January 2019. The organization also possessed multiple firearms throughout its operation. Over $140,000 in drug proceeds were seized as a result of the investigation, as well as multiple vehicles and two residences. All defendants charged pleaded guilty or were found guilty after proceeding to a jury trial, and twelve of the fourteen defendants have been sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger.
• Tan Fong Vang, age 29, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 170 months.
• Mason Leroy Snyder, age 20, of Waukee, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 120 months.
• Robert William Lampe, age 23, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 73 months.
• Robert Joseph Lampe Jr., age 56, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 70 months.
• Brett Allan Corrigan Jr., age 25, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 60 months.
• Austin Eugene Brommel, age 22, of Pleasant Hill, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 60 months.
• Alyssa Jean Karnowski, age 21, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 46 months.
• David Joseph Daughenbaugh, age 21, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 37 months.
• Charley Vang, age 50, of Hayfork, California, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 30 months.
• Sindy Xiong, age 47, of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 21 months.
• Douglas Scott Bruns, age 51, of Ankeny, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 15 months.
• Ian Michael Bruns, age 22, of Des Moines, sentenced to a four-year term of probation.
• Kasey Lee Cassady, age 22, of Adel, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16, 2020.
• Peter Gerald Blaha, age 42, of Winterset, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2020.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Saint Paul Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.Texas Men Sentenced to Prison for Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On May 7, 2020, United States District Senior Judge James E. Gritzner sentenced Tofyk Ali Oro, age 32, a former resident of Texas, to 30 months in prison for Access Device Fraud Conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. On December 12, 2019, Senior Judge Gritzner sentenced Ali Oro’s co-defendants Jose Antonio Hernandez and Luis S. Boffill Figueredo, also former residents of Texas, for the same charge. Hernandez was sentenced to 30 months in prison and Boffill to six months in prison. Each defendant was ordered to serve multiple years of supervised release to follow the prison terms and pay restitution.
On or about October 28, 2017, Ali Oro and Hernandez traveled from Texas to the Des Moines area and agreed to fraudulently purchase store gift cards and other items from various retailers using credit/debit card account numbers they knew were stolen. Specifically, they unlawfully obtained account numbers that belonged to customers of Community State Bank and then encoded the stolen numbers on the magnetic strips of other plastic cards. From October 28 through November 3, 2017, they used the fraudulent “encoded” cards to complete $28,839.18 in sales transactions. On December 19, 2017, Ali Oro and Hernandez again traveled from Texas to Des Moines. This time they were joined by Boffill. The group then encoded stolen account numbers belonging to customers of Bankers Trust on the magnetic strips of other plastic cards. From December 19 through December 23, 2017, they used these fraudulent cards to complete $41,826 in sales transactions in the Des Moines area.
All three defendants were ordered to jointly and severally pay $41,826 in restitution to Bankers Trust. Ali Oro and Hernandez were also ordered to jointly and severally pay $28,839.18 in restitution to Community State Bank. Both banks covered the fraudulent charges made on their customers’ accounts.
This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department with computer analysis assistance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Omaha Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on May 6, 2020, Patrick Spagnotti, age 50, of Omaha, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for bank robbery. Spagnotti was sentenced to 36 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
On April 5, 2019, Spagnotti handed a note to a teller at a US Bank in Council Bluffs that demanded money and the teller gave Spagnotti $4,335 in cash. Once Spagnotti left the bank, law enforcement attempted to stop and pull him over, but Spagnotti accelerated to speeds in excess of 100 mph. Law enforcement eventually executed a controlled stop of the vehicle and arrested Spagnotti. The cash was recovered by law enforcement.
This matter was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on May 6, 2020, David Walling, Jr., age 37, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Walling was sentenced to 134 months in prison to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
On July 13, 2019, law enforcement attempted to stop Walling, who was operating a motorcycle, in a parking garage in Council Bluffs. Walling failed to stop for police and took off at a high rate of speed. Walling was stopped before he could exit the parking garage. At the time of Walling’s arrest, he was found in possession of 43.34 grams of actual methamphetamine. This matter was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Former Fairfield Resident Sentenced to Prison for Investment FraudRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On April 30, 2020, United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced Bruce Arthur Hauptman, age 67, formerly of Fairfield, to 42 months in prison for three counts of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. The prison sentence for the three counts of wire fraud will run concurrently. Hauptman was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay restitution to all victims in an amount of $2,158,000.
Hauptman pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud on November 21, 2019. According to court documents, Hauptman was a former registered securities agent in Iowa and convinced multiple victims in Iowa, Wyoming, and elsewhere to invest in numerous business entities Hauptman created. Hauptman promised the victims the repayment of their capital investment with interest, along with an opportunity to make a greater return on the investment. During the course of the investment period, victims received occasional payments of a portion of the interest due, but when victims attempted to get their money back, Hauptman ignored their requests, or lied to the victims as to the status of their investments. An investigation revealed that Hauptman used a substantial portion of the funds received by the victims for his own personal use, without the victims’ knowledge, to include his mortgage payments, rent payments, and credit card payments, among other personal expenses.
This matter was investigated by the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
U.S. Attorney and IRS-CI Warn Taxpayers against Fraud Schemes Related to COVID-19 Economic Impact PaymentsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), St. Louis Field Office, are warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for scam artists trying to use the COVID-19 economic impact payments as cover for schemes to steal personal information and money.
United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum and Karl Stiften, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), St. Louis Field Office, made the announcement today in an effort to prevent taxpayers from falling victim to criminals using the recently approved economic impact payments as an opportunity to commit a crime.
Automatic COVID-19 economic impact payments started being deposited into taxpayers’ accounts on April 11. For most Americans, this will be a direct deposit into your bank account. For the unbanked, retirees or other groups who have traditionally received tax refunds via paper check, they will receive their economic impact payment in this manner as well. Scammers may try to get you to sign over your check to them or use this as an opportunity to get you to “verify” your filing information in order to receive your money, and then use your personal information at a later date to file false tax returns in an identity theft scheme. Because of this, everyone receiving a COVID-19 related economic impact payment from the government is at risk.
Karl Stiften, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI St. Louis Field Office warned “The existence of a deadly national pandemic will not stop criminals seeking to capitalize on the fears and difficulties faced by the public as they try to line their own pockets by stealing your money or your personal information.”
“Today, we need to be just as careful about our financial information as we are about our health,” stated U.S. Attorney Krickbaum. “Don’t give out your financial or personal information—or your money – over the phone, or in response to emails or texts. And look out for your elderly neighbors, friends, and relatives to help prevent them from falling victim to scammers.”Special Agent in Charge Stiften offers the following information and tips to spot a scam and understand how the COVID-19 related economic impact payments will be issued.
• The IRS will deposit your check into the direct deposit account you previously provided on your tax return (or, in the alternative, send you a paper check).
• The IRS will not call and ask you to verify your payment details. Do not give out your bank account or any other account information - even if someone claims it's necessary to get your check. It's a scam.
• If you receive a call, don't engage with scammers or thieves, even if you want to tell them that you know it's a scam, or you think that you can beat them. Just hang up.
• If you receive texts or emails claiming that you can get your money faster by sending personal information or clicking on links, delete them. Don't click on any links in those emails or texts.
• Reports are also swirling about bogus checks. If you receive a check that requires that you verify the check online or by calling a number, it’s a fraud.
In these uncertain and trying times, we need to stand together united with purpose. Don’t become a victim by allowing criminals to exploit your emotions. Stay strong, tell your family, friends and neighbors about these scams.
"IRS Criminal Investigation alongside the U.S. Department of Justice are prioritizing these types of investigations to help protect taxpayers and the tax system, especially those looking to prey on vulnerable taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Stiften. “Remember, go directly and solely to IRS.gov for official information.”
For more information, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov/coronavirus. You can always report scams to the IRS on the website at https://www.irs.gov/privacy-disclosure/report-phishingU.S. Attorney Urges Public to Report Suspected COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum of the Southern District of Iowa today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected].
In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes. The NCDF Hotline can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.
In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office has appointed a coronavirus coordinator, and we are working with Attorney General Tom Miller, County Attorneys such as John Sarcone, and others across Iowa to identify cases of fraud and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Krickbaum. “If anyone uses this crisis to exploit others and line their own pockets, we will hold them accountable.”
Some examples of these schemes include:• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
• Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.
Leader of Meth Conspiracy Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 12, 2020, Jason Paul Rodriguez, a/k/a “Chico,” age 40, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to 30 years in prison by United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The prison terms for each conviction will be served concurrently. Rodriguez will serve 10 years of supervised release after his prison term.
Rodriguez organized and led a large-scale drug trafficking operation from 2016 until his arrest in April 2019. Rodriguez and his co-conspirators distributed more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine. Co-defendants Lacey Jo Smalley and Erik M. Barber have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at a later date. The conspiracy involved dozens of others and the investigation is ongoing.
Rodriguez was arrested on April 30, 2019, following a traffic stop. A drug dog alerted law enforcement to the presence of approximately eleven pounds of methamphetamine in the vehicle. $14,933.55 in cash was also seized.
This matter was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, South West Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Clarinda Police Department, Audubon Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Page County Sheriff’s Office, Audubon County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Intelligence, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 12, 2020, Jordan James Collier, age 31, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. Collier was sentenced to 84 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The sentencing was the result of an investigation which began with a call from the American Inn in Council Bluffs regarding a firearm located in a patron’s room. Upon arrival, officers entered the room and located a black and silver, .32 caliber revolver on the bed along with drugs and drug paraphernalia. The defendant was contacted as he returned to the hotel room and it was determined he had previously been convicted and sentenced in the Southern District of Iowa for the crime of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, making his possession of firearms or ammunition illegal.
This matter was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Carter Lake Man Sentenced for Drug and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 5, 2020, Gregory Herbert Markham, age 52, of Carter Lake, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger after pleading guilty to Transportation with Intent to Engage in Sexual Activity, Distribution of Marijuana and Cocaine to a Person Under the Age of Twenty-One, and Distribution of Child Pornography. Markham was sentenced to 151 months in prison for the transportation and child pornography charge and 120 months in prison for the drug charge; all sentences are to run concurrently. Markham’s term of imprisonment is to be followed by supervised release for seven years. Markham was ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution.
This investigation began in March 2019, when a Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Department Deputy encountered a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of the Travel Inn. The driver was subsequently arrested and the two females involved in this matter were left at the motel. One of the females contacted the Defendant Markham for a ride. Markham picked up the two females, ages seventeen and eighteen from the Omaha motel and drove them to his home. Markham had previously transported one of the females from Omaha across the state line to his home for prostitution. Markham allowed the females to stay at his home and set up prostitution dates for sex. He also provided them with cocaine and marijuana. Markham took pictures of the seventeen year old on his cell phone and distributed the child pornography to a friend.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, Omaha FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, Carter Lake Police Department, Council Bluffs Police Department, and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.West Des Moines Man Sentenced to Eighteen Years Prison for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On March 9, 2020, United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced Paul Morales Castillo, age 25, of West Des Moines, to 216 months in prison for Transportation of Child Pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Morales Castillo was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term, pay $3,000 in restitution, and comply with sex offender registry requirements upon release.
The investigation began in August 2018 when West Des Moines Police received an investigative lead from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a video of child pornography had been uploaded on Morales Castillo’s Facebook account. Following further investigation, West Des Moines Police executed a search warrant at Morales Castillo’s apartment in August 2018. Police seized Morales Castillo’s iPhone which contained hundreds of videos and images of child pornography. The investigation showed that Morales Castillo sent and received videos of child pornography to other persons via the WhatsApp messaging platform during July and August 2018.
This case was investigated by the West Des Moines Police Department, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Guided Hunting Business Owner Sentenced for Lacey Act ViolationRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 5, 2020, Aaron M. Volkmar, age 46, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for a felony Lacey Act Violation. The Court imposed a sentence of two years probation and a $5,000 fine. Volkmar was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a $100 Special Assessment to the Crime Victims' Fund.
Volkmar is the owner and operator of Tails of the Hunt LLC., which provided guided hunts in southwest Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Volkmar provided a guided deer hunt to undercover agents in December 2013. While providing these guided hunt services, Volkmar violated Iowa state law by illegally tagging a deer and assisting with transportation of the deer across state lines.
This matter was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 4, 2020, Ellis Dale Robinson, age 34, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Possession of Child Pornography. Robinson was sentenced to 121 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of seven years.
In September 2017, a Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Deputy was working undercover with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigating users sharing child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing network. Based on information derived from the investigation, a search warrant was executed on Robinson’s residence and a laptop computer was seized. The forensic exam produced numerous links to the peer-to-peer file sharing networks, videos and photos of child erotica, and child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, Omaha FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation - Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 4, 2020, Shawn Morgal, age 55, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. Morgal was sentenced to 27 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years.
On May 21, 2018, the Council Bluffs Police Department received a report of a theft from a local gun store. Morgal admitted to stealing a pistol from the gun store and later trading it in exchange for controlled substances.
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 4, 2020, Dalton Lee Dukes, age 30, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Carrying a Firearm in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Duke was sentenced to 151 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, to be followed by an additional 60 months for carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. Dukes will serve five years of supervised release after his prison term.
The sentencing was the result of an investigation originating in Cass County regarding the distribution of methamphetamine delivered from Omaha, Nebraska. The investigation revealed that Dukes was distributing methamphetamine in numerous locations throughout Southwest Iowa. After a confidential informant purchased methamphetamine from Dukes, he was arrested on February 15, 2019. At the time of his arrest, Dukes was found with money from drug sales and a loaded 9mm Taurus handgun.
Prior to being sentenced in this case, Dukes was charged with First Degree Murder in Douglas County, Nebraska and he is awaiting transfer to answer those charges.
This matter was investigated by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Omaha Police Department, and Iowa Division of Narcotics Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Pottawattamie County Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On February 28, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Jason Eric Leinen, age 46, of Council Bluffs, to 97 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Leinen was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term, pay $500 in restitution to each victim seeking restitution, and to comply with sex offender registry requirements upon release.
The investigation began in April 2018, when a Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department Deputy was working undercover investigating users sharing child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing network. The program identified an IP address sharing known images and videos of child pornography. A search warrant was executed on Leinen’s residence and a desktop drive and PC were seized. The forensic exam produced numerous links to the peer-to-peer file sharing networks, child erotica, and child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department and the Council Bluffs Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Davenport Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On Wednesday, February 26, 2020, Zacharia Allen Clark, age 30, of Davenport, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to more than 16 years in prison (200 months) after pleading guilty to being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Clark was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release to follow his release from prison and to pay a $100 special assessment payable to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Clark pleaded guilty to the charge on October 1, 2019. On September 23, 2018, Davenport Police Officers responded to a nightclub in reference to shots fired. Subsequent investigation revealed that Clark pulled a pistol from his waistband and fired shots at another individual, who was only a few feet away, during a dispute in the parking lot. A nightclub employee was also present and near the shots fired. That same morning, Clark was arrested after officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Clark, a Lowrider Street gang member, was a passenger, along with three other known Lowrider Street gang members. When Clark was booked into the Scott County Jail a round of ammunition was located in his pocket. Clark is prohibited under federal law from possessing ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, the Court found that Clark was an Armed Career Criminal, meaning he had at least three prior convictions of violent felonies as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 924(e). This designation subjected Clark to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
“Zacharia Clark was caught with a single bullet, but because of his numerous acts of violence and long criminal record, he will serve more than sixteen years in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Krickbaum. Krickbaum continued, “Gang members in the Quad Cities need to pay attention. If we catch you with a gun or ammunition on the street, we will send you to federal prison.”This matter was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Prohibited Person in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on February 24, 2020, Jacob Allen Washburn, age 29, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Prohibited Person in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Washburn was sentenced to 48 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years.
On July 3, 2019, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint that the Defendant was sitting in a vehicle parked in a homeowner’s driveway. When law enforcement responded, Washburn produced a valid Iowa Driver’s License and identified himself, however, he did not have any registration or ownership paperwork for the vehicle. The Defendant appeared to be disoriented and did not know where he was when questioned. While investigating, deputies saw a digital scale in the vehicle and the Defendant was detained. A pistol was found in Washburn’s left front pocket. The vehicle also contained a Remington Model 870 Express 12-gauge shotgun, and a Marlin Model 60 .22 LR semiautomatic rifle. Additionally, a bag containing 5.3 grams of methamphetamine was found in Defendant’s pocket and a bag containing 17.4 grams of methamphetamine was located in the vehicle. The Defendant admitted that he had a prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Creston Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Des Moines, Iowa—On February 24, 2020, Brandon Robert Fry, age 39, of Creston, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 188 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Fry was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Fry pleaded guilty to this offense on October 11, 2019. He admitted that he knowingly possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine on June 4, 2019, which was found by law enforcement in a white Mercedes, in Creston. Fry admitted that he had intended to distribute the methamphetamine. At the time of this offense, Fry was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
This matter was investigated by the United States Probation Office, Des Moines Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Creston Police Department, and the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Davenport Man sentenced to Prison for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On February 13, 2020, Jonathan Folker, age 39, of Davenport, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 15 months in prison on each of two counts of Tax Evasion and Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return, those terms to run concurrent. Folker was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Folker was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $256,783, with interest.
On June 5, 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office filed a two-count Information charging Folker with Tax Evasion and Making and Subscribing a false tax return. A plea agreement was entered on August 20, 2019, and Folker admitted he failed to file income tax returns for several years and had a total tax liability of $256,783. Folker also admitted he made and subscribed a false Form 1040 for the tax year 2012.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
North Liberty Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On February 5, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey, sentenced Ricki Charles Hess, age 55, of North Liberty, to 144 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Hess was ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $9,000 in restitution and $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and to comply with sex offender registry requirements upon release.
On August 19, 2019, Hess pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. The investigation began in August 2017 when the North Liberty Police Department received a cyber-tip from the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force relating to Hess. Agents searched Hess’s residence and seized several electronic devices. A forensic analysis was conducted on Hess’s HP computer, a hard drive, and a cellular phone and it revealed numerous images of child pornography. In excess of 160 video files and more than 30 images of child pornography were found in Hess’ possession.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), with assistance from the North Liberty Police Department and ICAC. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Burlington Man Sentenced to Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On February 4, 2020, United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced Jeffrey Scott Walter, age 57, of Burlington, to 104 months in prison for receiving and distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Walter was ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and comply with the sex offender registry requirements upon release.
On September 24, 2019, Walter pleaded guilty. The investigation began between September 2016 and February 2018, when a Homeland Security Investigations agent identified an IP address advertising child pornography files. On March 5, 2018, a search warrant was executed at Walters’ residence, which was tied to the IP address. A forensic examination of the electronic devices seized revealed multiple images and videos containing child pornography. Walter admitted that he did receive, distribute, and possess child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.Iowa Man Convicted of Child Sex Trafficking, Methamphetamine and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On January 28, 2020, following a six-day trial, a jury found Kendall Andrew Streb, of Hills, Iowa, guilty of three counts of child sex trafficking, two counts of distributing methamphetamine to children, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful user in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. The case was presided over by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose. A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date.
During trial, the government presented evidence Streb trafficked three teenagers in Iowa City, Coralville, and Cedar Rapids, from November 2018 through February 2019. Streb solicited the three minors, aged 15 through 17 years old, and paid them in cash and methamphetamine in exchange for sex acts. Streb, at times, transported the teenagers to hotel rooms where he engaged in commercial sex acts with them. The evidence proved Streb knew one or more girls was under 18 years old, and otherwise was in reckless disregard of the fact they were under the age of 18.On March 26, 2019, during a search warrant executed at Streb’s residence and truck, law enforcement located methamphetamine and two handguns. Evidence of drug trafficking was also found during the search, that included methamphetamine packaged for sale, a digital scale, and packaging materials.
“Let’s be clear: if you pay money or provide drugs in exchange for sex with underage girls, you are a sex trafficker. We will prosecute you and send you to federal prison,” said Krickbaum. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful to the law enforcement officers, particularly those from the Iowa City Police Department, who brought Kendall Streb to justice.”
Sex trafficking of a child is punishable by a minimum of ten years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment.
Human trafficking is defined as a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
The case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department, with assistance from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Coralville Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Resident Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced that on January 21, 2020, Omar A. Martinez, age 46, was sentenced to 300 months in prison by Chief Judge John A. Jarvey for Conspiracy to Distribute at least 500 Grams or More of a Controlled Substance. Martinz will serve ten years of supervised release following his release from prison.
The sentencing was the result of a lengthy investigation by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force into methamphetamine trafficking in Western Iowa and the Omaha Metro Area. The investigation revealed that methamphetamine was being brought from Mexico into the Omaha, Nebraska, area and then transported to various location in Nebraska and Western Iowa for distribution.
The following were sentenced as part of this investigation, and received the following years in prison: Bernave Navarrete,twenty years; Joseph Brown, ten years; Chris Rouse, twenty years; Jackie Thielen, ten years; Brandy Kumpula, eight years; Chase Richard, fifteen years; Jessica Snavely, ten years; Colby Dunn, eight years; Laura Rausch Anderson, five years; Manda May Rowell, five years; and, William LaBenz, five years.
This case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Harlan, Iowa Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Muscatine Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On January 16, 2020, United States Chief District Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Ashley Erin Murphy Schneider, age 37, of Muscatine, Iowa, to 18 months in prison for wire and mail fraud, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Schneider was ordered to serve a term of three years of supervised release following her imprisonment, pay a $700 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and pay $197,603.45 in restitution to American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC).
On September 17, 2019, Schneider pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud. Schneider became a licensed insurance producer in the state of Iowa in 2010 and in 2012 became an insurance agent appointed with AFLAC. On September 24, 2015, investigators completed an AFLAC internal investigative report. According to the report, Schneider allowed unqualified businesses to receive payroll rates (businesses that did not have the required number of employees) and established fraudulent insurance policies for businesses that did not exist. AFLAC suffered a loss of $5,170.12 in advanced commissions and $650 in claims filed as a result of Schneider’s actions. Schneider was terminated for creation of the fraudulent insurance group policies effective November 30, 2015.
Further investigation revealed that prior to Schneider’s termination, she set up a supplemental cancer policy through AFLAC for a minor child. AFLAC’s claim and explanation of benefits reflected the child was diagnosed with malignant neoplasm of the right lung on November 24, 2015. Between November 25, 2015, and January 9, 2017, 180 unique benefit claims were made on 54 claim numbers by Schneider. The investigation revealed that the minor child did not have cancer and AFLAC had paid out $192,408.33 to Schneider based on the fraudulent claims she submitted.
This matter was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service and the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On January 16, 2020, Shane Leroy Robey, age 24, of Des Moines, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Robey was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, the statutory maximum, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Robey pleaded guilty to the offense on September 3, 2019. At sentencing, the Court found on July 3, 2019, Des Moines Police Officers attempted to pull over Robey’s motorcycle. Robey then led officers on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood in Des Moines. Robey eventually crashed his motorcycle and then ran from officers. After a brief foot chase, officers apprehended Robey in the backyard of a residence. Officers found a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number on Robey’s flight path. At the time, Robey was on parole for three separate Iowa convictions.
This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On January 16, 2020, Shane Leroy Robey, age 24, of Des Moines, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Robey was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, the statutory maximum, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Robey pleaded guilty to the offense on September 3, 2019. At sentencing, the Court found on July 3, 2019, Des Moines Police Officers attempted to pull over Robey’s motorcycle. Robey then led officers on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood in Des Moines. Robey eventually crashed his motorcycle and then ran from officers. After a brief foot chase, officers apprehended Robey in the backyard of a residence. Officers found a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number on Robey’s flight path. At the time, Robey was on parole for three separate Iowa convictions.
This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Bettendorf Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Failure to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA-- On January 15, 2020, Narinder Kumar, age 66, from Bettendorf, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to six months in prison after pleading guilty to Failure to Pay Employment Taxes, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Kumar was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, pay a $10,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Kumar was also ordered to pay $721,394.34 in restitution, which has been paid in full.
In July 2014, Kumar was responsible for paying withheld employment taxes on behalf of Jai Mata Lakshmi, doing business as Embers of Phoenix. Jai Mata Lakshmi operated two businesses at the same Davenport location – Echelon Sports Bar and Embers of Phoenix. In violation of federal tax laws, Kumar willfully failed to pay the second quarter 2014 withheld employment taxes due on behalf of Jai Mata Lakshmi. In total, Kumar admitted from 2010-2016, he was responsible for paying employee withholding taxes for Bettendorf Pediatric, Echelon Sports Bar, Embers of Phoenix, and Funky Desi, and failed to pay $461,390 in taxes. These businesses also failed to pay $260,004.16 in Social Security taxes and Medicaid.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on January 14, 2020, Dustin Shawn Morrison, age 39, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Morrison was sentenced to 151 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of five years.
On April 26, 2019, law enforcement was conducting a routine check of parolees when officers stopped Morrison. Morrison was found in possession of a bag containing three pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Iowa State Parole Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Missouri Woman Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on January 3, 2020, Chanel Traci Huff, age 34, of Maryville, Missouri, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Huff was sentenced to 120 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of five years.
On February 2, 2019, Mills County law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Huff’s vehicle and officers located 381 grams of methamphetamine and $7,000 in drug proceeds in her car. A search warrant was executed at Defendant’s residence and officers seized $15,000 in drug proceeds and a pistol.
This matter was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Nodaway County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Office, and the Maryville (Missouri) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Cass County Resident Sentenced to Prison for Oxycodone and Health Care Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on January 3, 2020, Rebecca Canfield, age 46, was sentenced to 30 months in prison by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and health care fraud. Canfield will serve 48 months of supervised release following her release from prison.
In August of 2015, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) received information regarding the illegal distribution of prescription drugs in and around Cass County, Iowa. An investigation revealed Mary Mayo and Rebecca Canfield obtained prescriptions for oxycodone from medical professionals through false representations of injury or illness and related pain management. Canfield used her Medicare/Medicaid benefits to obtain oxycodone from local pharmacies. Once the prescription drugs were obtained, Canfield provided the oxycodone to co-defendant Mary Mayo for resale. During the course of the investigation it was determined Canfield also received Social Security benefits to which she was not entitled. As part of her sentence, Canfield was ordered to pay restitution to Medicare/Medicaid, and the Social Security Administration.
Previously sentenced were: Mary Mayo, sentenced to 24 months imprisonment followed by 48 months of supervised release; Tony Martin May, sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release; Jessica Lynn Gross, sentenced to time served and 60 months of supervised release; and Alex Lee Pleis, sentenced to time served and 36 months of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the DEA; Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General; Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General; Cass County Sheriff’s Office; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force. This matter was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Jeffrey Dworek Charged with Defrauding Metro Waste AuthorityRead the Press Release
Dworek alleged to have embezzled over one million dollars
DES MOINES, Iowa – On December 18, 2019, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment charging Jeffrey Dworek, age 54, formerly of Urbandale, with ten counts of Mail Fraud announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Trial is scheduled for February 3, 2020 before United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey.
According to the Indictment, from 2012 to 2017, Jeffrey Dworek, while employed as Metro Waste Authority Director of Operations, mailed fraudulent invoices to Metro Waste Authority for payment. The fraudulent invoices were from Britad, a company that Dworek incorporated in 2012, without the knowledge of Metro Waste Authority. As a result, Metro Waste Authority paid Britad over $1 million, to Dworek’s benefit.
The public is reminded that an Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless they are proven guilty.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State of Iowa Auditor’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Des Moines Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon and Drug UserRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On December 20, 2019, Christina Louise Stein, age 34, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Felon and Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm. Stein was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, the statutory maximum, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Stein pleaded guilty to the offense on August 14, 2019. At sentencing, the Court found on April 7, 2019, Stein was stopped by an Iowa State Patrol Trooper after she was driving the wrong way on a one-way street in downtown Des Moines. While the Trooper was conducting the traffic stop, Stein reversed her vehicle to escape, nearly hitting the Trooper. Stein then led the Trooper on a high-speed chase through the streets of downtown Des Moines, nearly striking multiple other vehicles. She reached speeds of between approximately 60 and 75 miles per hour. Stein eventually crashed her vehicle in a parking lot at Principal Park. A loaded revolver was found at her feet in the vehicle. At the time, Stein was on parole for three separate Iowa convictions.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Omaha Man Sentenced to Prison for Travel with Intent to Engage in Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on December 11, 2019, John Daniel Nielsen, Sr., age 40, of Omaha, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Nielsen was sentenced to three years in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release of five years.
In February 2019, Nielsen arranged a meeting at a Council Bluffs motel with a person that Nielsen thought was a fifteen year-old female, but was actually an undercover police officer, for the purpose of having a sexual encounter. Nielsen traveled from Omaha, Nebraska to Council Bluffs, Iowa and was arrested when he arrived at the motel.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omaha Police Department, Council Bluffs Police Department, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln (Neb.) Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA- On Thursday, December 5, 2019, Chad Eric Mink, age 45, from Rock Island, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to a total sentence of 600 months in prison after being convicted of 15 counts alleging various crimes including stalking, interstate domestic violence, receipt and possession of unregistered destructive devices, malicious use of explosive materials, identity theft, using a destructive device during a crime of violence, interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, and tampering with a witness and evidence, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.
A jury found Mink guilty of the 15 offenses on June 24, 2019. At trial, the Government presented more than 70 witnesses, including several forensic experts, who testified about Mink’s use of a stolen truck to ram a vehicle occupied by a former intimate partner and her boyfriend; possession of multiple pipe bombs; planting a pipe bomb near his former intimate partner’s room at the Quad City Inn in Davenport; and attempts to influence a witness to destroy evidence and to fabricate evidence.
“This case demonstrates once again the effectiveness of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combining their expertise and investigative talents to remove a very dangerous person from our community,” stated Mario Vidoli, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Division.
“Chad Mink is a violent, dangerous stalker who, for years, subjected a good woman to his own personal reign of terror,” said United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. “Mink deserves every day he will spend in federal prison. I commend the prosecution team, including Assistant United States Attorneys Cliff Cronk, Amy Jennings, Will Ripley, Victim-Witness Coordinator Christina Busse, and especially ATF Special Agent Jason Pessman, whose tireless work on this case upheld the highest standards of law enforcement.”
The lead investigative agency was the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The following agencies assisted in the investigation: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Prisons, United States Marshals Service, Rock Island (County) Sheriff’s Office, Davenport Police Department, Milan (Illinois) Police Department, Rock Island Police Department, Muscatine County Jail, and the Illinois State Police Crime Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Iowa Man Sentenced to 144 Months in Prison for Transporting and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa — On December 3, 2019, United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced Michael Adam Muth, age 32, formerly of Britt, Iowa, to 144 months in prison for transportation and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Muth was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term, pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, pay $24,000 in restitution, and comply with sex offender registry requirements.
On August 2, 2019, Muth pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography. The investigation began in September 2017 when the Urbandale Police Department received two Cyber Tip line Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating Muth’s email address had uploaded child pornography from an Urbandale address. Officers with the Urbandale Police Department executed a search warrant at the Urbandale address where Muth was residing at that time. Officers recovered child pornography on multiple devices belonging to Muth. Muth admitted to possessing child pornography, transporting it over the internet, and distributing it to a minor with the intent to persuade, induce, entice or coerce the minor to engage in an illegal activity.
This matter was investigated by the Urbandale Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On December 4, 2019, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey, sentenced Christopher Lee Collins, age 35, of Davenport, to 240 months in prison for receiving child pornography and possessing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Collins was ordered to serve ten years of supervised release to follow his prison term, pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and comply with the sex offender registry requirements upon release.
On July 22, 2019, Collins pleaded guilty to two child pornography offenses. This investigation began in 2017, while Collins was on supervised release for a prior possession of child pornography conviction. A laptop used by Collins was found to contain 26 images of child pornography, downloaded by Collins from August 16, 2017 to August 26, 2017. Further review of the computer revealed 28 images of anime depicting child pornography.
Prior to this conduct, Collins pleaded guilty in 2008 to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment and ten years of supervised release on February 26, 2009. Collins was found in violation of his supervised release due to committing the above offense. On December 4, 2019, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment for that violation.
This matter was investigated by Davenport Police Department and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Randall Comly Faces Federal Gun and Drug Charges After Shooting at PoliceRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum and Adair County Attorney Melissa S. Larson announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Randall Lee Comly with gun and drug crimes, for which Comly faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. These charges stemmed from an October 2019 incident where Comly allegedly shot at, and attempted to kill, four law enforcement officers in Stuart, Iowa.
On October 17, 2019, a Stuart police officer and three Guthrie County deputy sheriffs attempted to serve an arrest warrant for Comly at his apartment in Stuart. Comly allegedly shot repeatedly at the officers, two of whom were wounded during the exchange of gunfire. The government alleges that a search of Comly’s apartment revealed a .22 caliber revolver and methamphetamine under the bed in the room where Comly barricaded himself.
As a result of these alleged crimes, Comly is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm; possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it; and possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Comly faces at least 25 years in prison, and up to life in prison. Under federal law, there is no parole.
“Randall Comly is a felon and alleged drug dealer who shot at law enforcement officers who were doing their jobs and protecting our community, said United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. “We will hold him fully accountable for his crimes.”
Comly is currently charged in state court with attempted murder. Those charges will be dismissed without prejudice to allow the federal charges to proceed first.
“An essential role of the county attorney is to pursue criminal cases in order to keep our communities safe, and our office takes that role very seriously,” said Adair County Attorney Melissa S. Larson. “I believe that the decision to step back from pursuing the state charges at this time, in order for the federal case to proceed first, accomplishes this. I am confident that the U.S. Attorney’s office will prosecute their case to the fullest extent of the law.”
Comly has been arrested and made his initial appearance in federal court in Des Moines, Iowa. Trial is set for February 3, 2020, before the Honorable Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger, United States District Court Judge. Comly is detained in federal custody pending trial.
The investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation; Adair County Sheriff’s Office; Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office; and the Stuart Police Department. The Adair County Attorney’s Office also provided invaluable assistance.
The public is reminded that charges contain only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Western Iowa Methamphetamine Traffickers SentencedRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on November 22, 2019, Colby Dunn, age 29, of Omaha, was sentenced to 100 months in prison and Laura Rauch Anderson, age 36, also of Omaha, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Southern District of Iowa and elsewhere. United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced both defendants.
The sentencings were the result of a lengthy investigation by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force. The investigation revealed methamphetamine was brought into the Omaha, Nebraska area from Mexico and then transported to various location in Nebraska and Western Iowa for distribution.
Previously sentenced to prison as part of this investigation were Bernave Navarrete to twenty years; Joseph Brown to ten years; Chris Rouse to twenty years; Jackie Thielen to ten years; Brandy Kumpula to eight years; Chase Richard to fifteen years; Jessica Snavely to ten years; and William LaBenz to five years. Pending sentencing are Omar Martinez, and Manda May Rowell.
This matter was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force; Omaha Police Department; Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force; Council Bluffs Police Department; Harlan, Iowa Police Department; Shelby County Sheriff’s Department; and the Lincoln, Nebraska Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Grinnell Man Sentenced to 260 Months in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on November 26, 2019, John Allen Urfer, age 43, of Grinnell Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner for Receipt of Child Pornography. Urfer was sentenced to 260 months in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release of twenty years. Urfer was also order to pay $21,000 in restitution to identified victims depicted in the images and videos that Urfer received.
Urfer pleaded guilty to the offense on July 10, 2019, and admitted that he received child pornography, including prepubescent child pornography, from September 2017 to April 2018. Urfer was found to have over 1,300 images and over 2,900 videos of child pornography. Urfer further admitted to having prior convictions for assault with intent to commit sex abuse in Marion County in 2003, and sex abuse in the third degree in Polk County in 2005. In addition to the sex abuse convictions, Urfer has two convictions for failing to comply with Iowa sex offender registry requirements.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Muscatine Man Sentenced to 132 Months in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 19, 2019, United States District Judge Stephanie M. Rose, sentenced Charles Steven Dickenson, 67, of Muscatine, Iowa, to 132 months in prison for receiving child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Dickenson was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, pay $36,000 in restitution, and comply with the sex offender registry requirements upon release.
On January 11, 2019, Dickenson pled guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. The investigation began in 2016 when an FBI agents identified a computer on the BitTorrent network that appeared to be related to the distribution of child pornography. The agent downloaded over 1,100 files from Dickenson’s shared files. The majority of the files depicted prepubescent children, including infants and toddlers, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dickenson admitted to downloading thousands of child pornography files over the course of five and one-half years.
This matter was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Eight Defendants Charged as a Result of Joint Federal and State Investigation of a Drug Trafficking Organization in BurlingtonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Eight defendants are facing federal criminal charges as part of a multi-year joint federal and state investigation of a large drug trafficking organization that operated out of Burlington, Iowa. Five of the federal defendants were arrested yesterday, November 19, 2019. Those arrested will make their initial appearance in federal court at the United States Courthouse, in Davenport, on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.
The charges were announced by Marc Krickbaum, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa; Kristi Johnson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Omaha Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Lisa Schaefer, Des Moines County, Iowa, Attorney; Dennis Kramer, Chief of Police of the Burlington, Iowa, Police Department; and Robert Copley, Chief of Police of the Quincy, Illinois, Police Department.
The charges stem from a long-term investigation conducted by numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies including: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce; Burlington, Iowa, Police Department; Des Moines County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; West Central Illinois Taskforce; Quincy, Illinois, Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Henry County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Police Department; West Burlington, Iowa, Police Department; Keokuk, Iowa, Police Department; Ft. Madison, Iowa, Police Department; Lee County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; Iowa City, Iowa, Police Department; Johnson County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; North Liberty, Iowa, Police Department; Coralville, Iowa, Police Department; Muscatine County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; Louisa County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; Washington County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; Bettendorf, Iowa, Police Department; Illinois State Police; Monmouth, Illinois, Police Department; Macomb, Illinois, Police Department; Galesburg, Illinois, Police Department; Adams County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office; and Fulton County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office.
Eight defendants were charged by complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, stemming from a years-long investigation of this drug trafficking organization. Those arrested include KENDRICK PAGE, BREON RAQUON ARMSTRONG, LAMAR HARRIS, TRISTAN DAVIS, and JAMES LEWIS MILES, Jr. The identities of those who have not yet been arrested remain sealed at this time. Additionally, search warrants were executed at multiple locations in the Southern District of Iowa, Northern District of Illinois, and Northern District of Texas. Others involved in this drug trafficking organization have previously been arrested in both the Southern District of Iowa, and the Central District of Illinois.
The charges in the complaints carry maximum penalties of between 40 years and life imprisonment. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. There is no parole in the federal court system.
The public is reminded that charges contain only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
ADDENDUM
In addition to the defendants arrested this week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa has indicted 18 individuals in the last year from the Burlington, Iowa, area. To date, 16 defendants have been arrested and the names, case numbers, charges and penalties are outlined below. The other cases remain sealed pending arrest.
1. John Patrick Auwaerter Case Number 3:18-cr-101
Title 21, U.S.C. § 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsTitle 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) – Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute
Maximum Penalty is 40 years; mandatory minimum of 5 yearsTitle 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsTitle 18, U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) – Carry a Firearm During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 5 yearsTitle 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custodyOn September 4, 2019, the Honorable Michael J. Melloy, Senior United States 8th Circuit Judge, sentenced Auwaerter to 180 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
2. Michael Lee Davis Case Number 3:18-cr-102
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Deliver
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsTitle 18, U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) – Carry a Firearm During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 5 yearsTitle 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custodyOn September 25, 2019, the Honorable John A. Jarvey, Chief United States District Court, sentenced Davis to 120 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
3. Rachel Marie Horn Case Number 3:19-cr-6
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) – Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is 40 years in custody; mandatory minimum of 5 yearsTitle 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsTitle 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custodyOn November 14, 2019, the Honorable John A. Jarvey, Chief United States District Court, sentenced Horn to 240 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
4. Tyreon Leseanjea Woodard Case Number 3:19-cr-10
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custodyOn September 25, 2019, the Honorable John A. Jarvey, Chief United States District Court, sentenced Woodard to 70 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release.
5. Gerald Victor Terry Case Number 3:19-cr-19
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 years6. Pamela Sue Hester Case Number 3:19-cr-41
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) – Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is 40 years in custody; 5 year mandatory minimumTitle 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 years7. Michael Antonio Davison Case Number 3:19-cr-43
Title 21, U.S.C. § 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life in custody; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsTitle 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life in custody; mandatory minimum of 10 years8. Norris Davison Case Number 3:19-cr-43
Title 21, U.S.C. § 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life in custody; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsTitle 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) –Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life in custody; mandatory minimum of 10 years9. Wilbert James Bowers Case Number 3:19-cr-43
Title 21, U.S.C. § 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life in custody; mandatory minimum of 10 years10. Justin Harold Love Case Number 3:19-cr-43
Title 21, U.S.C. § 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life in custody; mandatory minimum of 10 years11. Anthony Collins Case Number 3:19-cr-46
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Distribution of a Controlled Substance (three counts)
Maximum Penalty is life in custody; mandatory minimum of 10 years12. Demetrius Ernest Alexander Case Number 3:19-cr-66
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), 922(g)(3) – Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custodyTitle 21, U.S.C. § 844(a) – Possession of a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is 1 year in custody13. Charles Lester Warner Case Number 3:19-cr-87
Title 18, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 years14. Lloyd Davenport Case Number 3:19-cr-91
Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Distribution of a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsTitle 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 years15. Johnathan Keith Sneed Case Number 3:19-cr-99
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody16. Allen Julian Fields, Jr. Case Number 3:19-cr-117
Title 18, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) – Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
Maximum Penalty is life imprisonment; mandatory minimum of 10 yearsDixon Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on November 19, 2019, Jamie Allen Fulton, age 51, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose for Conspiracy to Deliver Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Fulton was sentenced to 72 months in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release of four years. Fulton was also ordered to pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Fulton pleaded guilty to the offenses on July 26, 2019, and admitted that he conspired with others from at least January 2017 and continuing until October 24, 2018, to distribute methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy Fulton sold methamphetamine twice during an undercover operation. A search warrant was executed at Fulton’s residence, and Fulton was found in possession of distribution amounts of methamphetamine and a loaded Kel-Tec, nine-millimeter pistol. Fulton has prior federal felony convictions for Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Possession of a Sawed-Off Shotgun, both of which caused Fulton to be prohibited from legally possessing firearms.
This matter was investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office - Special Operations Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Vegas Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute MarijuanaRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 14, 2019, United States Chief District Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Oliver Sonny Maupin, 62, of Las Vegas, Nevada, to 60 months in prison on the charge of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute at least 100 kilograms of a mixture and substance containing marijuana and at least 100 marijuana plants, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Maupin was also ordered to serve 4 years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and pay a fine of $10,000.
Maupin was instrumental in creating two separate marijuana grow operations in Oregon that contributed large quantities of marijuana to Iowa for illegal distribution. Maupin educated himself thoroughly on the Oregon medical marijuana laws during the process, and learned how to exploit them in such a fashion so that his illegal operations could avoid detection by local law enforcement. The evidence introduced at trial demonstrated that this conspiracy lasted for years, involved well over a hundred pounds of marijuana, and several hundred thousand dollars. On June 28, 2019, Maupin was found guilty by a jury of the sole count pending against him, conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana.
This matter was investigated by the Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group (MEG), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Fort Madison Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa –On November 15, 2019, United States Chief District Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Kevin Lamond Claville, 33, to 160 months in prison on the charge of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Claville was also order to serve four years of supervised release following imprisonment, and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Claville pleaded guilty to distributing at least 5 grams of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled Substance. Claville admitted that on two separate occasions he distributed actual methamphetamine to another person.
This case was investigated by the Lee County, Iowa, Drug Task Force and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Davenport Man Resentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 14, 2019, United States Chief District Judge John A. Jarvey, sentenced Devonte Darnell Holston, 25, of Davenport, Iowa, to 90 months in prison, after Holston pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.
On June 26, 2016, Holston possessed two handguns inside a vehicle in the City of Davenport. When law enforcement attempted to identify him, Holston provided a false name and then ran from officers. Holston was previously convicted of two Wisconsin felonies for burglary in 2012, which were punishable by imprisonment for more than one year. On March 7, 2017, Holston pleaded guilty to Count Two of the two count indictment.
This matter was investigated by the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Tampering with and Retaliating Against a WitnessRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced that on November 12, 2019, 24 year-old Javon Joshua Jennings was sentenced to 57 months in prison by District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for one count of Tampering with a Witness, and one count of Retaliating Against a Witness. Jennings was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release for each count, to run concurrently, following the period of incarceration. The sentence was also ordered to be served consecutive to a sentence imposed in state court in April, 2019, for Child Endangerment Causing Death and Involuntary Manslaughter.
An inmate in the Pottawattamie County Jail was served a subpoena by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in April, 2019, and when the inmate informed his family in a telephone conversation other inmates overheard the conversation. Shortly thereafter, Jennings repeatedly assaulted the inmate that had been served with the subpoena.
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.