Fort Dodge Man Convicted for Illegal Possession of Firearm

Matthew Bradley, 37, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on June 27, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City, to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on April 11, 2024, law enforcement in Fort Dodge, Iowa, observed Bradley on a bicycle, wearing a backpack, and knew he had an outstanding arrest warrant.  Officers arrested Bradley and seized small baggies of methamphetamine in each of his front pockets.  Law enforcement also seized the backpack, which contained a 9mm pistol, and more baggies/vials of small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana, plus a digital scale.  Bradley was previously convicted of at least five state felony offenses. Bradley admitted to his previous felony convictions and to being a regular user of drugs both of which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.    

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Bradley remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Bradley faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 24-3022.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.