Ice Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Twenty-Five Years in Federal Prison

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Waterloo, Iowa man, Buddy Hal Gunter, 45, has been sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.

At the sentencing hearing, the government established that Gunter worked with his co-defendant to distribute over 500 grams of ice methamphetamine in both Illinois and Iowa. The government detailed Gunter’s criminal history, noting that this was his fourth felony drug trafficking conviction.

Also at the hearing, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Darrow discussed the seriousness of Gunter’s offense, describing him as a “prime example” of the devastation caused by methamphetamine. The Court found that Gunter posed “a very high risk to recidivate,” noting that he upped his game in this case after having previously trafficked smaller quantities of methamphetamine.

Gunter was convicted following a jury trial on August 19, 2021. Gunter’s co-defendant, Michael James Grommet, was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment on March 9, 2022.

The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine are a mandatory minimum term of ten years and up to life in prison, up to a $10 million fine, at least five years and up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

“These sentences are the result of collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement and serve to remind drug dealers that we remain dedicated to disrupting illegal drug trafficking,” said Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Raya.

The case investigation was conducted by the Rock Island Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Bremer County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.