Southern District of Iowa
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 100 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on January 16, 2024, to 100 years in federal prison for Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Pornography. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, David Michael Woods, 51, sexually abused two children in his care, allowed other adult men to sexually abuse the children, produced recordings of the abuse and other sexual images of the children, and distributed the images he produced to others. Woods was convicted after a jury trial in September 2023.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. / For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Clinton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man was sentenced on Thursday, January 11, 2024, to 210 months in federal prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.
According to public court documents presented at the time of the plea hearing, Andrew Robert William Comstock, 36, was identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a member of a Kik chat group that was actively sharing child sexual abuse material. In November 2022, FBI agents interviewed Comstock, who admitted to receiving and viewing child sexual abuse material on Kik. Multiple items were seized from Comstock’s person and residence. Pursuant to a search warrant, a tablet was located at Comstock’s residence that contained numerous images of child sexual abuse material and multiple Kik messages regarding the trading of child sexual abuse material to other users.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Comstock is required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Comstock was also ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Marshalltown Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Disaster-Related Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On January 11, 2024, a Marshalltown man was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to crimes of insurance fraud.
In 2018, following the EF-3 tornado that hit Marshalltown, Iowa, Timothy D. Sletten, 32, engaged in two separate schemes to defraud State Farm, the insurer of Sletten’s numerous residential rental properties, including presenting false work invoices for claim benefits. Again in 2020, following the derecho disaster in Marshalltown, Sletten presented false work invoices from contractors alleging he had paid the contractors for repairs to disaster-related damage to his rental homes when in fact he had not done so. As a result of these fraudulent schemes, State Farm paid Sletten loss claim benefits totaling just over $180,000. Following the 2020 derecho, State Farm opened an internal investigation that caused the company to deny payment of disaster-related claims made by Sletten.
Additionally, Sletten was fined $50,000 and ordered to pay full restitution. Following his prison term, Sletten will be required to serve three years of federal supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau and the Marshalltown Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Roan prosecuted the case.
Two Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two men were sentenced yesterday for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl which resulted in serious bodily injury to two victims.
According to public court documents, Curclund Jackson VanAernam, 23, of Atlantic, and Luis Alberto Hernandez, 31, of Omaha, distributed fentanyl pills in Omaha and the surrounding areas, including Atlantic, Iowa. At least two victims overdosed after ingesting pills containing fentanyl that VanAernam and Hernandez distributed. Both victims survived after receiving doses of Narcan.
VanAernam was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison and will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release following his prison term. Hernandez was sentenced to 22 years in prison, to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force, Atlantic Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Omaha Police Department investigated the case.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced yesterday to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm a felon and possession of cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute it.
According to public court documents, Terrance Tethur Yager, 58, was on probation when probation officers visited his home and found cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, mushrooms, and prescription pills in his garage and a loaded pistol in his truck. After completing his prison term, Yager will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Council Bluffs Police Department investigated the case.
Davenport Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Involvement in a Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Two Davenport men were sentenced yesterday related to their involvement in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy.
According to public court documents, Jordan Thomas Hopper, 25, and Austen Michael Thomas, 26, were part of a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from 2020 to 2022. The fentanyl was pressed into blue pills with “M30” on them (meant to look like prescription Percocet pills). The conspiracy resulted in numerous overdoses.
At sentencing, the Court found Hopper to be responsible for three overdoses caused by the ingestion of pills containing fentanyl. Hopper was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison.
Thomas was not specifically found to be responsible for any overdoses but was also sentenced related to his unlawful possession of a firearm. Thomas was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
Others charged as a part of this conspiracy include: Linder Kai Divos, 27 of Davenport, who was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in federal prison; Kathan Daniel Wiley, 23 of Davenport, who was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison; and Marshall Matthew James Carver, 26 of Davenport, who is pending sentencing.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
Davenport Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Involvement in a Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Two Davenport men were sentenced yesterday related to their involvement in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy.
According to public court documents, Jordan Thomas Hopper, 25, and Austen Michael Thomas, 26, were part of a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from 2020 to 2022. The fentanyl was pressed into blue pills with “M30” on them (meant to look like prescription Percocet pills). The conspiracy resulted in numerous overdoses.
At sentencing, the Court found Hopper to be responsible for three overdoses caused by the ingestion of pills containing fentanyl. Hopper was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison.
Thomas was not specifically found to be responsible for any overdoses but was also sentenced related to his unlawful possession of a firearm. Thomas was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
Others charged as a part of this conspiracy include: Linder Kai Divos, 27 of Davenport, who was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in federal prison; Kathan Daniel Wiley, 23 of Davenport, who was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison; and Marshall Matthew James Carver, 26 of Davenport, who is pending sentencing.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison Related to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to court documents, Jay Eugene Dietz, 35, received and possessed child sexual abuse material on his cell phone while he was housed at the Residential Reentry Center in Davenport. At the time of this offense, Dietz was serving a sentence of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction for receiving child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Dietz will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Remaining Defendants Sentenced in Deadly Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The remaining defendants in a deadly fentanyl distribution network were sentenced to federal prison today for a variety of crimes including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, carrying firearms in furtherance of the distribution of fentanyl, and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
A total of eleven defendants were sentenced in the Southern District of Iowa as follows:
- Kyrell Deshawn Wells, 21, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on October 18, 2023;
- Ja’cara P. Baker, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on October 18, 2023;
- Alejandro Diaz, 34, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 216 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death or Serious Bodily Injury, and Carrying a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on March 16, 2023;
- Janelle Lee Cline, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 156 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death or Serious Bodily Injury on February 16, 2023;
- Christian Blaize Arman, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on December 12, 2023;
- Edward James Arman, 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on December 12, 2023;
- Samantha Mae Neemann, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death or Serious Bodily Injury on April 13, 2023;
- Hai D. Nguyen, 30, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 45 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on April 13, 2023;
- Megan Kayleen Johnson, 27, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death or Serious Bodily Injury on March 16, 2023;
- Richard Andrew Null, 26, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, sentenced to 150 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, and Carrying a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on December 12, 2023; and
- Jarik Mathew McPherson, 30, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, sentenced to 120 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on December 12, 2023.
This investigation began in January 2022, after the Council Bluffs Police and Fire Departments responded to a Council Bluffs residence where an adult female had overdosed on fentanyl. After that victim died, law enforcement began a lengthy investigation into individuals who were actively conspiring to distribute fentanyl in the Omaha and Council Bluffs metro area. Ultimately, investigators identified Kyrell Wells and Ja’cara Baker as the primary distributors of fentanyl to others, including the members of the conspiracy listed above. The fentanyl pills distributed by this organization in the Omaha, Lincoln, and Council Bluffs areas resulted in at least eleven overdoses and six deaths. Kyrell Wells, Alejandro Diaz, Hai Nguyen, and Richard Null were also found in possession of firearms.
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said “The Kyrell Wells fentanyl trafficking organization received and distributed more than 10,000 fentanyl pills every five days. The organization was connected to more than seventeen overdoses. Six people in our community died. The FBI and our local, state, and federal partners are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling the most significant drug trafficking organizations in our community.”
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.
Local Business Owner Sentenced for Failure to Pay Employment Taxes and File Federal Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Bondurant man was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison for failure to pay over employee trust fund taxes and failure to file a federal tax return.
According to court documents, from 2015 to 2020, Thomas James Morford, 50, who operated a local concrete business, failed to pay $355,049 in employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This included the failure to pay taxes that he had collected from employees through withholding, as well as matching employer contributions to Social Security and Medicare. Morford also failed to file federal tax returns for 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Morford will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Morford was also ordered to pay $355,049.68 in restitution to the IRS.
“Withholding employment taxes from employee wages and willfully failing to remit them to the IRS is a serious offense,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock. “Not only does this harm employees, but it also robs the Treasury of funds and that has the potential to harm all those who rely on support from government programs.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.
Clive Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On November 29, 2023, a Clive man pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
According to public court documents, Zachary James Flaherty, 47, used his position as an insurance agent and annuity salesperson to defraud elderly individuals out of their retirement savings and other monies. Flaherty admitted to engaging in a scheme to defraud some of his insurance clients, specifically, that he intended to defraud some of his clients by making false statements to those clients to obtain financial benefits for himself to the detriment of his clients. For example, Flaherty told one of the victims, referred to in court documents as Victim #10, that he would invest proceeds from the sale of her house on her behalf and for her benefit, even though Flaherty knew that his representations to Victim #10 were false. As a result of Flaherty’s false representations, Victim #10 wrote two checks, totaling $170,000, to a company Flaherty owned and/or operated. Flaherty used the proceeds of his fraudulent scheme to acquire various assets, including a boat and automobiles.
Flaherty is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2024, and faces a potential sentence of up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence Flaherty will receive after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other sentencing factors.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from the Des Moines Police Department, Clive Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Pointing a Gun at Police Following a Car ChaseRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced on November 16, 2023 to 13-and-a-half years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents, Fawnie Allen Avery, 36, was on parole with the State of Iowa when he led officers with the Des Moines Police Department on a nighttime chase through residential neighborhoods after law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop of his vehicle. Avery crashed his vehicle, climbed out of his window, and attempted to flee on foot. A uniformed officer attempted to apprehend him. Avery struggled against the officer and pulled a firearm from his waistband. Avery pointed his firearm at a plain clothes officer and chambered a round in the firearm. Police were able to subdue Avery when a third officer arrived on scene.
At sentencing, the District Court found that two Des Moines Police officers were victims of Avery’s offense because Avery pulled his gun during the struggle leading to his arrest, pointed his gun at an officer, and chambered a round in his gun. The Court also found that Avery recklessly created a substantial risk of injury or death during the vehicle chase prior to his arrest.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department.
Keokuk Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Keokuk man was sentenced yesterday to 57 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents, Octavius Sergio Dion Whitaker, 28, stole two firearms from the Farm King in West Burlington on October 27, 2022. Both firearms were later recovered by law enforcement in possession of other individuals.
After completing his prison term, Whitaker will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), as well as the West Burlington Police.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Iowa City Woman Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison International Parental KidnappingRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City woman was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to three years in federal prison for International Parental Kidnapping.
According to public court documents, Kira K. Zielinski, 49, filed for divorce from her husband in 2020. During the divorce proceedings, the Iowa District Court of Johnson County issued orders granting joint legal custody of a shared child to Zielinski and her husband and establishing a joint custody schedule. In February 2022, Zielinski took the child and drove from Iowa to California and across the Mexican border. Zielinski remained in Mexico with the child until November 2022 when she was taken into custody while attempting to reenter the United States. In July 2023, Zielinski was found guilty by a United States District Judge following a stipulated trial.
After completing her term of imprisonment, Zielinski will be required to serve one year of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Iowa City Police Department.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 86 Months in Federal Prison for the Distribution of CocaineRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on November 20, 2023, to 86 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, in 2022, law enforcement discovered Mario Dominick Clark, 44, would travel to the Chicago area to purchase cocaine and return to the Quad Cities to sell it. On several occasions, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to purchase cocaine supplied by Clark. In 2014, Clark was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.
After completing his prison term, Clark will be required to serve six years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the Scott County Sherriff’s Department.
Seven Des Moines Gang Member and Associates Indicted on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a 51-count indictment on November 16, 2023, charging seven individuals with offenses related to a racketeering conspiracy, which involved a conspiracy to engage in a years-long pattern of violence, including attempted murders, robberies, drug trafficking, the straw purchasing of firearms, and the trafficking of firearms.
As alleged in the Indictment, those charged were members and associates of a criminal organization or Enterprise known as “Only My Brother” or “OMB.” OMB originated in early- to mid-2021. Prior to that, some members and associates of OMB referred to themselves as various other names, including C-Block, 600, East Side Crips, Crips, and Gangster. The principal purposes and objectives of the Enterprise were to distribute controlled substances, obtain money and things of value, and earn and maintain respect in the neighborhood. To achieve those purposes and objectives, members and associates of the Enterprise committed acts involving attempted murder, robbery, and assault; threatened to commit acts of violence; trafficking in controlled substances and firearms; and straw purchased firearms.
The following members and associates of OMB, all of Des Moines, are charged in the Indictment:
- Majok Majok, 19, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to traffic firearms, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a machinegun, and four counts of distribution of fentanyl. Majok is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years of imprisonment and up to life.
- Santiz Cortez Langford, Jr., 20, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, two counts of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, conspiracy to traffic firearms, two counts of firearms trafficking, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a machinegun and firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, three counts of unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a machinegun. Langford is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years of imprisonment and up to life.
- Semaj Johnson, 19, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, conspiracy to traffic firearms, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. As part of this investigation, Johnson was previously charged with, and pled guilty to, illegal possession of a machinegun and is awaiting sentencing (Southern District of Iowa, 4:22-cr-106). Johnson is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment and up to life.
- Avontae Lamar Tucker, 20, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition, interference with commerce through robbery, possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Tucker is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 22 years of imprisonment, and up to life. As part of this investigation, Tucker was previously convicted of interference with commerce through robbery, possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. (Southern District of Iowa, 4:22-cr-164). On July 20, 2023, he was sentenced to 192 months of imprisonment.
- Dahaba Bahari Lula, 18, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, and five counts of distribution of fentanyl. Lula is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment and up to life.
- Dawn Ellease Robinson, 44, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, four counts of false statement during purchase of a firearm, straw purchasing of a firearm, and two counts of unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. Robinson is facing up to a combined total of 105 years of imprisonment.
- Deon Ellease Cooper, 27, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, six counts of false statement during purchase of a firearm, conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, and straw purchasing a firearm. Cooper is facing up to a combined total of 95 years of imprisonment.
The Indictment may be viewed at the link below.
Lula made her initial court appearance today before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The remaining defendants will make their initial court appearances on later dates.
As part of this investigation, several other members and associates of the Enterprise were charged with various drug- and firearms-related crimes, as stated in a July 2023 press release. The following defendants charged in those cases have now entered guilty pleas:
- Armani Eugene Gates, 19, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, unlawful user in possession of a firearm, two counts of conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing, which is set for March 8, 2024, Gates faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, and up to life.
- Deadrian Maurice Nelson, 19, pled guilty to two counts of felon and unlawful drug user in possession of firearms. He faces up to a combined total of 30 years of imprisonment. Nelson’s sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024.
- Bakier Mohamd Esmaeil, 18, pled guilty to one count of being a drug user in possession of a firearm. At his sentencing on March 6, 2024, Esmaeil faces up to 15 years of imprisonment.
- Johnetta Marie Strode, 36, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on November 28, 2023.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Richard Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Herrera and Mallory Weiser are prosecuting the case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Des Moines Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case, with assistance from the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
OMB Indictment
Sigourney Man Sentenced to Mail Fraud and Defrauding the IRSRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Sigourney man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for committing fraud by selling grain as organic, which in fact was grown in violation of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP). NOP is a federal regulatory program governing organic agricultural products.
In April 2023, Mark Lynn Haines, 48, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. According to public court documents, key among Haines’ NOP violations were the use of treated seed, which is prohibited by NOP. Haines concealed his NOP violations from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), the organic certifier. The grain was then sold by Haines to a number of unwitting purchasers at a total sale price of over $6.5 million.
Haines also conspired to impede and obstruct the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the assessment and collection of income taxes. Between April 2017 and April 2019, Haines obtained false invoices, backdated checks, and exchanged checks to give the appearance of an expense that was not in fact incurred. In total, Haines concealed over $1.3 million in income. Restitution was ordered to the IRS in the amount of $408,107 and $25,233.44 to a purchaser of the purported organic crops.
Following his prison term, Haines must serve a two-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Consumers trust when they see the USDA Organic Seal, they are purchasing organically produced agricultural products. Haines’ fraudulent activity compromised the integrity of the program and harmed USDA’s ability to protect American agriculture. This investigation and prosecution should serve as warning to all farmers participating in the USDA National Organic Program that organic agriculture fraud will be vigorously investigated by the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and its stakeholders,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Shantel R. Robinson.
After the sentencing, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Mark Haines’ deception and greed not only defrauded the American government, it compromised the trust and confidence of consumers who purchase organically grown products. Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to others who ignore regulations and use deceptive practices to make a profit.”
“Mr. Haines took steps to falsify documents and obstruct the IRS’ efforts to assess and collect his correct tax obligation,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock. “This investigation shows our commitment to upholding the integrity of the nation’s tax system and holding those who try to cheat the system accountable.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) revoked Haines’ organic certificate in 2018 due to several NOP violations and assisted the federal agents in the investigation and the prosecution of the case.
If you witness or have knowledge of any violations of laws and regulations related to USDA programs, contact the OIG Hotline by telephone at (800) 424-9121 or TDD (202) 690-1202.
Ames Man Sentenced for False Presentation and Preparation of Federal Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – An Ames man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for preparing, presenting, and making false tax returns.
According to public court documents, Bakou Kees Vonty, 41, also known as Bob Vonty, prepared and filed hundreds of federal individual income tax returns on behalf of individual taxpayers, from approximately 2011 to 2022. On a 2019 tax return, Vonty, on behalf of an individual, falsely reported business losses and qualified education expenses. As part of his plea agreement, Vonty agreed to not prepare, file, or assist in any way with the preparation of federal or state tax returns for any third parties. Further, in at least 2016, Vonty falsely reported business losses and qualified education expenses on his own tax return. Vonty’s false returns resulted in a combined tax loss exceeding $400,000.
Following his prison term, Vonty must serve a one-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
Ames Man Charged with Sex Trafficking Fourteen Victims and Sexually Exploiting One MinorRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an Indictment today charging an Ames man with fifteen counts of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion, one count of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the Indictment, Carl Dale Markley used and attempted to use fraud and coercion to cause 14 victims to engage in commercial sex acts. The sex-trafficking charges allege that Markley began trafficking one victim as early as 2004, and between 2004 to April 2023, Markley trafficked or attempted to traffic each of the fourteen victims. In addition, the Indictment states that from August 2020 to October 2020, Markley sexually exploited (or attempted to sexually exploit) one 15‑year-old minor by using the minor to create child pornography, and that Markley knowingly possessed child pornography.
Markley made his initial court appearance today before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
Markley is charged with seventeen offenses in total. Each of the sex trafficking charges carries a 15-year mandatory minimum prison term, and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Sexual exploitation of a child carries a 15‑year mandatory term of imprisonment and a maximum term of 30 years in prison. The charge for possession of child pornography carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Richard Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The Ames Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.
Human trafficking is 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. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances.
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. If anyone has information about this case, they are urged to call the Ames Police Department, FBI, or Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation, or call the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Carter Lake Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Carter Lake man was sentenced on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, to 114 months in prison following his plea of guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Jeremy Allen Bothwell, 35, conspired with other individuals in the sale and distribution of cocaine in Omaha, Nebraska and Carter Lake, Iowa between June 2021 and March 2022. Bothwell stored and distributed cocaine from his Carter Lake residence. Bothwell also instructed others to conceal cocaine in an attempt to avoid law enforcement detection.
Following his prison sentence, Bothwell must serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, and Omaha, Nebraska Police Department investigated the case.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 27 years in Prison for Conspiracy and Distribution of Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 27 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Distribution of a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine and Cocaine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, law enforcement began an extensive investigation which revealed that Art Eugene Thomas, 35, sold methamphetamine and cocaine. The investigation began in November 2020 when a concerned citizen reported that many individuals came and went from Thomas’s residence and provided law enforcement with security footage. Several witnesses interviewed said that Thomas carried a firearm. At sentencing, the Court found Thomas was a manager or supervisor within the drug trafficking organization based in part on Thomas’s direct connection to an Arizona drug source of supply. In total, Thomas was found to be responsible for approximately 37 pounds of ice methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Thomas will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 34 Years for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On November 2, 2023, a Des Moines man was sentenced to 32 years in prison after pleading guilty to the crime of transportation of child pornography and two additional years for violating his term of federal supervised release.
In 2022, Adam Christopher Evans, 39, amassed an extensive collection of child sexual abuse material. Over several months, Evans stockpiled over 500 images and 69 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including infants and toddlers.
In 2021, Evans was convicted in federal court of failure to register as a sex offender. He was required to register as a sex offender because of a 2011 conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor under Iowa law. Evan’s supervised release was revoked, and he was sentenced to two years consecutive to his 32-year sentence.
Following his prison term, Evans will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Probation Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Roan prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation, Sex Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Marijuana OffensesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking three adult females by force, fraud, and coercion and kidnapping one of the adult females; 30 years for sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor female; and 10 years for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently for a total term of 40 years in prison.
According to public court documents, Richard Thomas Ball, 47, used deceptive and coercive tactics as well as physical assaults to compel three adult females to engage in sex acts in exchange for money. Ball trafficked the victims and received proceeds from the victims’ sex acts. Ball kidnapped one of the victims during the course of trafficking her. Ball admitted that he transported the victim against her will in a vehicle from Missouri to Des Moines so that he could physically assault her during the trip as a form of revenge against another victim.
Ball also coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct and caused images and videos to be produced of those minor females engaged in such conduct. Ball sexually abused the three minor females, one of whom he began abusing at age 13 and continued for approximately five years. Additionally, Ball admitted to conspiring with others, including minors, to transport marijuana to Iowa and distribute it.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, and Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.
Human trafficking is 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. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Individuals who purchase sex from minors or from those who are otherwise exploited for commercial sex are also subject to prosecution for sex trafficking under federal law, if they knew or were in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18, or that force, fraud, or coercion was used.
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.
Polk City Man Sentenced to 30 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – A Polk City man was sentenced on October 6, 2023, to 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to public court documents, Daniel Todd Little, 44, produced child sexual abuse material when he videorecorded himself sexually abusing a minor child.
The Court imposed the 30-year sentence to be served consecutively to Little’s sentence for his 2022 convictions in the Iowa District Court for Polk County for sexual abuse, controlled substance, and firearm charges. After completing his term of imprisonment, Little will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Little was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security and the Ankeny Police Department investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison Related to Fentanyl Overdose of ChildRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 27 years in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl which resulted in the overdose of an 18-month-old child.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kathan Daniel Wiley, 23, possessed fentanyl, which had been pressed into pills resembling prescription Percocet pills—blue pills stamped with “M30”—with the intent to distribute the pills, which an 18-month-old child ingested. The child had stopped breathing as a result of ingesting the fentanyl, but was able to be revived by medical professionals. A jury found Wiley guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury (relating to the overdose of the child), after a trial in April 2023.
Others charged as a part of the conspiracy include Linder Kai Divos (a.k.a. Lindo), Jordan Thomas Hopper, Austen Michael Thomas (a.k.a. Waynski, a.k.a Mitch), and Marshall Matthew James Carver.
Linder Kai Divos, 27 of Davenport, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 21, 2023, Divos was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in federal prison.
Jordan Thomas Hopper, 25 of Davenport, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, relating to an April 2021 overdose which occurred in Bettendorf, and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, relating to a June 2021 overdose which occurred in Davenport. Hopper’s sentencing is scheduled for November 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.
Austen Michael Thomas, 26 of Davenport, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and felon in possession of a firearm. Thomas’ sentencing is scheduled for November 29, 2023, at 12:30 p.m.
Marshall Matthew James Carver, 26 of Davenport, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, relating to an April 2021 overdose which occurred in Bettendorf. Carver’s sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated this case.
United States Attorney’s Office Hosts United Against Hate Event in Des MoinesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa will host a public outreach event focused on identifying and reporting hate crimes on Thursday, October 19, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Polk County River Place, located at 2309 Euclid Avenue in Des Moines.
United Against Hate is a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating unlawful acts of hate by educating the public about federal hate crimes and anti-discrimination statutes. The program encourages the reporting of hate crimes, hate incidents, and unlawful discrimination to law enforcement and the Department of Justice.
“Hate crimes have a detrimental impact not only on the victims but the entire community. We look forward to providing a forum for subject matter experts to answer questions and shed some light on the laws and processes,” said United States Attorney Rich Westphal.
The United Against Hate event will include an interactive panel discussion featuring representatives from FBI, local law enforcement, Iowa County Attorneys Association, and Polk County Crisis and Advocacy Services, as well as speakers sharing their experiences responding to acts of hate. Please RSVP for the event to [email protected].
To report a hate crime to the FBI, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov, or contact your local field office.
Ottumwa Man and Woman Sentenced for Defrauding the Internal Revenue Service, Iowa Workforce Development, and Numerous CitizensRead the Press Release
Des Moines, IA – On September 29, 2023, Thein Maung, 47, of Ottumwa, was sentenced to twelve years in prison after pleading guilty to forty-nine fraud- and tax-related charges. Phyo Mi, 21, of Ottumwa, was sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury convicted her of sixteen fraud-related charges. In all, Maung and Mi’s fraud resulted in nearly $4 million in losses to the Internal Revenue Service, Iowa Workforce Development, and numerous Iowa citizens.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, for several years, Maung and Mi ran a fraudulent tax-preparation business out of their family’s Ottumwa home. In exchange for a cash fee, Maung and Mi would prepare and file their customers’ tax returns. Maung and Mi primarily catered to immigrants and refugees who worked at meat-packing facilities in Iowa and who had little or no ability to read, write, or speak English.
Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi included fraudulent items on their customers’ federal tax returns, like false claims for residential energy credits, business-expense deductions, or moving-expense deductions for members of the United States Armed Forces. The effect of Maung and Mi including fraudulent items on the tax documents was to increase the refunds their clients received and increase Maung and Mi’s customer base. In all, from 2018 to 2022, Maung and Mi caused over 1600 tax returns to be filed from their residence. Those returns claimed over $3.5 million in fraudulent residential energy credits.
It is estimated that from 2018 to 2022, Maung and Mi received over $200,000 in cash fees from their customers. In addition, on their customers’ returns, Maung and Mi sometimes directed that portions of the fraudulent refunds be sent to financial institution accounts accessible to Maung and Mi. As a result, Maung and Mi obtained nearly $50,000 in fraudulent tax refunds.
Maung and Mi also offered to help customers with applying for unemployment benefits from Iowa Workforce Development. Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi submitted materials to Iowa Workforce Development directing that their customers’ benefits payments be sent to financial institution accounts that Maung and Mi had access to. Maung and Mi obtained nearly $70,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits payments be sent from Iowa Workforce Development to their accounts, instead of to eligible claimants.
At sentencing, Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose described Maung and Mi’s fraud as being elaborate and extensive, involving layers of subterfuge, and victimizing hundreds of vulnerable immigrants and refugees with little education and limited English fluency.
Following their prison terms, Maung and Mi will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This sentence should send a strong message to any return preparers who are looking to cheat innocent taxpayers and the U.S. government that a prison cell awaits them,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), St. Louis Field Office. “Maung and Mi preyed on people who were vulnerable. CI special agents do not take this kind of fraud lightly. Our law enforcement partners worked diligently to help us bring these two to justice.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Ottumwa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Essley and Laura Roan prosecuted the case.
Davenport Man Convicted of Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A federal jury convicted a Davenport man yesterday for producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, David Michael Woods, 51, sexually abused two minor victims in his care and produced recordings of the abuse and other sexual images of the minor victims, which he sent to others.
Jason Richard Heider, 47, of Moline, Illinois, was also charged. In July 2022, Heider pled guilty to production and receipt of child pornography and admitted to his involvement in the abuse and production of child pornography of the minor victims.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Le Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Le Claire man was sentenced on September 20, 2023, to ten years in federal prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, law enforcement identified Kyle Daniel DuPrey, 36, a former East Moline firefighter, as a person of interest after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from a social media platform indicating that videos of child sexual abuse material had been uploaded. Law enforcement traced the account to DuPrey.
During a search warrant at DuPrey’s residence, two cell phones were located which showed evidence of receipt and distribution of child pornography. The investigation revealed that DuPrey viewed and distributed child pornography while on duty as a firefighter, including from approximately December 2020 until at least August 2022.
After completing his term of imprisonment, DuPrey will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. DuPrey was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Scott County Sherriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Rock Island, Illinois, man was sentenced on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, to 60 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base, and felon in possession of firearms.
According to public court documents, Jaylyn Devell McGhee, 27, brought his son to the emergency room in Davenport after sustaining a gunshot wound outside McGhee’s residence in July 2021. Law enforcement responded to the residence and located heroin and fentanyl in the street where McGhee’s vehicle was parked during the shooting. Officers obtained a search warrant for McGhee’s residence after locating a blood trail to the residence. In the kitchen, law enforcement located distribution quantities of cocaine base and a substance containing heroin and fentanyl. In a bedroom closet, two loaded firearms were located. As a convicted felon, McGhee is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Following his term of imprisonment, McGhee was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
Davenport Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On September 21, 2023, a Davenport woman was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to public court records and evidence, on September 19, 2022, around 11:00 p.m., Davenport Police were dispatched to a disturbance/shots fired call in the 500 block of West 17th Street. Upon arrival, officers observed a person enter a black Ford Fusion and depart at a high rate of speed. An officer attempted to stop the vehicle but it fled at speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour through Davenport neighborhoods until it crashed. The driver then fled on foot. An officer gave chase and eventually apprehended the driver who was then identified as G’Sani Bogan, 22. A search of Bogan’s vehicle revealed a loaded Smith & Wesson, M&P, .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol. The pistol had been reported stolen from a Rock Island, Illinois resident. A shell casing from the scene of the disturbance was identified as having been fired from the pistol.
Bogan had been convicted previously in Scott County of two felony offenses and was serving probationary sentences when this incident occurred. The district court ordered the 41-month sentence to be served consecutively to any terms of imprisonment imposed in the Iowa District Court for Scott County. Following her prison term, Bogan will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 10 Years Related to January 2022 Shooting in DavenportRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, related to his involvement in a January 2022 shooting in Davenport.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Leonard Fisher, 32, fired six shots in the area of 13th Street and Washington Street, a residential area, during the early morning hours of January 29, 2022. Trial evidence showed that Fisher fired six rounds from a stolen firearm after an altercation inside of the Thunderguard Club. At the time of this offense, Fisher was on a furlough from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, from a prior prison sentence for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, related to a prior shots fired incident. A federal jury convicted Fisher in January 2023.
Timothy Angel, 39, of Clinton, was identified as another shooter in the January 2022 shooting incident. In January 2023, Angel was sentenced to eight years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Ugandan Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for Money Laundering ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Ugandan man was sentenced on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, to 121 months in prison for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
According to public court documents, Kingsley Ogbeide, 50, also known as “James Oreye,” “Emmanual Richson,” and “King,” was involved in a business email compromise (BEC) scam which defrauded a business within the Southern District of Iowa. Ogbeide worked with co-conspirators and co-defendants to trick employees of legitimate businesses to change their bank information via email. Large sums of money were subsequently wired to illegitimate bank accounts controlled by fraudsters. Ogbeide worked as a top-level conspirator arranging and communicating on which fraudulent bank accounts would receive illegally obtained funds and managed how the funds would be distributed to other members of the conspiracy. Ogbeide admitted to helping to manage fraudulent activity totaling between approximately $3.5 million and $9.5 million.
Following his prison sentence, Ogbeide was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Ogbeide was ordered to pay about $1.5 million in restitution to 16 victims.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Quad City Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison Related to EscapeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Quad City man was sentenced on yesterday to 21 months in federal prison for escape.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Maurice La’Von Cowan, 31, had been transferred from federal prison to the Residential Re-entry Center to serve the remainder of his federal prison sentence stemming from a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 18, 2023, Cowan walked out of the Residential Re-entry Center. Staff members noticed Cowan was not in his bed when conducting a head count. Surveillance footage showed Cowan leaving the center around 5:00 p.m. Cowan was arrested on May 2, 2023.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Cowan will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Omaha, Nebraska man was sentenced September 18, 2023 to 151 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, Timothy James Monte, 58, was stopped for a traffic violation in November of 2022 in Council Bluffs. A search of Monte’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 6.5 ounces of pure methamphetamine.
Monte must serve a five-year term of supervised release following the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 132 months in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – An Iowa City man was sentenced on September 20, 2023, to 132 months in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Yasir Elamin Babekir Hamid, 65, was identified by law enforcement as a person of interest after a cybertip was received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) from a social media platform on which videos of child sexual abuse material had been uploaded. Law enforcement traced the account to Hamid. During a search warrant of Hamid’s residence, law enforcement seized five electronic devices and forensically searched the devices. Officers located hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material. In total, Hamid was held responsible for 17,105 images.
After completing his prison term, Hamid will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Hamid was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on September 20, 2023, to 71 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, witnesses identified Jonathan Lee Sutton, 40, as the shooter following a shots fired incident in June 2022. Officers were able to identify a vehicle associated with Sutton and, following a search, recovered a stolen, .22 caliber handgun. Sutton had previously been convicted in federal court of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base, a felony charge, which bars him from possessing a firearm.
Following his prison term, Sutton will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison Related to Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on September 19, 2023, to twenty-five years in federal prison for producing and possessing child pornography.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Adam Michael Anderson, 24, was convicted in Iowa of sexual exploitation of a minor in 2019. As part of his sentence, Anderson was required to register as a sex offender. Anderson absconded from his Iowa probation and was caught in Texas. Anderson was then charged with failing to register as a sex offender in the Western District of Texas and received five years’ supervised release. Anderson transferred his supervision to the Southern District of Iowa.
During a home contact with the United States Probation Office in October 2022, Anderson was found to have two cell phones with internet capabilities, which Anderson was prohibited from possessing. The cell phones were forensically evaluated and contained evidence where Anderson was communicating with a minor victim in New York. Anderson coaxed the victim into sending him numerous sexually explicit images and videos. Additionally, there were other images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Anderson’s cell phones which he knowingly possessed.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Anderson will be required to serve fifteen years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Anderson was also ordered to pay $9,000 to the victims in this case.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the United States Probation Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 250 Months in Prison Related to a Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on September 19, 2023, to over twenty years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and for distribution of over 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Shawn Eric Durrah Jr., 33, was identified through a law enforcement investigation as an individual who was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in and around the Quad Cities Metro Area for several years. The investigation revealed that Durrah was involved in a drug trafficking organization that was distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. During the time that Durrah was involved in the drug conspiracy, he possessed and sold guns to others.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Durrah will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
Marshalltown Woman and Des Moines Man sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On April 14, 2023, a Marshalltown woman, Elizabeth Andrade, 31, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, and on July 10, 2023, a Des Moines man, Adam Michael Browning, 38, was sentenced to 180 months in prison, for their respective roles in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Both were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; Browning also plead guilty to carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
As early as July 2021, through April 2022, Andrade conspired with Browning to distribute methamphetamine in the Des Moines, Iowa, area. As part of that conspiracy, Andrade acted as a broker or middleman and introduced Browning to methamphetamine sources in Marshalltown, Des Moines, and Mexico. Andrade sent drug proceeds via wire transfer to Browning’s sources in Mexico. Browning sold methamphetamine to several customers and throughout the conspiracy he possessed several firearms. Their conspiracy involved over 20 pounds of methamphetamine.
Following their prison terms, Andrade and Browning each must complete five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force (MIDTF), Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (MINE) Task Force Des Moines Resident Office; Marshalltown Police Department; Marshall County Sheriff’s Office; and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On September 5, 2023, an Omaha man was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
According to public court documents, in March 2023, Russell Paul Sorbello, 59, was found in possession of methamphetamine and cocaine during a traffic stop. In a subsequent search of Sorbello’s hotel room, law enforcement located additional drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Officers also located a firearm in Sorbello’s possession.
Upon release from prison, Sorbello will serve a 5-year total term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Muscatine Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Muscatine man was sentenced on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, on May 22, 2022, law enforcement observed Benjamin Stuart Gomes, 49, receive a package from another man at that man’s residence in Buffalo, Iowa and drive away from the residence. Shortly after Gomes left the Buffalo residence, law enforcement made a traffic stop in Muscatine County of Gomes who was driving his vehicle. During the traffic stop, Gomes was found to be in possession of approximately three pounds of methamphetamine. Gomes admitted he knowingly possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute some or all of it to others. Pursuant to a subsequent search warrant of Gomes’s vehicle seized during the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered approximately sixteen pounds of methamphetamine from the vehicle.
Following his term of imprisonment, Gomes will be required serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man was sentenced on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence, David Roy Bolinger, 49, was identified as a person distributing methamphetamine in the Davenport, Iowa, area during 2022. On April 14, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bolinger’s residence in Davenport. Law enforcement recovered approximately one ounce of methamphetamine. Bolinger admitted to officers on the same day of the search that he knowingly took part in a conspiracy to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with other individuals.
Following his term of imprisonment, Bolinger will be required to complete five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case.
Clinton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On September 6, 2023, a Clinton man was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on the evening of November 24, 2021, Clinton Police stopped a truck for an equipment violation. David Jon Kinkaid, 41, was the driver. A drug-detecting police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics in the truck. A search of the truck revealed that Kinkaid had more than 2,000 grams of methamphetamine, as well as a loaded, .45 caliber pistol. Kinkaid had the pistol to protect himself, his drugs, and his drug proceeds. Following his imprisonment, Kinkaid will serve five years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Clinton Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – A Des Moines man was sentenced Wednesday, September 6, 2023, to six years in prison following his guilty plea to receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, over the course of several months in 2022, Matthew John Marcalus, 55, used Instagram to communicate with a fifteen-year-old child. During these conversations, Marcalus engaged in sexually explicit chats, and solicited and received photos of the child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Marcalus also sent the child photos of Marcalus’s genitals. Eventually, law enforcement became involved and communicated with Marcalus while posing as the fifteen-year-old child. Officers arrested Marcalus when he arrived at a location to meet the child.
Following his prison term, Marcalus must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Ankeny Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Leemkuil prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Federal Search Warrants ExecutedRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa -- On Wednesday, August 23, 2023, federal search warrants were executed at the following locations in the Des Moines metropolitan area:
- 8500 block of Warren Drive, Des Moines,
- 1800 block of Logan Avenue, Des Moines,
- 1200 block of 11th Street, Des Moines,
- 6300 block of SW 12th Street, Des Moines,
- 3300 block of Sylvania Drive, West Des Moines,
- 5700 block of Allison Avenue, Des Moines,
- 900 block of 8th Street SW, Altoona,
- 600 block of Walker Street, Des Moines,
- 7400 block of SW 12th Street, Des Moines,
- 7000 block of Bloomfield Road, Des Moines,
The searches at these locations were an official law enforcement action involving officers, agents, and investigators from the Des Moines Police Department Vice and Narcotics Control Unit, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), United States Postal Inspection Service, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR), Iowa State Patrol SWAT, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force East division, United States Marshals Service, West Des Moines Police Department, Johnston Police Department, Pleasant Hill Police Department, Altoona Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Two Cass County, Iowa Residents Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl Causing Serious Bodily Injury or DeathRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two Cass County, Iowa residents were sentenced on August 15, 2023 for conspiring to distribute fentanyl causing serious bodily injury or death.
Collin Jacob Clarken, 21, was sentenced to 252 months in prison. Colby Ray Clarken, 25, was sentenced to 240 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
In May 2023, three other co-defendants—Cam Christopher Jahnke, Chase Daniel Jahnke, and Kelsi Thurman—were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.
According to public court documents, both Collin Clarken and Colby Clarken pleaded guilty to obtaining fentanyl pills from sources in Omaha, Nebraska, and selling those pills in and around Cass County, Iowa. The investigation determined that between August 2019 and June 2022, the group obtained and distributed over 10,000 pills containing fentanyl. Fentanyl distributed by the group caused two fentanyl overdose deaths.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa stated the convictions disrupted a major source of supply of fentanyl in Western Iowa and was accomplished through the cooperation of numerous law enforcement agencies.
Agencies involved in this investigation include the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Atlantic Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Division of Intelligence, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Crime Lab, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Omaha Police Department.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.
Harlan Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On August 11, 2023, a Harlan man was sentenced to 21 months in prison for failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to public court documents, Tyrone Peacock, 32, registered as a sex offender in Illinois in May 2020. Yet, in March 2022, Peacock obtained an Iowa identification card listing a residence in Harlan, Iowa. Peacock resided in and was employed in Iowa, and failed to register, in violation of the requirements of SORNA.
After his prison sentence, Peacock must serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Harlan Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Atlantic, Iowa Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Distribution OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On August 11, 2023, an Atlantic man was sentenced to 156 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, law enforcement completed several controlled buys from Edward Allen Davenport, 54, in May, June, and August 2022 involving pure methamphetamine. In August 2022, a search warrant was executed at Davenport’s Atlantic residence. Law enforcement seized additional pure methamphetamine, a scale, pipes, syringes, and bags with residue from Davenport’s residence.
Upon completion of his prison sentence, Davenport must serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Atlantic Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and Division of Narcotic Enforcement investigated the case.
Thomson, Illinois Man Sentenced to 270 Months in Prison Related to Conspiracy to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Thomson, Illinois man was sentenced on August 8, 2023 to more than 22 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine or 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, Clifford Don Smith, 56, was identified by law enforcement as a distributor for large quantities of methamphetamine in and around the Clinton, Iowa area since 2021. In total, Smith was held responsible for 8.99 kilograms of ice methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Smith will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Clinton Police Department.