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Press Release

Sioux City Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Offense

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa
Powell is a career offender with numerous prior felony drug convictions

A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on January 4, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Thomas Powell, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on May 15, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense.  Amongst other convictions, Powell was previously convicted in federal court of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in 2010.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on November 13, 2022, while in Sac County, Iowa, Powell was found with over 90 grams of pure methamphetamine that he planned to distribute to other persons.  At sentencing, Powell was found to be a career offender with multiple prior convictions relating to drugs, fraud, and violence towards others.   

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Powell was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment and must serve a term of 10 years of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Powell remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sac County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.   

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

The case file number is 23-4002.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Updated January 9, 2024
Topic
Drug Trafficking
Component
USAO - Iowa, Northern